Tī Kōuka — Cabbage Tree Hearts
One of 208 entries · Pacific Migration Trail
Māori
Tī kōuka (Cordyline australis, NZ cabbage tree) hearts were an important Māori food. The growing tip and inner core of the stem were cooked in the hāngi — the heat converts the starch to sugar, producing a sweet, slightly fibrous food. Fiso pickles tī kōuka hearts as a sweet garnish. The same genus (Cordyline) as the Hawaiian ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa) used in laulau and lawalu — the Cordyline family runs the entire length of the Pacific migration trail.
- Tī kōuka (NZ Cordyline) connects to the Hawaiian ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa). Same genus, different species, different latitudes, same role as wrapping material and food. → HI-5 Laulau / HI-70 Lawa → HI-5
- Tī kōuka (NZ Cordyline) connects to the Hawaiian ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa). Same genus, different species, different latitudes, same role as wrapping material and food. → HI-5 Laulau / HI-70 Lawa → HI-70
1. Sweet pickled tī kōuka hearts (Fisoʻs preparation) or hāngi-roasted for the traditional sweet starch.
Sweet pickled tī kōuka hearts (Fisoʻs preparation) or hāngi-roasted for the traditional sweet starch.
Pacific Migration Trail
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Sweet pickled tī kōuka hearts (Fisoʻs preparation) or hāngi-roasted for the traditional sweet starch.
visual: pale, fibrous. Aroma: sweet, vegetal. Texture: fibrous, slightly sticky. Taste: sweet (from starch conversion during cooking).
The cooking time. Hāngi-roasting must be long enough to convert starch to sugar. Under-cooked tī kōuka is bland and starchy.
Common Questions
What ingredients should I use for Tī Kōuka — Cabbage Tree Hearts?
Cordyline australis
What dishes are similar to Tī Kōuka — Cabbage Tree Hearts?
HI-5, HI-70