New Zealand’s Traditional Food Is Diverse And Delectable
Posted by Maris on 26th Mar 2024
New Zealand is renowned across the globe for its exquisite meats, expertly sliced steaks, and exceptional culinary standards. Thus, if you do decide to visit New Zealand, your trip won't be complete until you sample their traditional cuisine—it would be like visiting Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower! New Zealand's traditional diet includes a lot of kiwi, seafood, and hangi meals because Maori culture has influenced the country's traditional palate. Whether you wish to be in a paradise where kiwi burgers are real, a mystical land where the meat is so tender that it falls from the bone, or seafood utopia. All this and more is available in New Zealand. See the wide variety of traditional foods that New Zealand has to offer by looking through our list.
The kiwi burger
A kiwi burger, despite its name, consists of standard toasted buns topped with a fried egg, a delicious beef patty, beetroot, and other standard ingredients including tomato, lettuce, cheese, mustard, and ketchup. Even though this "kiwi burger" contains both fried eggs and beetroot, it might not appear like much to your taste buds, but it's actually one of the most well-known, regional favorites, and traditional foods in New Zealand! It is so well-known that Mc Donald's serves it on their menu. If you're in Auckland in the early hours of the morning and you're hungry a wonderful kiwi burger, make sure to swing by The White Lady, a large white food truck that's hard to miss.
Traditional Maori hangi food
Thousands of years ago, the Maori people utilized a fairly common cooking technique called hangi. Pork, cattle, lamb, sheep, and chicken were among the meats combined with vegetables that were packed into baskets, linen sacks, and aluminum foil. After that, these baskets are set over hot stones at the base of a tiny pit, covered with mud and a damp cloth to keep the heat within, and allowed to cook for three to four hours before being removed. Because the meat melts in your mouth and slips off the bone, this style of hangi cooking is regarded as one of the best traditional dishes in New Zealand. Travel to the Rotorua region and sample this regional speciality.
Kina
You guessed it—kina is a type of local sea urchin with a prickly skin and thin, tasty meat inside. This sea urchin is indigenous to the area and has long been considered a delicacy, making it one of New Zealand's oldest traditional cuisines. If you've never tasted kina before, simply imagine it as a spicy oyster. Eat it raw, take a big gulp, and savor every flavor. Fun fact: The Kina is also referred to as the sea's hedgehog. However, it may be purchased at the neighborhood fish store and is widely accessible throughout New Zealand, unlike the majority of hedgehogs.
Fish & Chips
One of the most popular dishes in New Zealand is fish and chips, despite possible British influence. It will be served hot and beautifully wrapped in paper if you get it from one of the neighborhood stores. This tasty little dish is perfect for a quick picnic on the beach or to eat on the fly. Fish like snapper, kohi, or terakihi are typically served. Who doesn't enjoy a classic batter-fried fish dish accompanied with crisp, sizzling french fries?
Jaffa
The most well-known candy in New Zealand is jaffa. Jaffas are essentially chocolate balls coated in sugar and slightly orange in color. Jaffa is available in the majority of supermarkets and department stores. Jaffa races are held in New Zealand because of how well-known these chocolate balls are. The world's steepest residential slope, Baldwin Street, is where the Jaffa balls are rolled. Every year in July, these races are held; if you're ever in New Zealand, make sure not to miss them
Mince pie
Despite being a British innovation, mince pies are wildly popular in New Zealand. According to The Great New Zealand Pie Guide, an individual typically consumes fifteen pies annually—doesn't that prove their love for mince pie? One of the most popular dishes to order from a takeout menu, so make sure to grab some before it disappears. This classic pie has cheese, sauce, onions, minced meat, and mushrooms. Why not sample the pie that received the 2017 title of finest in New Zealand, from The Fast and Fresh Bakery?
Pavlova
You'll notice how frequently pavlova is produced on Masterchef Australia if you watch the show! However, New Zealand has the best pavlova you will ever taste on its streets. This dish has the name of the well-known dancer Anna Pavlova, and it is thought to have been created in celebration of her dance. In essence, a pavlova is a meringue dessert with whipped cream and fruit on top. Could a mouthful get much more delicious than that? It's fruity, creamy, crunchy, soft, and light.
Whitebait fritters
New Zealanders love their traditional whitebait fritters. Whitebait fritters will undoubtedly rank among the greatest traditional dishes in New Zealand if you develop a taste for them! Fish that are under 2 inches long, or whitebait, are considered immature. You guessed it: fried whitebait combined with egg is called whitebait fritters. This unusual dish is typically served with a wedge of lemon and bread. This need to be at the top of your list if you want to sample some local cuisine.
Roast lamb
It is hardly unexpected that lamb in New Zealand is remarkably inexpensive, given that the country has more sheep than people. It is also really tasty. Though lamb racks and chops are also delicious, the traditional dish in New Zealand is usually roasted lamb marinated in garlic and rosemary. Almost any restaurant you visit will provide delicious and luscious lamb, so be sure to indulge in this delicate meat at least once! Roast lamb paired with some steamed veggies is the most well-known lamb dish.
Lolly cake
A lollipop cake is something you would adore if you enjoy candies. This classic dish from New Zealand is well-known among both kids and adults. The lolly cake is comprised with lollipops, candies, marshmallows, and generally a ton of candy, as the name would imply! Additional components consist of butter, condensed milk, and malt biscuits—how can you go wrong with that? Interesting fact: Lolly cakes were first enjoyed in New Zealand in the 1940s. A lollipop cake goes really well with coffee as a snack!