The Supper Club

Nehmen Sie Platz und greifen Sie zu: Wir stellen Ihnen eine maorische Spezialität aus Neuseeland vor. Von LORRAINE MALLINDER

Prepare and enjoy a traditional Maori dish from New Zealand

Let’s get some kai! How about a steaming bowl of boilup? This Maori kai (“food”, in the traditional language) is a tasty and filling family favourite in “the land of the long white cloud”, or Aotearoa — the Maori name for what we know as New Zealand. Traditionally cooked in a hāngi — or pit oven — this delicious pork and bacon stew is usually made with leftovers and root vegetables: kumara (sweet potatoes), potatoes and carrots. But the standout element is the doughboys — a distant relative of the Knödel — bobbing around in the stew.

There’s something extremely satisfying about sinking your teeth into a soft doughboy, tasting the salty juices as you chew. Some might prefer a piece of freshly baked bread, but for me, those fat, round doughboys are the essential finishing touch that give the dish its character.

The story of New Zealand begins with the Maori. Around 16 per cent of the population identify as Maori. And while the group is still socially disadvantaged — they are poorer and more likely to spend time in prison and be in worse health than the rest of the population — the Maori have produced strong leaders, as well as archbishops and governors general.

Maybe it’s because the Maori, who share one language, united under a monarchy to stand up to 19th-century British colonialists. In general, the Maori people have been more successful than other indigenous peoples around the world at getting legal redress for colonial crimes and winning financial settlements, which have given them a stake in the economy of New Zealand.

Today, Maori traditions are an important part of New Zealand’s culture, from the elaborate tattoos — copied by young and old around the world — to the frightening haka war dance performed by the All Blacks before rugby matches. People are queuing up to learn te reo Māori, the Maori language. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wants her young daughter to learn both Maori and English.

This is all part of what makes this country of beaches and volcanoes so special. While far from perfect, the culture has expanded beyond its British roots and Kiwi society has become truly multicultural, considered one of the most open and tolerant in the world. The city of Auckland — with its mix of Asian and Pacific cultures, as well as its Maori and Pākehā (nonMaori, usually of white British origin) heritages — is truly a melting pot.

So, perhaps it’s no surprise that the country’s diverse peoples enjoy coming together around an aromatic pot of boilup. Quite simply, this is the dish that most resembles the nation.