Sign up to Healthy Kids
Sign up to receive more great ideas and recipes
Kawakawa tea
A refreshing drink that can be served hot or cold. This recipe is available in English and Te Reo Māori.
15 meneti ki te whakarite, 5 meneti ki te taka, hei kai mā te 4 tāngata
Ingredients
- 10 Kawakawa leaves (10 rau Kawakawa)
- 1 lemon (1 rēmana)
- 4 tablespoons honey (4P mīere)
- 5 cups cold water (5 kapu wai makariri)
Method
- 1. Wash kawakawa leaves (Horoia ngā rau kawakawa). (see tips below)
- 2. Slice 6 leaves, leave 4 whole for serving (Tapatapahia ngā rau e 6, tiakina ngā mea e 4 mō te horanga).
- 3. Chop and boil leaves with 5 cups of water in a pot for 5 minutes (Tapatapahia ngā rau ka kōhuatia ai ki ngā kapu wai e 5 mō te 5 meneti).
- 4. Let it cool slightly then add to a plunger (Tukua kia mātao haere, ā, raua atu ki tētahi oko pēhi rau).
- 5. Add the juice of lemon and honey (Āpitihia te wai rēmana me te mīere).
- 6. Mix through and let sit for 2 minutes (Whakaranua, ā, tukua kia tau rawa mō te 2 meneti).
- Serve with a slice of lemon and a whole leaf in a cup or let cool and serve with ice for a refreshing summer drink (Tukua ki tētahi wāhanga rēmana me tētahi rau i rō kapu. Waiho rānei kia mātao rānō, ā, whakaurua he tio hei inu whakaora mō te raumati).
- 5 tips for safely harvesting Kawakawa
- 1. Take a moment to give thanks to Tane Māhuta for the taonga you are about to harvest (Ka tuku whakamoemiti ki a Tane Māhuta mō ōna taonga).
- 2. Only take the large leaves and leave the young leaves and leaves that a about to shoot (Waiho ngā rau kawakawa iti me ngā rau kāore anō ka puāwai, ko rātou ngā pēpi, tangohia ngā rau nui anake).
- 3. The leaves with caterpillar holes are the best, they indicate that they are safe to eat (E kai ana ngā rau kawakawa i kai ngia ngā anuhe, koira ngā rau haumaru mō te tangata).
- 4. Boil your kawakawa for 5 minutes before consuming (Kohuatia ngā rau kawakawa ki ngā miniti e rima I mua I te mahi kai, i mua i te kai rānei).
- 5. Follow the tikanga of your rohe, if you are unsure, just ask your whānau, iwi, kaumatua or call your local Hauora (Me whai te tikanga o tōu ake rohe, iwi, whānau. Mehemea, he āwangawanga āu, pātai atu ki tō whānau, kaumātua, whare hauora rānei).