Ika maroke — traveler's dried fish
Fish gutted, opened, rubbed with seawater, and dried in the wind and sun on racks. Lightweight, non-perishable, salted by the sea spray: the provision slipped into the canoe for long voyages, keeping for whole moons.
Fish gutted, opened, rubbed with seawater, and dried in the wind and sun on racks. Lightweight, non-perishable, salted by the sea spray: the provision slipped into the canoe for long voyages, keeping for whole moons.
You want to fish for the great Fish, mokopuna? Know that your ancestor Māui's hook was my jawbone — the very one that speaks to you now. So when you take the ika, open it, rub it with the sea, and hang it in the offshore wind until it hardens. Thus the fish travels with you, dry and faithful, as my jaw traveled to the bottom of the waters.
- •Fresh sea fish (kahawai, hāpuku…) — several (flesh to preserve)
- •Seawater — as needed (to salt and firm)
Ika maroke — traveler's dried fish
Fish gutted, opened, rubbed with seawater, and dried in the wind and sun on racks. Lightweight, non-perishable, salted by the sea spray: the provision slipped into the canoe for long voyages, keeping for whole moons.
Why this dish? It was from the jawbone of Muri-ranga-whenua — te kauae — that Māui made his hook to fish up Te Ika-a-Māui, the North Island, the great Fish. The dried fish carried in the canoe is the direct child of this myth: every catch recalls the grandmother's bone turned into a hook.
You want to fish for the great Fish, mokopuna? Know that your ancestor Māui's hook was my jawbone — the very one that speaks to you now. So when you take the ika, open it, rub it with the sea, and hang it in the offshore wind until it hardens. Thus the fish travels with you, dry and faithful, as my jaw traveled to the bottom of the waters.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fresh sea fish (kahawai, hāpuku…) — several (flesh to preserve)
- Seawater — as needed (to salt and firm)
Ingredients
- Firm fish fillets (mackerel, bonito, pollock) — 500 g (flesh to dry)
- Coarse sea salt — 3 tbsp (surface brine)
- Water — 500 ml (to prepare brine)
Method
- Prepare a brine by dissolving the coarse salt in cold water.
- Soak the fish fillets in the brine for 30 minutes, then drain and pat dry thoroughly.
- Arrange the fillets on a rack in a dry, airy place; place in an oven at 60–70 °C, door ajar, for 4 to 6 hours (or use a dehydrator).
- The fish is ready when firm, dry on the surface, and pliable inside, with no moisture.
- Store airtight; slice thinly for snacking on the go or rehydrate in a broth.
How it was made : The Māori dried fish and shellfish (pipi, mussels) on racks in the sun and wind to last through winter and supply canoes during coastal journeys. Drying, sometimes followed by light smoking, was the main preservation technique of a people who did not mine salt: the sea spray and sea air did the work.
The contemporary twist : Present ika maroke as thin slices on a grazing board, with a drizzle of oil and lime zest: an Oceanic fish jerky.
Muri-ranga-whenua · Charactorium
