Native spices add fun and flavour, from garden to table
The aromatic fruits, seeds, leaves, bark and root of plants have been used to treat disease and to enhance and preserve food since the earliest of times.
One could say that our desire for spices was the driver of our modern civilisation, and opened trade routes to diverse cultures and goods.
Trade along the Chinese “Silk Road” introduced spices from the Far East to Arabia and the Mediterranean region around 2000 years BC. It took another 3000 years before Britain built a fleet of ships which were sent to the “Spice Islands”, (Indonesia), for their valuable spices; pepper, nutmeg, cardamom, turmeric, ginger, cloves, cassia and cinnamon.
It is therefore strange that the British didn’t discover the wide range of Australian native spices which were used by Aboriginal people for medicinal purposes and to enhance the flavour and preservation of their food.
It is only recently that an appreciation of Australian native spices and their use is understood and now promoted by chefs and food writers.
Diploglottis australis, the native tamarind, bears clusters of orange coloured, tart fruits which can be eaten raw or added to curries or stir fries to add a complex flavour to the sauce. This slender, tall tree has large, velvety leaves which make it a good choice as a feature tree.
Dillenia alata, the red beech, has yellow flowers that appear throughout the year. The red, waxy capsules which follow are an ingredient in some Aboriginal recipes. However, eat too many and they have a purgative effect. The red papery bark of this tree is often used in craft work and for bark paintings.
Hornstedtia scottiana, Native cardamom, grows throughout the lowland Wet Tropics. The three-metre long, lush, dark green stems grow out of a tight clump. Deep red, 8cm-long bracts develop at the base of the clump which are edible. The fleshy fertile bracts contain many dark brown, small, hard seeds which have a strong cardamom flavour when ground. The sterile bracts are fleshy and tasty and have a warm, astringent ginger flavour, good in salads.
Davidsonia pruriens, Davidson’s plum, grows tall and narrow with lobed and toothed, hairy, dark green leaves. When cut for floral
arrangements, the leaves have a long life and they also dry well. This tree, however, is best known for its spicy plum fruits. The juicy red flesh has many culinary uses and blends well with all dairy products. The flesh of the fruit can be used as a substitute for tamarind. With a little added sugar, the fruit can be made into delicious jams, jellies and cordials.
Backhousia citriodora, lemon myrtle, has amazing culinary and medicinal uses. This plant is sought after around the world and Australian leaf production of this tree is now a major local agriculture industry. Dried lemon myrtle leaves are used in teas, yoghurts, bakery goods, sauces, ice cream, and to flavour fish and white meats. The oil is used in perfumes and antifungal preparations. Add a few drops to a weak vinegar solution – it’s a good way to tackle mould on walls and furniture in the home.
Few pests bother the lemon myrtle tree and the fragrant white flowers, which appear in Autumn, attract bees that produce a fragrant honey.
Myristica insipida, native nutmeg, is a
beautiful, medium-sized tree, with layered branches. The flowers of M. insipida are insignificant, however, when pollinated they develop velvety brown pods, which encase a large seed covered in bright red flesh. As the seed ripens, lines and cracks appear in the red seed coating, creating a remarkable pattern and signalling that the fruit is ripe. Although not as fragrant as its Malaysian cousin, the dried, ground spice imparts a complex flavour to food.
Curcuma Australasia, native turmeric (Cape York lily) flowers will appear from the dried rhizome in early Spring. As with all turmeric species, they become dormant in Winter, at this time the rhizome can be harvested. The native turmeric does not possess the strong orange colour of the Asian species, however, the flavour is pleasantly spicy and can be use in a range of dishes. Culinary purposes aside, this plant is worth growing for its spectacular flowers.
Buy some native herbs and spices from your local market and compare them to their Asian cousins, you may be pleasantly surprised.