There can surely be no greater pleasure for keen hangi eaters than listening to popular expatriate chef Peter Gordon talking about cooking up a gourmet version.
Mr Gordon, of Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa descent, owns London's The Providores & Tapa Room, and has been lending his culinary talents to charity
and New Zealand trade events while on a visit home..
Next Sunday he will be on Turangawaewae Marae's supply line serving smoky fare in support of the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre. Pork, chicken and lamb will all be getting the royal treatment.
"It is a lot of meat," he said, "but I didn't just want to do a hangi with some nice chutneys. I wanted it to be what people love about hangi but using some Asian spices and other things to make it new.
"Everyone's going to get a nice feed."
It will be only the second time the 46-year-old has laid down a hangi.
Before he visited Turangawaewae last week he was starting to get mildly anxious about the scale of the event.
"I was wondering how are we going to get a pit big enough to feed 700? I was imagining diggers and all sorts of things. But I had a look at the hangi facilities and the kitchen and they're amazing.
"I've had a chat with the cooks down there and they said that number was no problem - 2000 was big for them. So that gave me a laugh, what am I worried about?"
After living overseas for two decades it was lovely to be asked by singer Hinewehi Mohi, who set the therapy centre up, to come home to cook at the country's largest marae and for King Tuheitia.
"Turangawaewae is like a hidden gem literally. There's no sign marking it out from the highway, you turn down the road, see it, and it's beautiful. It'll be an honour to cook there.
"But [next Sunday] is also about me and my roots. My generation missed out on a lot of Maori culture when we were growing up - to do this, it's really special."
Kiwi musicians including as Dave Dobbyn, Hollie Smith and Nesian Mystik are lending their time at the event.
ON THE MENU
* Pork loin marinated in Thai spices, kawakawa and coconut, wrapped in a banana leaf
* Pork belly stuffed with apples, walnuts and sage, rolled up and tied
* Chicken rubbed with saffron, cumin, manuka honey and ginger marinade
* Boned leg of mutton marinated in rosemary, garlic, smoked paprika, lemon.
* Whole baby lamb stuffed with thyme, basil, garlic, fennel seeds and tomato and rubbed with kawakawa and garlic paste.
* Beef topside marinated in soy, ginger, garlic and horopito.
Tickets: Adults: $50, children: $20 available through www.rmtc.org.nz or phone 09 369 1839.
Peter Gordon puts a chef's spin on a staple dish. Photo / Brett Phibbs
There can surely be no greater pleasure for keen hangi eaters than listening to popular expatriate chef Peter Gordon talking about cooking up a gourmet version.
Mr Gordon, of Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa descent, owns London's The Providores & Tapa Room, and has been lending his culinary talents to charity
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