Kiwi’s find something unique about having a Hangi. It is hard to mention what it really is all about it which makes it so special. The fact that people still go the effort to put down a traditional Hangi nowadays is a real testament to it’s enduring power. Doing a Hangi the traditional way is very labour intensive, takes a whole day to do and is probably one of the most inefficient ways to cook food known to man. However, us Kiwi’s still undertake them and when we smell aromas of a Hangi you can be certain that we’ll be there with our hands out waiting.
Overtime , Hangi way of cooking has now evolved a lot Maori Hangi. Nowadays you could buy compact Hangi cookers, oven top editions including do one in an older beer keg or forty four gallon drum using fuel or electricity. I’ve had a few of these myself and I can tell you that they taste really good and are actually pretty close to the real thing. Even a old fashioned Hangi presently has a couple of new twists. Instead of the old fashioned flex and baskets enclosure it is now made with hand made cloths and tools. But the same old way way of cooking still applies and the taste is the same with the traditional Hangi.
If you sincerely were to take a seat and compare the authentically conventional Hangi method with the one utilized today you would find a number of modern advancements. Most predominantly is the Hangi basket. Flax baskets is the traditional material used in Hangi cooking but now there steel or wire basket which has handles that can alr eady be used. The revolutionary Hangi basket makes it easier to lift up the basket in and out of the soil. A single flax basket can’t carry all the food. However, these metal types can carry all the food that needs to be cooked. That is why a few years back you had to utilize multiple baskets. These innovative Hangi baskets can also be reused In the olden days you had to make them brand new from scratch for each Hangi.
The use of cotton and sacking materials also has made things simpler. Unlike the old hand woven materials that easily gets torn or damaged , these materials are not only strong but are also easily available anywhere and anytime needed. Besides that it’s virtually identical. Spades and shovels makes the digging up a little easier, but the rocks and fire wood are the same and continues to be used in the same way. New dishes such as steam pudding and stuffing are now being prepared the Hangi style. These delicious dishes although not included in the original menu is cooked delightfully in the Hangi style. Nonetheless, they are seen in the majority of Hangis these days and are regarded as a regular staple.
