When it comes to integrating native ingredients into your everyday cuisine, I wish it were as simple as encouraging you to explore the native food section of our major supermarkets, or popping down to your local First Nations grocery stall. Unfortunately for now, with a few exceptions, sourcing native ingredients isn’t as easy as reaching for the many international ingredients readily available to us.
All Australians deserve to have access to our native ingredients, and it is my hope that these unique and beautiful foods will soon sit proudly alongside the introduced vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices in shops and markets. Many of us are working towards that end at the moment, all throughout the supply chain. And the good news is that, through our desire and determination to use native foods in our everyday cooking, we are creating the demand for change.
Let’s begin with your native food starter kit. The following are the most accessible native ingredients, often found in your local specialty store or greengrocer, as well as online. They are also the easiest to incorporate into your kitchen at home – a wonderful starting point to build from. I’ve listed them by their English names, giving their Language names and origins where available.
I’ve also provided a list of mob-owned native ingredients stockists below, plus some recipes to kickstart your native food journey.
Native ingredients starter kit
Tasmanian pepperberries
Tasting notes: complex flavour, with slow-building heat; strong aroma, reminiscent of the bush after rainfall
Tasmanian pepperberries can easily replace black or white peppercorns. You can buy them at Bush to Bowl or Indigiearth (more details below). Given the intensity of native pepper, opt for about three-quarters of the amount you would typically use with standard pepper. And then, if you want more pepperiness, take things up a notch with Dorrigo pepperberries and leaves.
Lemon myrtle, or dalagan (Bundjalung)
Tasting notes: strong lemon flavour and aroma
You can use lemon myrtle in any recipe that calls for bay leaf, lemon peel or zest, lemon balm or lemongrass. I always have whole leaves on hand, both fresh and dried, plus ground lemon myrtle; look for the dried forms in specialty spice shops and online. For an uplifting cup of tea, simply steep a crushed leaf in hot water. If using the leaves in place of bay leaves in stews, sauces, pastas or braises, remove them when the desired depth of flavour is reached. Note that the drying process intensifies the flavour, so when reaching for ground lemon myrtle, start with a pinch and taste as you go.
Macadamias (including nuts, oil, butter and milk), or gumbar gumbar (Bundjalung), baupal, kindal kindal, boomberra, jindall
Tasting notes: delicate, buttery, sweet, creamy
Endemic to northern New South Wales and southern Queensland, macadamias are the only native food to have been developed as a commercial product and traded internationally, becoming Australia’s most successful native food export. From raw or roasted nuts to oil, butter and milk – all things macadamia are readily available at farmers’ markets, supermarkets and greengrocers. Just check the label to make sure you’re supporting our farmers by buying Australian.
Buttery macadamias can be used in sweet and savoury dishes, and are a baker’s delight. Swap out cashews, almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts, even pine nuts, for our own native macadamias.
With a rich mouthfeel and a mild, nutty aroma, macadamia oil can be used in dressings and as a finishing oil; and because of its stability at high temperatures, it’s also suitable for cooking.
Over peanut or any other nut butter, macadamia butter is my go-to. I use it as a spread and in baked goods, to enrich smoothies, health drinks, dips and sauces, and as the base for a vegan cream.
Macadamia milk is the perfect switch-out for any dairy milk or non-dairy alternative. Rich and creamy, it’s delicious in coffee and on your cereal, or in smoothies and ice-cream.
Wattleseed, or minga (Adnyamathanha), ariepe (Arrernte)
Tasting notes: earthy, roasted coffee, hazelnut, burnt toast, chocolate
The most popular wattleseed in the food industry comes from the elegant wattle (Acacia victoriae), which has dominant roasted notes with a slight bitterness.
Wattleseed is usually roasted to bring out its nutty and smoky flavours, and is available as whole seeds or ground.
It’s a beautiful spice for sweet and savoury dishes, makes a tasty cure or rub for meat, and is a wonderful addition to baked goods, caramels, ice-creams and custards.
Wattleseed is a match made in heaven with anything chocolate- or coffee-related – try a teaspoon stirred into your morning brew.
Warrigal greens, or warrigal (Dharug)
Tasting notes: earthy or herbaceous, with grassy motes; saline if from the coastline
Our very own native spinach, warrigal greens are the easiest native veg to start using in your kitchen. During the hotter spring and summer months, its dark green, succulent leaves make an incredible substitute for spinach, Asian greens or chard – but with much more intensity of flavour. Larger leaves should be blanched or steamed before eating.
Try them in pastas, stews, soups, dips, dressings and curries, as well as in scrambled eggs, spanakopita and frittata. Warrigal greens are becoming increasingly available from specialty greengrocers.
