Ingredients
Birds
- 2salted tītī, muttonbirds, from a Rakiura Māori supplier
To soak
- cold water, several changes
To cook
- water, to cover
- 1onion, optional
- black pepper
To serve
- boiled or roasted potatoes
- watercress or pūhā
- kūmara
- a strong cup of tea
Equipment
- a large pot
- a pot you do not mind smelling of it
Directions
- Soak the birds in cold water for at least 24 hours, changing the water four or five times. A single long soak in the same water does far less, because the water saturates with salt and stops drawing more out.
- Taste the water toward the end, or cook a small piece and taste it. Put the soaked birds in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil.
- Boil for 10 minutes, then pour the water away entirely. That first water will be dark and thick with fat and salt, and discarding it removes a great deal of both.
- Rinse both the birds and the pot. Now cover with fresh water and simmer for an hour to an hour and a half.
- Skim the fat from the surface as it renders, which will be considerable. Skim it repeatedly.
- Serve it boiled, straight from the pot, which is the plainest and most common method. Or drain it and roast it in a hot oven for 20 to 30 minutes until the skin crisps.
- Serve it simply, with boiled potatoes, kūmara and watercress or pūhā.
Technique
- The harvest is exclusive to Rakiura Māori with beneficial rights and is regulated.
- Pōhā, bull kelp bags, are the traditional preserving container.
- The flavour is very strong and is genuinely an acquired taste.
Substitutions
- There is no substitute, and the bird cannot be legitimately obtained any other way.
- Roasting after boiling, for those who find it too oily boiled.
Variations
- Boiled and served plain.
- Boiled then roasted for crisp skin.
- In a boil-up with potatoes and greens in the same pot.
History
Rakiura Maori harvest sooty shearwater chicks each autumn on the Titi Islands under rights confirmed by the 1864 deed of cession.
Frequently asked questions
What is Titi?
Titi is a main from New Zealand: salt-preserved muttonbird chicks, oily and strong, boiled or roasted. Rakiura Maori harvest sooty shearwater chicks each autumn on the Titi Islands under rights confirmed by the 1864 deed of cession.
How long does Titi take to make?
Titi takes 24 hr soaking of preparation and 1 hr 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Titi?
Yes, within limits. There is no substitute, and the bird cannot be legitimately obtained any other way. Roasting after boiling, for those who find it too oily boiled.
