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Maori culture is an indelible part of the fabric of New Zealand, playing a major role in the nation's history from ancient times through the present. Locum tenens who want to better understand Maori customs should sample kai, the cuisine of the country's indigenous people.
One important ingredient in Maori cooking is flaxseed oil. Although one might not initially think of oil as an essential component of local cuisine, this cold-pressed and unrefined ingredient imparts a natural flavor to native foods, all while providing important nutritional building blocks like omega-3 fatty acids.
Another important component of kai is manuka, or the tea tree. The dried chips of this wood can be burned to add a unique smoky flavor to food, while its honey is said to have important medicinal benefits.
A major spice in Maori cuisine is horopito, which is also called the New Zealand pepper tree. When ground, it can replace normal black pepper as a seasoning. Its spicy citrus flavor has notes of sweet apple, giving dishes a taste profile that is simultaneously tangy and powerful.
Other important ingredients include kawakawa leaves, korengo seaweed, koura (crayfish), pikopiko fern tips and more.