Page 64 - Khabar Magazine (February 2020)

Travel

local and seasonal ingredients.
Fish and chips, meat pies, roast
lamb, smoked fish, fresh sal-
ads, hokey pokey (honeycomb
candy), and pavlova (meringue
and fruit dessert) are some of
the most popular dishes. Driv-
ing through the countryside,
we would often stop at gas
stations or highway restau-
rants for lunch. Even takeaway
counters offered Indo-fusion
dishes such as chana masala
pies and chili chicken pat-
ties. Staying at private lodges
meant meals were especially
It’s not all work for these kayak-loving employees at a farm. prepared for us and the chefs

I was surprised to find an Indian restaurant at
practically every corner, even in some of the smaller
towns. Named one of the best restaurants in the coun-
try for the past three years, Sidart is a cozy Indian-
inspired restaurant using fresh and sustainable New
Zealand produce. Chef and owner, Sid Sahrawat at-
tended culinary school in Chennai, traveled around
the world, and opened three acclaimed restaurants
in Auckland. The five-course Discovery Menu, which
included modern and flavorful treats like Prawn Bal-
chao Tart, Fried Macadamia Crusted Fish, and Shredded
Morel Mushroom Curry, was one of my most memo-
rable meals of the year.
One of the major attractions near Auckland is the
Waitomo Caves, a network of underground limestone
formations that are home to thousands of glow-worms.
There are options for rafting, zip-lining, or hiking
through the dark caves to see these magical creatures You’ll see many Indians working on sheep farms, a
backbone of New Zealand’s economy.
up close, lighting up the dark caves like brilliant stars
in the night sky.
We drove further inland to Lake Rotorua, known would get our dietary preferences prior to arrival. They
for bubbling mud pools, shooting geysers, and natu- catered to vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-
ral hot springs, as well as a large concentration of free diets, using homegrown herbs and vegetables. “We
Maori people. The Maori are the indigenous people of also take our clients to the supermarkets, so they can
New Zealand who came from Polynesia in the 1300s. cook at the hotel apartments if they want to,” says Ver-
Today, they make up 17 percent of New Zealand’s pop- meulen about her South Asian clients.
ulation. At the lake, I was welcomed by people wear- South Island
ing feathered headbands and animal skins. They sang For decades, the turquoise lakes of Otago, the mag-
and danced on ancestral Mokoia Island, bestowing a nificent landscapes of Lake Wakatipu, and the clock
powhiri or official Maori welcome. tower of Christchurch have attracted Bollywood films.
New Zealand’s cuisine is based on British, Mediter- Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, I Hate Luv Storys, and Players are
ranean, and Pacific styles of cooking, though driven by some Hindi films that have helped raise the profile of
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62 • FEBRUARY• 2020 KHABAR MAGAZINE