What You Need to Know
Noke is a culinary term used by the Māori of New Zealand to refer to earthworms. Some types of native worms are historically local delicacies reserved for chiefs because of their sweet flavour, which was said to "remain in the mouth for two days". Another notable kind of worm, the noke waiū, was prized as eel fishing bait due to its large size and bioluminescence. Noke has more recently become a popular trend at certain New Zealand wild food festivals, where it is often served in modern fusion dishes such as worm sushi and chocolate truffles with crystallized worm.
Key Parameters
Equipment
Steps
- 1.
Noke hākari (Māori tradition): Slow-roasted in leaf parcels with native herbs
- 2.
Worm pātea (Modern NZ fusion): Incorporated into savory pastry fillings
- 3.
Toke no tempura (Japanese-NZ fusion): Lightly battered for textural contrast
The Science
Primary Reaction
Maillard reaction