Production Of Australian Bush Foods

From www.theworldrecipebook.com

Written By John Nagle Interest in the cultivation of Australian native plants as a source of food has increased rapidly in recent years,corresponding with the development of a concept of Australian cuisine. Native foods are being marketed for their wild, fresh qualities both locally and overseas. Native plants additionally have potential for use in herbal medicine, pharmaceudicals, oils, cut flowers, tanning, dyes, and of course as timber.

A range of groups have signalled an interest in producing bush tucker, from those wishing to diversify farm production to those simply aiming to increase garden variety. Australian native plants have a long history of use by both Aboriginal and European inhabitants. Transition into horticulture has been slow however, with only one indigenous plant, the Macadamia Macadamia integrifolia, well established.

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Red Desert Lime - Bush Tucker Comes to Town

Submitted from More World Recipes

Red, green and orange, desert limes are a rare delight for the senses. Learn how to grow your own and discover a range of ready made preserves that will introduce you to bush tucker foods.

Early on an overcast morning at the local growers market, I stopped to talk with Craig, our local nurseryman, at his stall. Hiding at the back of the other plants was a delicately weeping tree with slender, dark green glossy leaves, covered in a profusion of pink and white buds. It was a Red Centre lime, a cultivar created by CSIRO, gourmet bush tucker for my garden.

Australia has three well known native limes.
Finger Lime - citrus australasia is dark coloured with clear round juice sacs inside that resemble caviar.
Round Lime - citrus australis also known as 'dooja', has a lighter green fruit and is native to South East Queensland.
They are both capable of growing to a height of ten metres and their fruits ripen in the sub tropical winter.
Desert Lime - citrus glauca or the Australian Outback Lime is common in more arid areas and ripens around Christmas time.

My new tree was one of three desert limes made available in Western Australia by http://www.dustyroad.com.au and will grow to about two metres.

Red Centre (the variety I have) is a cross between finger lime and mandarin. With blood red skin, dark red flesh and pink juice, it closely resembles a little blood orange.

Australian Sunrise is a cross between calamondine (itself a mandarin crossed with a cumquat) and a finger lime and is pear shaped and orange coloured.

Rainforest Pearl is a pink variety.

These new varieties are tolerant to light frosts, providing they are grown in well drained soils. They are recorded as growing as far south as Melbourne and far north as a sheltered courtyard in Switzerland!

Because of their size (they were previously known as micro citrus), they are perfectly suited to growing in tubs and respond well to a light pruning and a little organic manure.
My little darling has gone into a wine barrel filled with good quality potting mix and some cow manure and mulched with river stones to trap some heat during our long cool winters.

Cooking with Desert Limes

The sharp acidic taste of the desert lime is interchangeable in recipes with other citrus, especially lemon and lime. They compliment and enhance seafood, salsa, dipping sauces, beverages, preserves and dipping sauces. Their beautiful colours make them excellent garnishes and Sunrise can be eaten whole, skin and all, for those of you who enjoy the cumquat experience.

Surprisingly, they freeze well. Just place the ripe fruits in freezer bags and exclude as much air as possible. Most commercial crops are sold frozen. These are a hardy, water wise crop for farmers to consider. Producers last year were selling frozen limes for $24 a kilogram at farm gate.

I haven't been able to find fresh limes in WA as yet but Outback Spirit http://www.outbackspirit.com.au make a good sauce of garlic, wild lime and chilli that is available in supermarkets. It is excellent served with a cheeseboard or mixed into yoghurt as a side dish. They also make a wild lime seafood salt, wild lime pickle and sunset lime marmalade as well as a fabulous dressing that is perfect with seafood.

I can't wait for my little tree to produce; it now has its first fruit set a month after beginning to flower. You'll have to find your own, I won't be sharing!

Thanks to Nirala at THe World Recipe Book . Com

Baby Boabs Boom

Eating baby trees sounds a little barbaric but this newly rediscovered bush tucker is inspiring Australian chefs.




BABY BOABS: Little tree, big potential

I am told that I get excited about strange things. There were raised eyebrows at work recently when I opened a package of small brown tubers and a baggie of green leaves and began to squeal about not being able to wait until I could get them home and into the kitchen.

The strange but legal items heralded from the Kimberley region in the north of Western Australia and were the tubers and leaves of baby boab trees. Grown from seed, they are harvested from March to October after a growing season of 10 to 16 weeks.

The swollen trunk of the boab tree has been used as a water source in its harsh desert environment, as bush medicine and a source of fibre and shelter as well as a bush medicine. It is only in a very small area around Kununurra that the boab was used as a food resource by local Aboriginals.

In 1999 the Department of Agriculture began research into the possibilities of boab becoming a viable food crop. By 2001 the first tubers were offered for sale at the Kununurra markets by Peter Fox and Denise Hales.

