Outbackjack
Warrigal Greens - Tetragonia tetrogonoides
This has a spinach flavour and grows naturally in the wild. It can be used as a spinach or as Asian Greens, also a great addition to quiche
This plant has high oxalate concentration in it which is removed by the blanching method. This means to place in simmering water for 1-2 minutes. Then refresh leaves in ice-cold water and discard the cooking water.
It is best to use the leaves and only the young stems of this plant. The leaves are semi-succulent and have a nice texture. I have personally eaten some very young leaves raw as a salad, but only a few at a time.
This plant is easily propigated from seed. So save some seeds each season.
This has a spinach flavour and grows naturally in the wild. It can be used as a spinach or as Asian Greens, also a great addition to quiche
This plant has high oxalate concentration in it which is removed by the blanching method. This means to place in simmering water for 1-2 minutes. Then refresh leaves in ice-cold water and discard the cooking water.
It is best to use the leaves and only the young stems of this plant. The leaves are semi-succulent and have a nice texture. I have personally eaten some very young leaves raw as a salad, but only a few at a time.
This plant is easily propigated from seed. So save some seeds each season.
Purslane/Pigweed from Weed to Vegetable Portulaca australis
This grows wild from the coast to the Australian outback and is easy to grow. Classed as a herb which grows as groundcover with succulent leaves.
I have read that the
succulent, fleshy shoots can be eaten either raw or steamed. However some sites recommend that the leaves be lightly blanched the same as for Warrigal greens. Raw leaves tend to taste slimy but flavour & texture improves with steaming. Slightly bitter taste can be modified with a light vinaigrette dressing.
This grows wild from the coast to the Australian outback and is easy to grow. Classed as a herb which grows as groundcover with succulent leaves.
I have read that the
succulent, fleshy shoots can be eaten either raw or steamed. However some sites recommend that the leaves be lightly blanched the same as for Warrigal greens. Raw leaves tend to taste slimy but flavour & texture improves with steaming. Slightly bitter taste can be modified with a light vinaigrette dressing.
Australian Bush Tucker - fruit, greens and herbs
Bush fruits
Ruby Saltbush Enchylaena tomentosa.
Small shrub to 1 meter, has long, soft succulent type grayish leaves. Grows nearly everywhere. It Has currant-sized yellow to red fruit and can be found on the plant at different times of the year. It is fruiting in the S.A. Outback this March due to the great rains we have recently had.
I found the fruit soft and sweet, pleasant to eat.
These berries can be soaked in water to make a sweet drink, dried for later use and they also make a good red dye.
Small shrub to 1 meter, has long, soft succulent type grayish leaves. Grows nearly everywhere. It Has currant-sized yellow to red fruit and can be found on the plant at different times of the year. It is fruiting in the S.A. Outback this March due to the great rains we have recently had.
I found the fruit soft and sweet, pleasant to eat.
These berries can be soaked in water to make a sweet drink, dried for later use and they also make a good red dye.
Quandong Santalum acuminatum.
This is a small tree from 5-6 meters. The fruit and seeds are edible. According to CSIRO the fruit has high vitamin C content. Good for stewing, liqueur, jams etc. Quandong fruit is easily dried and readily constituted for use later.
One friend of mine made some really nice liqueur from quandong by using a cumquat liqueur recipe.
The quandong fruit is a partial root parasite and needs a host plant to propagate. I have heard rumour from locals that the root system of some lawns is adequate for this. In industry acacia species, bluebush and saltbush are giving great results.
It pays to remember however that your Quandong may be attached to weeds so don't use roundup or pull out all the vegitation around the plant. Nutrition values bottom of page
This is a small tree from 5-6 meters. The fruit and seeds are edible. According to CSIRO the fruit has high vitamin C content. Good for stewing, liqueur, jams etc. Quandong fruit is easily dried and readily constituted for use later.
One friend of mine made some really nice liqueur from quandong by using a cumquat liqueur recipe.
The quandong fruit is a partial root parasite and needs a host plant to propagate. I have heard rumour from locals that the root system of some lawns is adequate for this. In industry acacia species, bluebush and saltbush are giving great results.
It pays to remember however that your Quandong may be attached to weeds so don't use roundup or pull out all the vegitation around the plant. Nutrition values bottom of page
Muntries
Common Names & Species:
Muntries, Munthari
It usually grows on South coast of SA, up to the Eyre Peninsula and around Portland Vic, also found in Kangaroo Island. Rainfall areas 500mm-800mm so would need a bit of watering in the Australian outback in a spot that would get some shade or protection from the hot summer sun.
