The use of native ingredients in our cooking has grown exponentially in recent years with proteins such as kangaroo now readily available at supermarkets and butchers and herbs such as lemon myrtle appearing in all manner of dishes at restaurants and on our family tables.
If you are unsure of which flavourful additions to include in your cooking, here are five we think you need to know how to use:
Saltbush:
This is an edible shrub with silvery-green leaves which grows wild across most of the country. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have traditionally eaten the fruit and seeds of certain saltbush species as a source of minerals, along with using the leaves to help heal wounds.
The leaves are still in great demand today – their salty, earthy flavour is a great addition to roasts or as a native alternative to salt, when ground up.
Quandong:
Typically found in arid parts of the country, quandongs have long been revered by Aboriginal people for their incredible versatility and healing properties – the fruit is high in immune-boosting antioxidants and vitamin C.
The tart flesh is often turned into jams and chutneys, while the nuts are customarily roasted.
Crocodile:
Miso tempura crocodile at PepperBerry.
More commonly found on menus in Australia’s Northern Territory, crocodile meat is a surprisingly healthy meal choice: low in fat, high in protein and rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
It’s also extremely tasty, with the flavour somewhat reminiscent of chicken, but with nuanced fishy overtones.
Darwin is the ideal place to sample this superfood – think everything from croc burgers and spring rolls to miso tempura crocodile with mango and green chilli sauce at Chef-hatted PepperBerry restaurant on Mitchell Street.
Green ants:
Plentiful and high in protein, insects are eaten the world over and green tree ants in Australia are no exception. Distinguished by their vibrant green abdomen, these endemic creatures are found across Queensland and the Northern Territory and have been eaten by Indigenous communities for centuries. They’re extremely tasty, delivering a hit of lemon.
Attica mastermind, Ben Shewry, is well known for using green ants in his menus, including a live green ant pavlova.
Wattleseed:
Australia boasts hundreds of species of acacia (wattle trees) and most have edible seeds. Aboriginal communities have traditionally eaten the powerful native botanical raw, or ground the seeds into flour for making damper (bread).
This is still a popular cooking technique, with powdered seeds adding notes of nut, coffee, spice and chocolate to cakes, biscuits and loaves.