Finger lime, or gujalung (Bundjalung)
Tasting notes: fresh, zingy, aromatic
Coming in various shades of green, yellow, pink and scarlet, the fruit is known for its pearls that literally pop with flavour – fondly known as citrus caviar, or “Bundjalung caviar” as we like to call it in the northern rivers region. These pearls are delicious squeezed on raw oysters or any cooked seafood, and they also work beautifully in sauces and dressings. They add zing to granitas, ice-creams and sorbets, and a fabulous freshness to sparkling water. Whenever lemon juice is called for, I always reach for finger limes.
The fresh fruit is becoming increasingly available at specialty stores and greengrocers; and frozen pulp makes a fantastic second option, especially when fresh fruit is out of season.
Ooray (Davidson plum)
Tasting notes: sharp, acidic, sour
After colonisation, the fruit was named Davidson plum after a Queensland sugarcane grower, JE Davidson, who was involved in brutal crimes against mob. It’s a shame such beautiful fruits still carry his name and, given their history and connection to culture, I prefer to use the traditional name, ooray.
Aside from finger lime, this vibrant plum is the native fruit I use most frequently. These dark blue/purple rainforest fruits have a white-ish powdery coating of superfine hairs that acts as a natural defence mechanism against pests. The juicy reddish-pink pulp has a sharp acidic taste and contains high levels of antioxidants.
Use the juice of fresh or defrosted frozen fruit in place of vinegar to pickle vegetables, as a cure or marinade, or as a bright, souring addition to dressings and sauces. Sprinkle the tangy freeze-dried powder straight on to desserts, yoghurt or ice-cream, or combine it with a pinch of salt and use to liberally season anything from hot chips to roast vegetables – it’s like bright pink salt-and-vinegar dust.
Anise myrtle, or wurrganyga (Gumbaynggir)
Tasting notes: distinctly aromatic, aniseed, sweet liquorice
Anise myrtle takes pride of place in my pantry over fennel seeds, ground fennel, star anise or fennel fronds – I use it liberally in any recipe requiring an aniseed flavour and aroma. Available fresh, but more commonly in dried form from specialty spice stores and online, a teaspoon of ground anise myrtle is equivalent to a teaspoon of ground fennel.
Where to buy native ingredients
I love promoting and supporting native food businesses owned, operated and driven by mob. Representing less than 2% of participants across the entire supply chain in the booming native food industry, we have a long way to go to secure fair representation in an industry based on First Nations cultural knowledge and custodial care.
Realistically, accounting for just under 4% of the Australian population, our First Nations peoples don’t have the critical mass to dominate or drive large commercial markets. However, through aligning with and gaining support from our allies, we will be able to steer the native food market in a fairer and more ethical direction.
There are a number of ally-owned businesses in Australia, but below is a non-exhaustive list of mob-owned businesses. They sell a wide range of native ingredients and products – they’re all great first stops for stocking your native pantry.
Bush to Bowl: Owned by Clarence Bruinsma (Yaegl) and Adam Byrne (Garigal/ Gadigal), Sydney‑based Bush to Bowl supplies a wide range of dried and fresh native spices, coastal succulents and warrigal greens, and a small selection of fresh and frozen native fruit, plus native plants to grow at home. As a social enterprise, it also aims to create spaces where families and community members can engage with Australia’s native plants and traditional Aboriginal knowledge and culture.
Kaiyu Superfoods: This Northern Territory-based business processes and supplies a wide range of dried and freeze‑dried native ingredients and native tea blends, including lemon myrtle, native lime, wattleseed, river mint, quandong and muntries.
Kungkas Can Cook: Ethically sourced organic bush food straight from the Central Desert, including a selection of dried native spices, spice blends and native teas. Based in Alice Springs, Kungkas Can Cook was co‑created by Aunty Rayleen Brown, a pioneer and central figure in our native food industry who insists on using only wild‑harvest bush tucker sourced directly from the women who gather the food, as a way to support livelihoods and the continuation of connection to story and Country.
Mabu Mabu: Created by the deadly Torres Strait Islander chef and restaurateur Nornie Bero, Mabu Mabu operates a small online shop selling small-batch native sauces, spices, jams, hot chocolate, damper kits and tea. Their products are also available at Big Esso in Melbourne.
My Dilly Bag: Led by the legendary Aunty Dale Chapman, My Dilly Bag offers a selection of fresh and dried native ingredients and products, including pastas, syrups, sauces and jams, online or at their Sunshine Coast shop.
Native Oz Bushfoods: With a strong commitment to ecological restoration and the preservation of native species, Queensland-based Native Oz Bushfoods produces a large selection of native salts, teas, spices and blends.
Something Wild: A South Australian family business, Something Wild sells native fresh produce, spices and jams, as well as a selection of native-flavoured beverages, both online and through their stall at Adelaide Central Market.
Warndu: The brainchild of Damien Coulthard and Rebecca Sullivan, Warndu produces and supplies a wide variety of food highlighting wild- harvested native ingredients. Their range is rigorously sourced and includes teas, infused oils, ground spices, spice blends, salts, sauces, cookbooks and more.
