Traditional Food Gathering

Eel Catching, Waihao marae. Nov. 2008. Ajr

Last week when I was down at Waihao Marae, near the coast just south of Waimate, I managed to get this photograph (right) of a traditional Hinaki - or eel pot. These were usually made from mangemange, a climbing vine. The eels would swim into the narrowing ‘tunnel’ of the hinaki and not be able to get out again. Eel – members of the Anguillidae family and known as tuna to Maori – live in streams and lakes and form an important part of traditional Maori diet. The one shown in the left photograph, ended up as part of our lunch – served as a garnish for a very tasty tomato soup.

Contemporary Kai

The Waihao Lunch. Nov. 2008. Ajr

Kai is the Maori word for food; Ngai Tahu is the major South Island Maori tribe (iwi). Put the two together and you come up with Jason Dell, Ngai Tahu executive chef at Blanket Bay, who yesterday whipped up a culinary treat for us at Waihao Marae, south-east of Waimate, three hours south of Christchurch. Using the traditional foods of marae –eel (tuna), flounder (patiki), yellow-eyed mullet (aua) and sea-run trout – Jason prepared a lavish lunch for the marae kaumatua (elders). We started with tomato soup with Waldorf salad and eel (top left and bottom right); then raised our forks for sea-run trout set on a polenta cake and lobster ravioli (top right); finishing with fresh bread, baked flounder and baked mullet stuffed with pickled mussels, tomato and an assortment of herbs (bottom left). Not a bad way to spend a sunny day in the south. For more information on Jason Dell put Meet the People - 4 into the blog search box above left. www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz

A New Twist on Maori Food

Food by Charles Royal. Photo supplied.

Maori chef, Charles Royal is big on giving Maori food a contemporary twist and you can pick his brains if you indulge yourself in a Wild Food & Wine Retreat at Rotorua’s luxurious Treetops Lodge and Wilderness Estate – a divine retreat set in an 800-year-old virgin forest. Book Charles in advance and he’ll take you on a Maori indigenous food trail around the estate and you’ll sample kawakawa tea and damper bread with flaxseed and pikopiko pesto. Charles has created his own brand of wild herbs - Kinaki – and they’re put to good use in the Treetops kitchens. Check out www.maorifood.com for more information on Charles and the Kinaki range