Ep 6. Episode 6
- February 11, 2016
- 25 min
Food Safari is a television series that celebrates the diversity of food culture in Australia. In its first season, it explores the theme of fire, showcasing the different ingredients and cooking techniques that use fire to create delicious dishes.
Episode 6 of Food Safari - Fire takes us on a journey through the cuisine of Australia's Indigenous peoples. Host Maeve O'Meara meets with Indigenous chefs and home cooks who share traditional recipes and cooking methods that have been used for generations.
The episode begins with a visit to the Wurundjeri people of Melbourne, who have been cooking with fire for over 60,000 years. We see how they use a traditional method of underground cooking called 'earth oven' to roast lamb and vegetables. Maeve also tries some bush ingredients like wattleseed, lemon myrtle, and finger lime.
Next, we move to the Northern Territory to learn about the cuisine of the Yolngu people. Maeve meets with Indigenous chef Zach Green, who shows her how to prepare fish using bark from the stringybark tree and cook it over hot coals. They also make damper bread, which is cooked in the ashes of a fire.
We then visit the Adelaide Hills to learn about the cuisine of the Ngarrindjeri people. Maeve meets with chef Clayton Donovan, who uses native ingredients like quandongs, kangaroo, and saltbush in his cooking. Clayton takes Maeve on a hunt for yabbies, a type of freshwater crayfish, and shows her how to cook them in a clay pot over an open fire.
Finally, the episode concludes with a trip to the Torres Strait Islands to learn about the cuisine of the Meriam people. Maeve meets with local fisherman and home cook Eddie 'Koiki' Mabo, who shows her how to prepare seafood using coconut milk and spices. They also cook banana leaves over an open fire to use as a plate for their dishes.
Throughout the episode, we see the importance of fire in Indigenous cooking and how it has been used for thousands of years to prepare food. We also learn about the variety of ingredients used in Indigenous cuisine, many of which are endemic to Australia and may not be found anywhere else in the world.
Food Safari - Fire season 1, episode 6 is a fascinating exploration of Indigenous Australian cuisine and the role that fire plays in its preparation. It offers a glimpse into a rich and diverse food culture that is often overlooked in mainstream media.