Hangi

Hāngī is lamb and root vegetables steamed in an earth oven over hot stones, a Māori way of cooking that is still used in New Zealand.

Hāngī is the Māori word for both the earth oven and the food cooked in it. A fire heats stones until they are very hot. The stones are laid in a pit, the food is set on top in wrapping of leaves, cloth or foil, and the pit is covered with earth so that the steam cooks everything slowly over several hours. It is most often cooked for gatherings, where a large amount of food is made at once.

What it really is

Lamb is the meat in a classic hangi, cooked alongside potato, pumpkin, carrot and cabbage. Nothing is fried or grilled. The meat and vegetables are cooked by the steam of the pit, so the lamb comes out moist and the vegetables soft. The dish is a full meal on one tray rather than a single item, and its flavour comes from the meat, the vegetables and the slow steam of the oven.

How it's served

• Lifted from the pit hot, with the meat carved and the vegetables set out beside it on the same tray or plate.
• Portioned for a group, usually in large amounts at a gathering.
• Eaten from plates with cutlery, with any bread, sauce or dessert served separately.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the meat as lamb, and the cut if you know it. Say the dish is cooked in an earth oven, so guests understand it is steamed, not roasted.
• List the vegetables that come with it: potato, pumpkin, carrot and cabbage.
• The classic dish contains no common allergen. Ask about any stuffing, bread, gravy or dessert served alongside, since those often contain wheat, milk or eggs, and flag them separately.
• Say how many people a tray or portion feeds, since hangi is usually cooked for groups.