The long brown tubers resemble skinny white sweet potatoes and need their fibrous outer layer peeling before eating. Eaten raw, the crisp, crunchy texture is a lot like water chestnut. When cooked its taste reminds me of cooked baby turnip. Nutritionally boab roots are high in iron and potassium and have a high level of protein compared to other vegetables. The fleshy five-fingered leaves are high in Vitamins A and C and have a sweet nutty taste similar to fresh raw peas. Growing in a desert where lettuce shipped from the city can sell for $10 and more, they are a welcome addition to salads.

I found baby boab well suited to Asian style foods ginger, soy, sesame, black cumin, fresh coriander and chilli which its cool crunchiness contrasts and enhances. Try in stir fries, with Gado Gado or in salads.

Denise Hales and other Kimberley chefs have experimented with baby boab and produced recipes that range from Laksa to Orange Cake. Boabs in the Kimberley now also sell a range of relish, chutney, pickles, jams and marmalade that combine baby boab rosella, mangoes, chillies and other local produce as well as supplying trees.

Baby boabs are available by mail and should be available in selected Perth stores in September 2008. If you cannot access any, try substituting water chestnuts in salad recipes or baby turnip or white radish in recipes that require cooking.

This bush tucker is sure to grow in popularity – I hope it gets you excited too!

Nirala

See also:

Baby Boab and Nasturtium Salad
Kimberley Boab Salsa

More Articles www.theworldrecipebook.com

Boabs in the Kimberly

The majestic Boab tree (Adansonia gregorii) has been growing in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia for thousands of years. In 2001 we commenced growing Baby Boab commercially after realising its potential as an alternative vegetable or native food. The Boab seedlings are organically grown and harvested at around 16 weeks. They have a delicious sweet crisp root similar in texture to water chestnut. Fresh Boab is versatile and can be used raw in salads or lightly cooked in stirfries, soups and Asian style dishes. Your creativity has no limits with this new product.


The Tree's Boabs have a large tuber which can be up to 1/3 as long as the top which needs to be taken into account if you are wanting to grow them in a pot. They will grow in a variety of regions providing they are not exposed to frost and may be slower growing in the cooler areas. They need a well drained sandy soil and plenty of water in the growing season. The trees are deciduous, and will lose their leaves and go into dormancy in the winter months or dry season in the tropics. New growth will normally commence around September/October and flower usually start to show in November. Some trees will flower and fruit as early as 4 years in the right conditions. The flowers are magnificent and have a wonderful perfume which is enjoyed for a very short time. They open early evening and are pollinated that night, only lasting a day or two on the tree before they fall.

Fresh Boab Tubers Crisp, sweet, white fleshed tubers with a taste and texture similar to water chestnuts. Can be eaten raw or lightly cooked. High in potassium, iron and a high level of protein and fibre they are low in fat and sugar content. Boab Leaves High in Vitamin A & C, the leaves have a peppery taste and are ideal chopped in salads, soups, stir-frys or as a garnish. Products we make with Boab and you can order here Pickled Boab Sliced, white & crisp boab root. The ideal accompaniment for anti pasto dishes, biscuits, sandwiches, dips and nibbles. Pickled Boab with Chilli As above with a bite of chilli. Boab Fruit Chutney A delicious full flavoured fruit chutney with chunky pieces of boab. The ideal accompaniment to cold meats and cheeses. Boab & Chilli Relish Home style flavour with plenty of chilli. For a unique dip, add to soft spreading cream cheese. Wild Rosella & Boab Chutneyend b] A delicious rich coloured and flavoured chutney made with the calyx of the wild rosella and fresh boab tuber.

This chutney will accompany most meats. Chilli, Mango & Boab Chutney Pure mango and boab chutney, flavoured with ginger, and chilli. Mango & Boab Fruit Chutney A delicious spicy mango chutney with boab tubers. Brandied Lime & Boab Marmalade Something different for the marmalade lovers. Organically grown limes together with boab make for a memorable taste sensation. Rosella & Boab Jam A unique blend of rosella and boab make this a jam totally different from anything you have tried before. Mango & Boab Jam Delicious mango with a hint of ginger and finely chopped boab tuber. Paw Paw, Lime & Boab Jam An totally different and delicious tropical taste in jam. Organically grown paw paw, limes and boab. Boab Fruit Delight Made from the citrus flavoured boab fruit from inside the nut, this beautiful tangy golden preserve has the consistency of honey and is as its name suggests, a delight.

Champagne Rose Organically grown wild rosella fruit in syrup. Spectacular in your glass of champagne. Boab Fudge Dark chocolate fudge with tangy white boab fruit (from the nut). Pure indulgence from the Kimberley. Boab Fruit Chocolates Beautifully presented chocolate pieces with tangy white boab fruit (from the nut). for more go to http://www.theworldrecipebook.com/