Pungarehu Scones: Aunty’s recipe experiment

Greta Carney a petite person, with plenty of drive, enthusiasm, motivation and creativity is the owner/manager of Hapi Cafe attached to Chantals in Napier.

Her “Kai-Co-Op”, an operation to put together boxes of good organic foods for healthy eating and drinking, was held at her site during the past three fortnights. I was able to share by way of workshops, some of the veggies that I grow at Aunty’s Garden, namely maize corn (kaanga) and kumara.

A few years ago, on a visit to South America, Peru and Cusco, I saw many varieties of maize corn, which is the staple diet of the Indian people of those countries, as well as potatoes and kumara.

Hanui Lawrence's recipe this week is Pungarehu Scones.

Throughout the years we have grown a white variety of corn (kaanga) which our mother taught us how to cook. It is called Pungarehu Kaanga which is white maize cooked in wood ash and the other is called Kaanga wai, which is white or yellow maize corn left in the husks and placed in a sugar bag with running water for six months.

Both of these methods shared previously in Tihei Kahungunu publications are both delicious. After a bit of experimenting, I made some Pungarehu Scones.

No stresses, over Christmas. Enjoy being with family, have fun, and laughter and don’t drink excessively. We live in beautiful surroundings and, as a people, let’s forget about politics and being poor. Don’t stress about money or material gifts Instead count your blessings, we’re alive and Christmas does so much for us each year as we remember its true meaning: Merry Christmas everyone! Love from Aunty Hanui.

Hanui Lawrence in her garden.

Recipe: Pungarehu Scones

• 2 ½ cups of Spelt Flour (Supplied by Kai-Co-Op)
• 50grams of butter
• ¾ of a cup of cooked Pungarehu Corn
• ½ cup of cream
• 1 ½ - 2 cups of milk.

Method

• · Put flour in a bowl and rub butter in with fingers until crumbly
• · Mix the corn and cream then add to the crumbly mixture
• Add milk steadily and mix (keeping it a little wet)
• Spread out then shape or cut into rectangle shapes
• Put onto a floured oven tray
• Garnish with milk and bake at 180C for 20-25 minutes.

It tastes a little bland but with a little jam and cream, it’s delicious. Try it!!