Last week our family developed our #YearOfFirsts list – 20 things we want to try together for the first time in 2015. At Number 10 I had “learn about bush tucker and collect some ourselves“. Who could imagine that only days later I would stumble across some bush tucker on the grounds of my workplace which I could easily harvest and take home to try.
The Bunya nut drops from the Bunya Pine every couple of years. The cones are as large as a bowling ball and just as heavy. Walking the grounds of my work place I initially dismissed the first one I came across thinking it was just like a pine cone only significantly larger and heavier. I had no idea that inside was a bounty of delights.
A few days later I watched cockatoos feasting on a cone and I commented to a colleague that I didn’t know parrots liked pine cones so much. She laughed and told me that it wasn’t a type of pine cone at all but a Bunya cone which is filled with nuts. Google became my friend that night as I researched the Bunya nut more. The next day I grabbed three of them to take home and dissect with the kids.
Living to about 500 years old and growing to an impressive 35-40 metres in height, the Bunya tree was once very common in the Blackall Range in the hinterland area of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Logging, farm clearing and dam building have reduced their coverage and they are now a protected tree. Culturally, the Bunya has huge significance to the Aboriginal’s of the area who would hold large festivals as the fruit ripened for harvest. This was possibly Australia’s largest indigenous event.
Although I neither live or work in Queensland, there are three or four Bunya trees on the grounds of my work. This is where I saw the tree. The cones were difficult to carry as they were not only heavy but have sharp thorns at the end of each kernel.
On dissecting the cone we found a large Bunya nut in most kernels. The largest Bunya cone produced over 90 individual nuts. I did a little research to learn how to cook the nuts, choosing to boil them for around 30 minutes. They are still quite difficult to remove from the shell, but a nut cracker provided enough strength to squeeze the inner nut from the shell. I read somewhere that inside the nut is a small green shoot which, when eaten, can produce a stomach ache in the consumer. I removed these and we feasted on the cooling nuts.
Due to the sheer amount of nuts contained in just three cones I am planning to try some other methods of cooking them. We will roast them to see if they become too dry, make a pesto and perhaps even a hommus. I’ve read that they can be used to create a gluten free flour but I’m unsure if I have the patience.
If you are interested to read how these experiments go head to the KidBucketList Instagram page for our follow up images.
Have you tried Bush Tucker? What did you think?
I live near the Bunya Mountains and a few restuarant and cafe’s around me make delicious dishes with Bunya Nuts. Good on you for giving them a go!
Oh wow Gayel. Do they still have the Aboriginal Bunya festival? I’m going to explore some more dished. They are delicious boiled so I’m certain they can extend to other dishes. Have you tried any?
Congrats on ticking something off your list! Learning about bush tucker looks like fun! I remember when I was a kid someone came to our class and taught us about bush tucker, but I obviously forgot anything about it now haha
I’m thinking that this would be something I could extend to my class (I’m a teacher by day). The idea of exploring bush tucker further is very appealing. What did you try?
I’ve hoped to find one to try, we’ve been to the Bunya mountains a few times but never at the right time to find one. I was vegetarian for 15 years so have some recipes that I think would be really good to try with them.
Miss L, Dorothy would be proud! These seed pods are also found around Elizabeth Farm in Parramatta http://www.discoverparramatta.com/places/heritage_and_historic_sites/elizabeth_farm … and at North Rocks Park. The tree is certainly one that you wouldn’t pitch a tent under! Mac
I was told they were in Parramatta but in all my years of teaching there I’ve never seen them! Perhaps my eyes weren’t open to bush tucker back then! I noticed them growing all around Rookwood cemetery too. We had to close the area off to students this year. I’m convinced they’re heavier than a bowling ball so no camping or even sitting under them!
I’ve never heard of these things before. I probably would have walked past them thinking they were some very green looking pinecones. How fascinating!
They look a bit like the flesh of chestnuts…did they have that kind of taste? Or a pine-nutty taste? They look fascinating. I’ve tried various bush tucker foods over the years, but never come across these!
The small green shoot won’t cause any problems if you eat them. That’s just a silly old superstition…
Really? Ohhh….I’m still a little worried. Are you sure?
Yep! I’ve eaten a kilo of them so far and nothing happened.
“Many of our early settlers had a horror of eating anything their European forebears hadn’t brought to Australia with them, so tended to undervalue this useful and tasty food. They even invented the myth that the little green shoot within the nut is poisonous. In reality, it is just as edible as the rest of the nut, and only adds to its nutritional value. ”
Thank you! This reassuring. I will try it without the shoot removed and will report back
Love this Leah! We’re huge bush tucker fans and Bunya Buts are amongst our fave native ingredients
We’re really just starting our bush tucker journey Aleney. It’s so yummy so far