Karawhiua - Give it a go: te reo tips for the perfect hangi

Pete Peeti. Photo / Supplied

Te Mahi Kai - the language of food - is the theme of this year's Maori Language Week. One man who knows that tasty lingo well is chef Pete Peeti, popular host of Kai Time on the Road. Here are his lip-smacking te reo tips on how to lay down the perfect earth hangi.

1.Kia tika te kowhiri i o wahie: Hei nga rakau maori te tikanga o te mahi! Hei te rimu, hei te rata, hei te manuka ka ngoto te kakara ki roto i nga kai.

Choose your wood wisely: Go native for flavour. Burning rimu, rata, manuka infuses a delicious smoky taste.

2. He kohatu ano nga mea, he taonga tino nui enei. Kei te nunuitanga o nga whakamahinga o te kohatu o te hangi ko te rekanga atu o nga kai. Engari, ka matata tenei mea te kohatu kaka, kia tupato.

Treat your volcanic rocks like gold. The more they're used the better the hangi tastes. But also, they break easily when super hot.

3. Kaua e puritia te tote! Ma te tote ka reka te kai. Hei etahi tangata ka whakarato i te miti me nga huawhenua, engari ka wareware ki nga tikanga whakareka i te kai.

Don't be stingy with the salt. It draws out the taste. Too many plonk down the meat and veggies and forget the seasoning.

4. Kia pai te horahora i nga kai o te hangi kia pai ai te tao. Ma konei ka pai noa iho te piki o te mamaoa, e maoa katoa ai nga kai.

Spread the kai out. It allows the steam to circulate properly, cooking the food through.

5. Kia kore ai e parangia te kai e te oneone; Kia pai te whariki i nga heki kia hora haere tonu ki waho atu i te rua.

To keep the dirt from flavouring the food lay the hangi sacks right past the edges of the hole.