Dal with native tarka – recipe
This dish is inspired by two big culinary influences in my life: one, spending part of my childhood in Malaysia; and two, native ingredients. As my sister-in-law says, this dish is “a hug in a bowl”.
For me, the native ingredients really bring this recipe to life, but if you can’t find all of them feel free to get creative and use what you have. I love snake beans or okra in place of the coastal succulents, and if any of the native spices are unavailable, simply double the whole fennel, cumin and coriander seeds in the tarka.
Native ingredients used: wattleseed, anise myrtle, cinnamon myrtle, coastal succulents and native greens
Serves 6
60ml macadamia or olive oil (¼ cup)
500g brown onions, finely diced
5cm ginger, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 sprig of fresh curry leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander root
500g chana dal, thoroughly rinsed
800g tomatoes, diced
2 long green chillies, thinly sliced
4 tsp ground turmeric
2 cups vegetable stock (500 ml)
Large handful of mixed coastal succulents and native greens, such as karkalla, sea purslane, saltbush and sea blite
Roti or flatbread (recipe below), to serve
For the tarka
150ml macadamia or olive oil (⅔ cup)
1 French shallot, thinly sliced
2 heaped tsp each of whole cumin, fennel and coriander seeds
2 heaped tsp each of ground wattleseed, anise myrtle and cinnamon myrtle
2 tsp salt
In a large heavy-based saucepan, heat the oil and cook the onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and coriander root until the onion is browned. Add the chana dal, tomatoes, green chilli and turmeric, and stir well. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer, cover and cook until the chana dal begins to break down, about 45 to 55 minutes. Keep an eye on the dal as it cooks, giving it a stir and topping up with a splash of stock or water if it seems to be drying out. The dal should be “soupy”.
Just before serving, make the tarka. Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat, then add the shallot and saute until golden brown. Add all the seeds, ground spices and salt, and cook, stirring, until aromatic – the seeds will begin to pop, releasing their flavour and scent. Be careful not to burn the spices!
Divide the dal between six bowls and top with the coastal succulents and native greens, then carefully spoon over a generous amount of the hot tarka. Serve with roti or flatbread.
Macadamia butter chicken – recipe
This Indian-inspired dish was created for an online cooking class I hosted for a beautiful group of people from all across Australia. For maximum flavour, allow the chicken to marinate overnight. Serve with steamed rice or the lemon myrtle flatbreads (recipe below).
I always have lemon myrtle on hand when cooking, but a large strip of fresh lemon peel will also work in its place here.
Native ingredients used: macadamias, lemon myrtle, native ginger
Serves 4
750g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tbsp ghee or butter (or 1 tablespoon oil)
250ml tomato passata (1 cup)
250ml thickened cream (1 cup)
1 tsp sugar
1¼ tsp salt
Coriander leaves, to garnish (optional)
For the marinade
130g full-fat Greek-style yoghurt (½ cup)
75g macadamias, soaked in hot water for 15–20 minutes, then drained (½ cup)
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp chilli powder or paste
¼ teaspoon ground lemon myrtle
1 tsp ground cumin
2cm piece of native ginger, finely grated
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
Combine the marinade ingredients in a food processor or blender and blitz on high speed until smooth.
In a large bowl, place the chicken, then pour the marinade over. Stir to thoroughly coat the chicken, then cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least two hours, or ideally overnight.
Heat the ghee or butter in a large frying pan over high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade (reserving the marinade in the bowl) and add to the pan, then fry, turning regularly, for two to three minutes or until lightly browned.
Add the passata, cream, sugar and salt, along with the reserved marinade, stirring to combine. Turn the heat down to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Taste to see if it needs more salt, then transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander, if you like.
Lemon myrtle flatbreads
(Pictured above, with macadamia butter chicken)
These quick and easy flatbreads, infused with zesty lemon myrtle, are sure to become a regular in your repertoire.
Native ingredients used: lemon myrtle
Makes 8
300g self-raising flour (2 cups), plus extra for dusting
260g full-fat Greek-style yoghurt (1 cup)
1 tsp ground lemon myrtle
A pinch of salt
2 tbsp butter, ghee or macadamia oil
In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the butter, ghee or oil, to make a smooth dough. Divide the dough it into eight even-sized portions.
Dust a clean bench or work surface with flour. Roll each dough portion into a roughly circular shape.
Heat the butter, ghee or oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook one or two flatbreads at a time, depending on the size of your pan. Lay them in the pan and cook for two to three minutes until they start to rise and turn lightly golden on the underside. Flip and cook for a further two minutes or until cooked through. Keep the cooked flatbreads between two clean tea towels so they stay warm while you cook the rest.
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This is an edited extract from Karkalla at Home by Mindy Woods, available now through Murdoch Books ($49.99). Her website, karkalla.com.au, also sells a range of native ingredients and food products.
