New Zealand food traditions run deep. New Zealanders use what is plentiful, including both seafood and food of the land. Plus, there is always an abundance when it is prepared! Their rich food traditions run deep, and they still prepare many of the same dishes that were made centuries ago.
New Zealand Food Traditions
The Māori people have deeply rooted traditions for much of what they cook. They were not afraid to try new food and new ways of preparation when Europeans landed in New Zealand. Since then, the Māori people have been able to mesh the 2 food traditions into something delicious.
It was tradition to not cook in the same building as people slept. For this reason, many recipes were prepared in the open air, underground, or huts made specifically for cooking. This still holds true today. The hāngī, or earth oven, is a revered cooking tradition in New Zealand that dates back centuries. Hāngī is often used during celebrations for large groups of people.
The earth oven works by using hot rocks and water to create steam in a pit dug into the ground. Meat is put on top of the rocks, then vegetables. The pit is then covered with leaves, flax matting, or even cloth. Soil is put back into the oven over the food and covering, which helps the food to steam until done. The time to cook depends on how big the hāngī is.
New Zealand Seafood
Because of New Zealand's proximity to the ocean, seafood can be found in abundance in homes and restaurants. It’s common to see what is referred to as “seafood caravans” along the coast with small food trucks or restaurants offering all the fresh seafood available with crayfish as a popular option. Crayfish are often referred to by different names in different countries. For example, in the U.S., crayfish are referred to as crawfish, crawdads, fiddlers, crawdaddies, or mudbugs!
Seaweed and pikopiko (fern shoots) are often served alongside seafood dishes. New Zealanders think of pikopiko as a Māori symbol for unity. It has a similar taste to green beans or asparagus and is often found growing in damp, shady areas. It can be cooked with oil and nuts and then blended to make a spread, or it can be eaten raw.
New Zealand Food Preservation
Preservation is an important part of New Zealand food culture. Because of this, the process of fermenting foods, or mara kai, is common, and it is a learned art. Kānga kōpiro, also known as fermented corn or Māori porridge, is a popular dish. This recipe was the result of combining corn from Europe and New Zealand mara kai.
To prepare it, whole corn cobs are soaked in running water up to several weeks. Corn will settle at the bottom of the storage container and then is mashed and made into a porridge of sorts. The smell is strong and has been called “rotten corn,” but kānga kōpiro is also considered a New Zealand food treat. New Zealanders also use this fermentation process with crayfish.
New Zealand at Breakfast
Breakfast ranges from porridge, cream, and brown sugar to bits of leftovers like bubble and squeak. Bubble and squeak is a famous dish brought over by the Europeans that has been modified to New Zealand culture. It consists mostly of potatoes and cooked cabbage or brussel sprouts. Water is added to make a wetter mixture, so as it cooks, it creates a golden crust. It is often served with eggs and bacon to make a complete breakfast.
New Zealand at Lunch
Meat pies are a well-known delicacy in both New Zealand and Australia. They are a hand-held pie filled with different types of meat, a bit of gravy with onions, mushrooms, and even cheese. They can be eaten on the go, which is why lunch is the best time for a meat pie. Both Australians and New Zealanders consider the delicious pies as part of their country’s hallmark foods.
New Zealand at Dinner
One of the interesting things about cuisine in New Zealand is that many of the things consumed for dinner are also eaten at breakfast or lunch. Bubble and squeak and meat pies are 2 of those things. Hāngī and roast are mostly served for dinner because of the time and effort involved.
New Zealand at Dessert
If you’ve ever eaten pavlova, it is the most popular and traditional New Zealand dessert. The meringue-based dessert has a crisp, shell-like consistency on the outside and then a melt-in-your mouth meringue as you eat the center. It is usually covered with fresh berries with whipped cream on top.
Now It's Your Turn!
New Zealand foods are worth trying. If you've had the chance to visit this beautiful country and tried the food there, record your experience at FamilySearch Memories. If you have a New Zealand family recipe, use Memories to save that recipe for the next generation. Your work to preserve the family stories centered around food will be worth the effort.
We would like to thank Maine Tito, a New Zealand native of Māori descent, who was able to share her personal insight and knowledge of New Zealand and its culture with us so we could create this blog article.
Learn More about New Zealand
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