Fruit is great eaten fresh or used in preserves or would even make a great relish to go with steak or pork. I have tried this at a nursery in Bamera S.A.
Prostrate or occasionally semi-upright shrub. Grown successfully on trellis under cultivation.
Common Names & Species:
Muntries, Munthari
It usually grows on South coast of SA, up to the Eyre Peninsula and around Portland Vic, also found in Kangaroo Island. Rainfall areas 500mm-800mm so would need a bit of watering in the Australian outback in a spot that would get some shade or protection from the hot summer sun.
Fruit is great eaten fresh or used in preserves or would even make a great relish to go with steak or pork. I have tried this at a nursery in Bamera S.A.
Prostrate or occasionally semi-upright shrub. Grown successfully on trellis under cultivation.
Important! It always is important to prepare bush tucker foods correctly. The correct preparation will ensure that the harmful elements are removed. The Aboriginals learned this and we would do well to learn from them.
Seeds such as the edible Acacia seeds need to be roasted before eating. Many greens need to be blanched.
Also remember that just because one part of the plant is edible does not guarantee that all parts are.
Don't let this put you off though as many plants that are a regular part of our Western diet are the same. Like ruhbarb who's leaves are toxic and silverbeet which contains oxalalic acid too.
Seeds such as the edible Acacia seeds need to be roasted before eating. Many greens need to be blanched.
Also remember that just because one part of the plant is edible does not guarantee that all parts are.
Don't let this put you off though as many plants that are a regular part of our Western diet are the same. Like ruhbarb who's leaves are toxic and silverbeet which contains oxalalic acid too.
Do you have a recipe using Australian bush tucker? Like to share it with us? Email your recipe to:- jackie@outbackjack.info
Here is a great bush tucker site Outback Pride
Here is a great bush tucker site Outback Pride
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Some interesting and useful links below
| Edible seeds found in South Australian Native Flora Wattle Seeds. |
| The Aboriginals used wattle seed to make a type of four. They cooked this often in ovens made in a hole in the ground using hot coals and hot rocks. Wattle seeds are very nutritious. Some types were also eaten green or cooked in the pod. According to CSIRO studies the following nutritional elements are in wattle seeds, exact amounts vary amongst the different species. Potassium, calcium, iron and zinc in fairly high concentrations. Protein aprox. 23%. Carbohydrate - 26%, fat/oil (poly & mono - unsaturated) - 9%. Wattle seeds have a low glycemic index which means they are good for diabetics, providing a steady stream of sugars that do not produce sudden rises in blood glucose levels. Most vitamins are found except for C, B12 and riboflavin. they are high in fibre - over 30%. Listed below are some of the edible species found in Australia. Acacia notabilis, Acacia papyrocarpa, Acacia pycnantha, Acacia victoriae - the last one being considered one of the best for commercial use. Some Acacia wattle seeds contain toxins and should not be eaten. It is important that wattle seeds be prepared correctly to ensure some minor toxins are dealt with. Some species need heat treatment as in roasting the seeds before grinding, others need the sticky pod coating removed because it is an irritant and other seeds can be even eaten green. Acacia Wattle seeds are today used in cakes, ice cream, breads to improve protein content and as a coffee substitute drink. The popularity of wattle seeds in cooking is increasing as varieties are becoming commercially available. "Reports of adverse effects. No records of adverse effects have been located. This, together with the long history of traditional use, indicates that A. victoriae seeds have no inherent toxicity. Other Acacias used by the bushfood industry include: • Acacia notabilis F.Muell. (notable or noble wattle) • Acacia pycnantha Benth. (golden wattle) and • Acacia retinodes Schltdl. (wirilda) • Acacia sophorae (Labill.) R.Br., also known as A. longifolia var. sophorae (elegant wattle, coast wattle)" Extract taken from <http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/NPP/01-28.pdf> |
| Spicy Quandong Fruit sauce This sauce is nice with Kangaroo fillet. 15 Quandongs (dried or fresh) rough chop 1/4 cup vinegar (don't use sweet spiced type) 2 small chillies - chopped and de- seeded 1 tsp salt 1 tbspn brown sugar or palm sugar If using dried quandong soak in a little warm water for half an hour, then drain. Simmer slowly quandong and chillies in the vinegar with salt and sugar added, until mixture has become reduced and quandongs soft and mushy. - About 30 mins. Sauce should be nappier, meaning the mixture coats the back of a spoon it does not just run straight off, a bit like thin custard. |
Quandong Fruit Jam 21/4 cups fruit 2 cups sugar rainwater to cover. Foil fruit until tender, add sugar and simmer 20-30 minutes. Pour into clean warm jars seal with lids tight allow to cool. You can use half brown sugar instead of all white. You can also make Quangdong chutney. Use recipe as above then add 1 tbspn of sultanas, 1 dspn of mixed fruit (optional) 1/2 an apple (fine dice), pinch salt, pinch cloves, 1 tspn lemon or vinegar. Simmer for another 30 mins. Nutrition value Quandong Fruit:- per 100g 2645 kj, Protein - 16 g, Fat - 63.1g, Fibre - 4.8g Minerals:- Cu-1.8mg, Fe-10.6mg, Mg-200mg, K-388mg, Na-65mg, Zn-6.6mg Vitamins:- Niacin 2.7mg CSIRO says it is high in vitamin C but I have not yet found anyone with specific values. |
Did you know that Australia has some natives that are a member of the Citrus Fruit family? Desert Lime Species: Eremocitrus Glauca Family: Rutaceae is one of these and grows in the Southern Flinders Ranges. Sour like other limes is great for fish, sauces and marmalades.
