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Collecting and preparing your own seafood dishes on a regular basis may seem unusual to you, but to some New Zealanders, it's just another day as a Kiwi. When you take a locum job in this beautiful country, a rare species of abalone that will likely be a favorite meal is the Paua.
A traditional delicacy, Paua meat is similar to an oyster's, and has the most colorful shell of all abalone species. While the unique New Zealand seafood is rather rare compared to other fish, it is still common to dive into the sea and catch the shells for yourself. Don't get too greedy, though—recreational divers are limited to collecting 10 per day, and only without the use of scuba equipment. The country continues to prevent poachers from collecting and selling the prized paua on the international black market.
Once you've caught your tasty shellfish, you can prepare it the New Zealand way. First, pull the meat out of its shell and let it rest in a cool spot for 24 hours. You can either mince it to make it into fritters or mash it with a meat tenderizer and slice it thin. After slicing the meat, saute onions, garlic and ginger, sear the paua slices and combine the ingredients with some sweet chili sauce. Then watch your guests drool over the entree you just prepared. But that's not the only way to prepare Paua; try these other recipes, too.