'It's just mean': classic marae kai boil-up finds new fans

Almost nothing stirs up controversy in te ao Māori like debate over the best way to make boil-up.

There are pork bones and pūhā purists, those who favour the less bitter tastes of watercress and fluffy doughboys, and the radical types who sub out the pork for beef brisket.

The marae kai staple may have found a whole new set of fans following a special Wellington On a Plate event on Thursday night, where a group of Māori chefs worked with charity Everybody Eats to dish up the hearty winter stew at a koha price.

Chef Josh Hunter (Ngāti Tūwharetoa) said his take, a traditional pork stew with ham hock doughboys, was on the stove for two days.

“So we've got doughboys, potatoes, kūmara, cabbage and watercress."

For dessert, guests were served a mandarin cake with kawakawa custard.

Ringatoi (artist) Ngaio Cowell (Ngaati te Ata te Waiohua, Waikato, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whātua) coordinated the tikanga side of the event.

The popularity of boil-up is growing among non-Māori as well thanks in part to chefs like Hunter, she said.

"Particularly at the moment with cost of living and access to food, it's becoming a lot more accepted to try different things and live more economically when it comes to kai."

“It’s like cool to be Māori now, so people want to try that stuff. And there’s heaps of young Māori chefs that are coming up,” Hunter added.

Both Hunter and Cowell had clear preferences when it comes to their favourite type of boil-up.

Cowell said she always has pork bones in her boil-up.

"I'm not a massive fan of pūhā in mine, we were talking about it yesterday saying it was a bit bitter, but the watercress is probably my favourite. Definitely the doughboys though, you’ve got to have a good size doughboy.”

Hunter said he prefers his pork bones smoked.

"I'm a watercress fan as well, [pūhā] gets a bit bitter, no offence to anyone. I like cabbage also, like if you put cabbage in at the start it gives it a nice depth of flavour.”

Hunter recommended leaving it on the stove for two or three days, and topping it up every so often so it builds the flavour.

For many at the event it was their first time trying boil-up.

Brandie said the broth was delicious and the ham was great.

"It was my first boil-up. It was delicious, so good, I love ham hock so it was tasty and the watercress was great.”

Verina said it was really tasty: "It's really good, it's pretty new to us, we haven't had dough in soup before.”

“And the portion size is quite large,” added Yingyi.

For others, like Raiha, boil-up was a much more familiar meal reminding them of the marae.

"I grew up next to my marae, very familiar with boil-up, as soon as I saw this event I was like ‘we need to go get some boil-up.’ But it was delicious, I loved it.”

Raiha also made her boil-up preferences clear.

"I'm a pork bones and pūhā kind of person, I'm not usually a doughboy kind of person but I really enjoyed them tonight to be honest."

Jack Rainey is the restaurant manager at Everybody Eats Wellington.

He used to enjoy pork bones in his boil-up but hasn't eaten meat in a decade, so is now partial to adding mushrooms and even seaweed.

"But I kind of liken it to a stew or a soup and so I just love that winter warming effect of hardy vegetables in a really rich broth. I think no matter how you have it, it's sort of warming your soul.”

The Everybody Eats menu is predominantly made of food that would otherwise be thrown away and this was no different, he said.

"Everybody is welcome through the doors no matter their ability to pay, we just asked guests to pay what they can."

"We really champion community up here and I think this whole boil up concept really leans into that, this whanaungatanga kaupapa that we do up here every night."

Hunter had some final encouragement to anyone who might still be hesitant to try this cheap, cheerful and soulful meal.

"It's just mean, it's like a mean feed. Like how can you not?”