| Bush Cucumber: Cuccumis melo Subspecies agrestis |
| This species of fruit has relatives in Asia and Europe where it has been bred into all manner of melons and cucumbers, including the cantaloupe. It prefers a sheltered spot and is a creeping vine, spreading up to 3 meters. It has triangular, pale green leaves with a rough texture. Grows in semi-arid lands of NT Queensland and South Australia. It is a little frost sensitive. Has a pleasant taste. The seeds are spread by birds as their stomachs do not digest them but cattle and sheep digest the seeds and are causing a decline of this species in Australia. |
Bush fruits continued
Edible Seeds
| Ever wondered what Australian Aboriginals survive on in desert regions such as Uluru (Ayres Rock). Well one plant commonly know as the Mulga (Acacia aneura) has a rich source of food. You can eat the lumps of gum that form after insect attack - very sweet. You can eat the seeds by making flour from them - high in protein. Then there are the parasites that live on them which taste good too. Such as the Mulga apple - wasp gall, the Red lerp - Austrochardia acaciae red scale insect. and the fruit of the pale leaf mistletoe Amyema maidenii. Australian Bush Tucker is amazing |
Has the information on this proved useful? Could it be improved? How about letting us know by signing the guestbook. Also is there some native food you would like to know more about. I love research because it makes me learn just ask and I will try to find the answer for you.
| Australian Figs Rock Figs - Ficus platypoda, found in the outback of australia contains upto 4000 milligrams of calcium ber hundred grams, far more than any western food. ( Tim Low - Bush Tucker Australia's Wild Harvest. The Morten bay fig is also edible. The Rock Fig sprouts in crevices among boulders - hence the name. |
| Nitre bush (Nitraria billardieri) found in Southern Australia, has juicy fruit slightly saline, not high in vitamin C. |
Leaf tips can be blanched & frozen to use later in soups & stews. Medicinal properties. Contains omega-3 fatty acids . Popular Middle eastern ingredient in fattoush, a salad of tomatoes and cucumber. Annual. Plant in summer. You can also eat the seeds.
Nutrition values pigweed
Seed:-19.8g protein
10.4g fat, 55.4g carbo.
391mg calcium, 221.8mg potassium
157.6mg sodium
Leaves and stems:-
89g H2O, 2.09g protein,
0.37g fat, 4.9g carbo.
709mg potassium,
112g calcium,
5mg Vitamin C
Nutrition values pigweed
Seed:-19.8g protein
10.4g fat, 55.4g carbo.
391mg calcium, 221.8mg potassium
157.6mg sodium
Leaves and stems:-
89g H2O, 2.09g protein,
0.37g fat, 4.9g carbo.
709mg potassium,
112g calcium,
5mg Vitamin C
Information on oxalic acid found in many green leafy veggies. This information is very helpful and shows that we don't need to be overly concerned about eating plants with it in providing we prepare them properly etc.
Oxalic acid and foods.
http://growingtaste.com/oxalicacid.shtml
Oxalic acid and foods.
http://growingtaste.com/oxalicacid.shtml
Come taste the Outback at Quorn this April.
Find out more HERE
Find out more HERE
Above Portulaca australis
Acacia seeds -left
Buy the flavour of the bush - click on add above.