Book of Days Tales

NAIDOC Week is an Australian observance lasting from the first Sunday in July until the following Sunday. The acronym NAIDOC stands for National Aboriginals’ and Islanders’ Day Observance Committee. NAIDOC Week has its roots in the 1938 Day of Mourning, becoming a week-long event in 1975. NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The week is observed, not just by indigenous Australian communities, but also by government agencies, schools, local councils and workplaces.

It would be good to cook some bush tucker to celebrate the day, but I realize that finding Aussie meats such as kangaroo or emu, or locating a source for indigenous plants, fruits, etc., is going to be difficult, but not impossible, outside of Australasia.  You can get kangaroo meat (roast, steak, sausage, ground) here:

https://gamekeepersmeat.com.au/collections/kangaroo

https://www.keziefoods.co.uk/product-category/exotic-meats/kangaroo-meat/

. . . and a variety of indigenous foods here:

https://www.bushfoodshop.com.au/

I suggest cooking kangaroo tail stew to celebrate the day.  It’s much the same as oxtail stew but I have tried to keep the non-indigenous ingredients to a minimum. The essence is to poach the meat for 3 to 4 hours.

Ingredients

1 kg kangaroo tail cut in chunks
4 onions, peeled and chopped
2 cups red wine vinegar
1 cup red wine
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Instructions

Put some olive oil in a heavy-bottomed stock pot. Add the onions and brown them over medium heat.

Brown the kangaroo tail pieces in a cast iron skillet (with a smear of olive oil) or (preferably) over a wood fire.

When the onions are nicely browned, add the vinegar and dry red wine and allow them to simmer for 5-10 minutes on low heat.

Then add the tail meat and enough water to cover it.  Bring to a simmer and cook for at least 3 hours, checking the liquid level periodically.  Season with salt and pepper as you go.  Remember – for a great stew, taste, taste, taste, and then taste again.  The stew is ready when the meat is falling off the bone.