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recipes |
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Hangi |
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I am George, founder of the TE RUA WHENUA Maori Club 9. I am from the centre of the North island of New Zealand, from a big little place called Taupo. Hangi means food cooked in the ground. This recipe is passed from generation to generation from father to son. It is a male tribal tradition. My father taught me. In the old days instead of pots and pans we had baskets that we wove out of flax called kona. The kona were thrown away after use which was great as there were no dishes to do. In the olden days, pigs were bred especially for the hangi or half a bullock would be cooked. Up to ten kona were filled with different meats (eg pig, fowl, pork, lamb) and placed in a hole. In the old days there were plenty of wild birds to be caught, like wood pigeon and moa, (a kind of bird which is now extinct). Hunters would place special snares near watering places, so that the birds that came to drink would be trapped. Rocks were heated up and then the kona placed on top. Special leaves covered the ingredients, and then water poured over the top. So the method of cooking was actually by steam. In this way the Maoris invented the idea of the pressure cooker. One hangi could feed up to 600 people. This dish is prepared for special occasions, such as weddings, birthdays, baptisms and holidays. Everyone eats and loves hangi. |
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one whole pig (singed) spices, depending on your family traditions leaves to cover water vegetables |
Today steel baskets replace the flax baskets and sacks are used instead of leaves. There are gas burners instead of wood. The food is placed in steel baskets over the gas burners with a wet white sheet to cover the baskets. Wet sacks are placed over the clean sheets and men shovel dirt over the top to bury all the ingredients. Pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, and potatoes are some of the vegetables usually used. The cooking time is about 4 hours from the time of sealing. The food can be served on little flax dishes which take us about 10 minutes to weave. |
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