Contemporary Kai

The Waihao Lunch. Nov. 2008. Ajr

Kai is the Maori word for food; Ngai Tahu is the major South Island Maori tribe (iwi). Put the two together and you come up with Jason Dell, Ngai Tahu executive chef at Blanket Bay, who yesterday whipped up a culinary treat for us at Waihao Marae, south-east of Waimate, three hours south of Christchurch. Using the traditional foods of marae –eel (tuna), flounder (patiki), yellow-eyed mullet (aua) and sea-run trout – Jason prepared a lavish lunch for the marae kaumatua (elders). We started with tomato soup with Waldorf salad and eel (top left and bottom right); then raised our forks for sea-run trout set on a polenta cake and lobster ravioli (top right); finishing with fresh bread, baked flounder and baked mullet stuffed with pickled mussels, tomato and an assortment of herbs (bottom left). Not a bad way to spend a sunny day in the south. For more information on Jason Dell put Meet the People - 4 into the blog search box above left. www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz