Cuisine: Hangi

A hangi is a traditional Maori meal cooked by steaming food in a hole in the ground. The term 'hangi' has several translations, but the most popular is 'to create,' or 'to produce anything.' Cooking a hangi is a time-consuming operation that might take many hours. In general, a great quantity of food is prepared with the anticipation that it would be given to a large group of people.

Baskets of food are placed on top after they have been wrapped with a damp towel, producing a lot of steam. Chicken, potatoes, pumpkins, kumara (sweet potatoes), and carrots are often served as a side dish, so now is the time to include them. So that steam does not escape from the pit, the hole is carefully covered with soil from the borders up to the top of the pile. Maori substitute plant leaves for spices and salt in their dishes. Horopito and kawakawa are the most common flavor enhancers, while crushed seaweed is frequently added to the hangi. The dish is ready to be served after 2-3 hours of slow cooking.