Ingredients
Kina
- fresh live kina, sea urchins, gathered the same day
To serve
- fresh white bread and butter
- lemon wedges
- a small spoon
Equipment
- thick gloves
- a knife or kitchen scissors
- a bucket of clean seawater
Nothing else is added
- no dressing, no sauce
Directions
- Check the current rules for the area before you gather anything. Public health warnings are issued when blooms occur and must be followed.
- Keep them in a bucket of clean seawater until you open them. Use them the same day, since the roe deteriorates quickly. Turn the urchin over so the mouth is facing up.
- Cut a circle around it, about three centimetres across. Lift out the cut disc and discard it. Tip out the seawater inside the shell. Everything else in there is gut and must be removed.
- Pull out the dark stringy gut with your fingers or a small spoon. Work carefully so you do not break the roe segments.
- Rinse the inside gently with clean seawater, not fresh water. Now assessing the roe, which tells you if it is good.
- Discard any that is grey, runny or smells of ammonia. Poor-condition kina has thin, watery roe and is not worth eating.
- Scoop a little roe onto buttered bread and eat it that way. Eat it within a few hours of opening.
Technique
- Check local rules, closures and any rāhui before gathering.
- Biotoxin warnings are issued during algal blooms and must be followed, since this is eaten raw.
- Rinse only in clean seawater, since fresh water makes the roe swell and go mushy.
Substitutions
- Japanese uni, which is a different species prepared the same way.
- Kitchen scissors in place of a knife for opening.
Variations
- With a squeeze of lemon, which divides opinion.
- Stirred through pasta, which is a modern restaurant treatment.
- Preserved in salt, as some households do with a glut.
History
A prized Maori kaimoana gathered by hand at low tide and protected under customary fishing rights; the taste divides New Zealanders sharply.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kina?
Kina is a main from New Zealand: sea urchin roe scooped raw from the spiny shell, briny and custard-soft. A prized Maori kaimoana gathered by hand at low tide and protected under customary fishing rights; the taste divides New Zealanders sharply.
How long does Kina take to make?
Kina takes 15 min of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes varies with the catch. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Kina?
Yes, within limits. Japanese uni, which is a different species prepared the same way. Kitchen scissors in place of a knife for opening.
What is the most important thing to get right in Kina?
Check the current rules for the area before you gather anything. Public health warnings are issued when blooms occur and must be followed.
