Author(s): Murdoch Riley

Maori Books

The aim of this little booklet is to demonstrate that the choice of vegetables for the Maori cuisine today need not be confined just to those old staples, kimara, puwha, corn and cabbage. There is still a world of variety to be collected out there from the seashore, the low-lands and the forest areas of New Zealand. Some plants should be left alone of course because they are endangered species of have toxic properties. Endangered plants are noted as such in the text but are included as a matter of general interest. a Distinction is made between poisonous and non-poisonous varieties.

For general interest too, a few of the customs, beliefs and legends f the Maori concerning plants are included.  Vegetable food products described are both the wild and cultivated variety: root or rhizome crops, fungi, ferns and other leaves and shoots as green vegetables, tree piths, rushes and seaweeds. There has not been room to add information on some foods from the trees, such as how to roast karaka kernals of make bread fro hinau berries.