These native ingredients should be in every Aussie kitchen

Native ingredients have been nourishing Indigenous Australians for tens of thousands of years. Here’s why we should all get on board with these ancient foods.

Have a look at your spice rack. You’ve probably got oregano, paprika, some chilli flakes. What about saltbush? Or wattleseed? Or mountain pepperberries?

These are some of the ingredients that have been sustaining Indigenous Australians for thousands of years, and for good reason. Native ingredients are full of nutrients and antioxidants (the Kakadu plum contains more vitamin C than an orange, and around five times the amount of antioxidants as blueberries, while lemon myrtle is rich in folate, zinc and calcium). They are endemic, and grow here easily; many native plants don’t require fertiliser, pesticides or huge amounts of water to keep them thriving.

“Native ingredients are so important because they’re natural to Australia,” explains Nornie Bero, head chef and owner of Melbourne café Mabu Mabu, who started selling a range of Australian ingredients online when COVID-19 struck. “Not only is it healthy for us to eat our own produce, these ingredients are natural to our country.”

So what’s holding so many Australians back from adding native ingredients to their kitchens?

It boils down to two main things: a lack of knowledge on how to use them, and not being able to find them in supermarkets. Right now, the only place you can really source native ingredients is online, but there’s a growing market, and getting things like wattleseed, lemon myrtle and saltbush is becoming easier and easier.

“If the world has taught us anything this year, it’s to support our own industries here, and what we can grow and achieve,” Nornie says. 

As for using them in your kitchen, Nornie says, “At one stage, you would have tried basil. You would have experimented with Szechuan peppers. That’s what you need to do with natives as well. It should just be a natural part of your life to try something new. It’s the Australian way to give things a go, right?”

A little goes a long way. “You get so much power-packed flavour for less product,” Nornie says. Add a little at a time, tasting as you go, until you hit just the right flavour.

You don’t need to restock your entire kitchen either. Just start with one ingredient, and go from there. Most Australian natives are incredibly versatile, and lend themselves to sweet desserts, savoury breads, meats, teas, cocktails, jams… just about everything you could think of.

Wattleseed is extremely nutritious, and is high in protein and fibre. Once roasted and ground, add a pinch to your baking, sprinkle over meat and veggies before roasting, or steep a teaspoon or two in boiling water as a tasty (and caffeine-free) alternative to coffee.

Lemon myrtle may be beneficial in boosting immunity and promoting good gut health. Use it in cooking as you would lemongrass (it’s great in curries) or add it to cakes and desserts for a zesty kick.

Nornie explains that this ingredient should be in “every spice rack, and used as we would oregano.” The flavour of the leaf means you don’t need to add extra salt to your dishes, and you get a rich herbaceous flavour. Add it to vegetables, eggs, meats, the works!

Coming from the eucalypt family, the strawberry gum gives you a sweet, berry-like essence with the health benefits of eucalyptus. Use it in desserts, stir a pinch through yoghurt, or drink it as a tea.

Kakadu plums have the highest concentration of vitamin C out of all the fruits, and have been used by Indigenous Australians for centuries to treat colds, flus and headaches. It can be tricky to source the fruits themselves, but powdered concentrates can be used in smoothies, sauces and chutneys.

Pepperberry is a really fun ingredient to experiment with. Adding a fruity flavour at first, the pepperberry’s taste gets hot and spicy quite quickly. It’s versatile as well, and can be used in both savoury and sweet dishes.

The delicate, caviar-like pearls of the finger lime pack a zesty punch, and make a great addition to creamy desserts, vinaigrettes and fancy cocktails. Some markets stock fresh finger limes, otherwise order them online, or try growing them yourself!

Staff writers come from a range of backgrounds including health, wellbeing, music, tech, culture and the arts. They spend their time researching the latest data and trends in the health market to deliver up-to-date information, helping everyday Australians live healthier lives. This is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances 

Disclaimer: This is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a financial adviser, or medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.