Supporting Indigenous Enterprise via 6 Aussie Bush Foods

" Move over acai and chia, these foods are growing wild, right here in the Australian bush. By purchasing these foods directly from indigenous small businesses, you can support on-country indigenous entrepreneurs.

Feel good while you do good!"

Blog by Melissa Connell

https://exploringedenbooks.com/indigenous-bush-foods/

1. Lemon Myrtle

A great source of calcium

Traditionally in Aboriginal culture, Lemon Myrtle has been used for both food and medicinal purposes. The leaves and flowers are used in tea blends and drinks, confectionery, syrups, liqueurs, flavored oils and more. Lemon Myrtle has antimicrobial and antifungal properties. It’s a source of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, lutein, is rich in phenolic compounds and is a great source of calcium. 

2. Kakadu Plum (Gabiny)

The world’s highest source of Vitamin C.

Kakadu Plum, known in the Kimberley as ‘Gabiny/ or Gubinge’ has the highest natural source of Vitamin C on Earth. Used as a fresh staple in the Wet Season, collected straight from the tree or dried and mixed with water as a drink in dry times. 

3. Wild Lime

Rich in Vitamin C and Calcium

Australia has six species of native citrus, with the most well-known and cultivated species being the finger lime. Wild Limes can be used in any recipe requiring lemons or limes, freeze exceptionally well and are commonly used in jams, sauces and chutneys. Citrus is rich in Vitamin C and calcium and is beneficial in the digestion of protein-rich foods. 

4. Pindan Walnut

Tastes like cashews when roasted

The Pindan Walnut, also commonly known as Kalumburu Almond or Pindan Quondong, occurs in isolated pockets in the Kimberley region. Outside they look like a walnut. Inside the ‘nut’ you’ll find a thick corky wood that surrounds the kernel. Eaten raw, the kernel of the nut tastes like almond, but when roasted it tastes like cashew nuts! 

5. Boab Fruit

Add this superfood to your smoothies

Boab fruit is a highly nutritious superfood with a nut-like shell and a creamy, powdery inside. Crack the shell open and you can eat the fruit (it has a tart/tangy flavour) or powder it down to add to smoothies, desserts, musli … well, you can add the powder to almost any recipe really. High in fibre, Natural pectin, antioxidants, vitamin C, electrolytes … the list goes on.

6. Rosella

Great in jams and tea

Also known as the bush hibiscus (hibiscus sabdariffa), rosella is considered an environmental weed because it’s not native to Australia, having possibly come over from Africa or Sri Lanka. Apart from being gorgeous to look at, it’s also edible and high in vitamin c and antioxidants. A lovely addition to a glass of champagne, or great for jam and tea making.

GUWARL is fruiting and ready

for harvesting. 

Made into chutney and jams, or dehydrated and used in cereals. It has also been made into a sweet syrup to flavour drinks.

Guwarl (in the Djugun language) or White Berry Bush is already fruiting and ready to be harvested early. 

This little fruit is known as Guwarl in Djugun language, white berry bush, white coastal berry, snowberry or scientificly known as ( Flueggea Virosa) 

This bush flowers late spring through summer with small white blossoms followed by sweet-edible fruit late summer through to autumn. These little berries are sweet to eat and has anti inflammatory benefits. 

www.mayiharvests.com.au/product-page/white-berry-bush-guwarl-frozen

The Gabiny Balu ( Kakadu Plum Tree) have started the second flowering cycle. Waiting for the rains to nourish the trees, the bees and insects to pollinate the flowers and then the little fruits will begin to grow. Now we wait patiently for the fruits to develop and ripen in a few months. Then we can go and harvest from our Ngumbarl /Jabirr-Jabirr lands.

Golden Wattleseed

(called 'Lirrigin' in Djugun Language)

Our Golden Wattleseed harvested back in October last year has been roasted, ground and packaged waiting for you to create some amazing recipes. 

We have stock available

so place your Wattleseed

orders online today!! 

Golden Wattleseed is such a versatile native superfood. When these tiny seeds have been cooked or roasted it is a delicious edible seed with multi uses for cooking, baking and beauty products. 

The seeds are ground up and turned into a powder, extract, or paste. Wattle seed has a strong nutty, roasted coffee aroma, with touches of sweet spice, raisins, chocolate and a hint of bitterness. It has a savoury wheat-biscuit flavour.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

by @rabbitlane

Orange Wattleseed Shortbread 

with orange buttercream, caramel filling 

using Mayi Harvests Native Foods

Ingredients:

Wattleseed and Orange Shortbread

(makes 24 pieces)

250 gram butter, softened

1/3 cup (75 grams) caster sugar

2 teaspoon ground toasted wattleseeds

finely grated rind of 1 orange

2 cup (300 grams) plain flour

1/2 cup (100 grams) rice flour

2 tablespoon caster sugar, extra

Orange Buttercream Frosting

(makes 2 +1/2 cups frosting)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)

3 +1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon orange zest (finely grated)

3 to 4 tablespoons orange juice (fresh)

Caramel Centre Filling

(makes 4.5 cups)

2 cups brown sugar
1 can (14 ounce size) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup margarine or butter, cut in slices
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk, more as needed

Instructions:

Wattleseed and Orange Shortbread

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease two large oven trays; line with baking paper.

2. In a small bowl, beat butter, sugar, wattleseeds and rind with an electric mixer until combined. Add large spoonfuls of combined sifted flours to butter mixture, beating after each addition.

3. Press ingredients together; knead gently on a floured surface until smooth. Divide dough into half; cover with plastic, refrigerate 1 hour.

4. Roll one dough half on a piece of floured baking paper to 14cm x 30cm and 4mm thick. Using a (round-shaped biscuit cutter), cut out biscuit shapes; place on trays. Repeat with remaining dough.

5. Bake 18 minutes or until dry and pale in colour.

6. Sprinkle hot shortbread with extra sugar; cool on trays.

Orange Buttercream Frosting

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, combine the butter, 3 cups of confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract until well blended.

3. Add the orange zest and 3 tablespoons of fresh orange juice. Beat until smooth and creamy.

4. Add more confectioners' sugar or orange juice, as needed, for spreading or piping consistency. 

5. Take the mixture and in a circular motion frost the middle of the shortbread biscuits. Leaving the middle open for the caramel filling. Only frost one side of the biscuit.

6. Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to one month.

Caramel Centre Filling

1. Combine the sugar and sweetened condensed milk in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. 
2. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves then remove from the heat.

3. Add the butter and vanilla to the sugar mixture and beat well until the butter melts.

4. Slowly stir in the milk and continue stirring until fully incorporated and thickened. 
5. Allow the caramel to cool down and thicken before placing into the middle of the buttercream frosting.

6. Place the second piece of the cookie on top.

Then Enjoy!!

To purchase our Golden Wattleseeds visit our online shop:

https://www.mayiharvests.com.au/product-page/golden-wattle-seeds-roasted-ground