Hīnau fruit

What it is

Each fruit is about 2 cm (¾ in) long, with a single large seed inside. Hīnau is sometimes called the New Zealand olive, although the trees are not close relatives. The part used for cakes is the flesh around the stone. Soaking softens it, and sieving separates it from the skin and hard centre.

Where it comes from

Hīnau grows naturally only in New Zealand. Its range stretches from North Cape to Banks Peninsula, spanning the North Island and part of the South Island. It is less common in the south and absent from Stewart Island. Māori cultivated these trees in forest groves for their fruit.

How it's eaten where it grows

Traditional Māori preparation turns the berries into renga, a coarse meal. One method soaks the fruit in a wooden trough, then rubs it between the hands. The skin and stones are strained out, the water drained away, and the meal shaped into a cake for the hāngī.

Methods differ between the East Coast and Waikato. Specially woven harakeke baskets, called hītari or tātari, sieve the meal. Harakeke is New Zealand flax.

How it's grown

The tree usually reaches 15–20 m (49–66 ft). It likes shade and moist ground, but not waterlogged roots. Trees can be raised from seed or cuttings, and even a solitary tree can bear a good crop. In summer, sprays of white, goblet-shaped flowers cover the branches.

When and where you'll find it

In Waikato, the fragrant fruit usually follows the summer flowers in autumn and winter. Hīnau also belongs to the walking landscape: near Kaikōura on the South Island, the Hinau Track makes a 45-minute loop from the Mt Fyffe carpark through forest with several large hīnau trees.