The following highlights some of the popular Traditional New Zealander Foods. If you manage to be in an New Zealander restaurant or you are visiting New Zealand, I recommend the following:
1. Whitebait Fritter
Whitebait is the name given to sprats, tiny fish that are abundant off the coast of New Zealand. They travel in schools, so catching them is fairly simple. Sprats are the main ingredient for whitebait fritter, one of New Zealand’s signature dishes. It’s a kind of omelette made from eggs, lots of these little fish, and a little tomato. It’s a fresh, light dish, often eaten at New Zealand family tables.
2. Roasted Hogget
This is a delicious roast made with baked lamb meat, which is seasoned with various herbs. Generally, small sheep, less than two years old, are selected for this roast, so that the tenderness of the meat stands out on the palate. The Hogget roast is served with a rich mint sauce and accompanied by vegetables such as sweet potatoes, courgettes, peppers or potatoes.
3. Pavlova Cake
This delicious dessert is named after the ballet dancer Anna Pavlova. It is crisp on the outside and very creamy and light on the inside. It consists of a meringue base topped with whipped cream, chocolate and pieces of fruit, especially lots of berries. Depending on the cook’s preference, it can be made in a circular or square base, on top of which the other ingredients are placed; or it can also be made by forming a box with the meringue and then filling it. These are different versions of the same dessert, which is loved by New Zealanders and visitors alike.
4. Lamingtons
These fluffy sponge cakes are made with butter and presented in the form of small cubes. One of the main attractions of this dish is the various icings: they can be chocolate, raspberry jam, whipped cream or coconut shavings sprinkled on top, which is among the most common. If you travel to New Zealand, you have no excuse not to try them, as they are available in almost every bakery and patisserie, and even in supermarkets.
5. Lamb stew
This is one of the dishes of New Zealand cuisine in which the influence of English cooking and traditions can be most appreciated. Keeping lamb as the star ingredient, this stew is one of its best presentations. The meat is generously seasoned with salts and herbs. It then goes through a very brief frying process. The final step is the frying pan, in which it is sautéed with a red wine and rosemary sauce, accompanied by abundant vegetables, including carrots.
6. Colonial Goose
This New Zealand staple dish has a nice curiosity about it. Although its literal translation means colonial goose, the reality is that goose is not included among the ingredients. This exquisite dish is made with lamb. To be exact, with the leg, which must be boned and cooked with honey and nuts. During the cooking process, abundant wine is added, which helps to give it its characteristic flavour, colour and texture. It is usually served with potatoes or pumpkins.
7. Afghan Biscuit
With delicious cocoa powder, butter, flour, sugar, milk, corn flakes, a creamy chocolate coating, and the finishing touch of walnuts as a topping, these Afghan Biscuits are made. The combination of the biscuit texture and the chocolate and nut flavours together create an explosion on the palate. As a typical New Zealand food, Afghan Biscuits are prepared at home and served with a cup of tea or hot milk.
8. Fish and Chip
This is perhaps one of New Zealand’s most internationalised food preparations. Although New Zealanders debate the origin of the dish with the UK, it is actually quite common, especially in fast food outlets, although it is also served in more formal restaurants. It consists of chunks of fresh fish, such as snapper, tarakihi or hoki, which are fried in oil and served with fries as a side dish.
9. Hokey Pokey
The Hokey Pokey is a type of sweet caramel toffee with a solid, spongy texture. It is made using a variety of ingredients, including brown sugar, golden syrup (molasses and cane honey), baking soda and a light touch of vinegar. It is a dish that demonstrates the culinary creativity of the New Zealander, as it comes in a variety of presentations: you can find it in the form of sticks, chunks and cubes, like the ones shown in the picture. There is also the ice cream variant, whose creamy texture makes it irresistible.
10. Hangi
This typical New Zealand dish reflects the profound influence of the Maori on the New Zealand kitchen. Hangi refers to a cooking method that has been used by this indigenous group for the past two thousand years. It is a simple and ancient way of cooking meat or seafood with vegetables on a barbecue made on the ground. The cooking comes from the steam of very hot rocks. Although modernisation has come to the kitchen, replacing the rocks with gas machines, the principle is the same: red or white meat, accompanied by vegetables and served steamed.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional Oceanian Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.