According to the Qld Government, Native violets, Kakadu plums and wattle seeds are among a bunch of native Australian flavours fast creeping to the top of chef’s ingredient lists in restaurants around the country.

Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries (QPIF) scientist Heather Smyth said chefs wanted to see native products from Queensland producers move from the novelty arena onto mainstream restaurant menus.

“Chefs see enormous commercial potential for native foods if used carefully with food that consumers already know well,” she said.
“Some of these dishes include Davidson plum sauces with pork, riberries served with beef, native mint in desserts and the native violet with its delicate purple flowers as a garnish.
“Consumers are probably eating native ingredients on menus around the country and not even realising it.
“These native ingredients are progressively being used more and more by many chefs as just another spice or flavour from their spice rack.”
But Dr Smyth said it wasn’t just about throwing native herbs and spices in the pan and hoping for something magical – there was a science behind why they had such potential to become haute cuisine, and the secret lay in the senses.
“The strategy to developing a commercially viable Australian cuisine comes down to mapping the flavour and aroma elements of these native foods,” she said.
“We look at the sensory profile of an item, which is the balance of aromatic ‘notes’ and distinct flavours associated with it.
“From this research, we’ve developed a native food ‘flavour lexicon’, or ‘wheel’, which is a plain English vocabulary for describing native food products.
“The flavour lexicon creates a roadmap to aid the food industry incorporate the ingredients into menus and products,” Dr Smyth said.
“Our research also promotes the application and uptake of the wheel by industry, primary producers, culinary experts and consumers.
“By understanding the unique notes and characteristics of each food, members of the food industry can then develop dishes where those ingredients will be complimentary.”
Dr Smyth said QPIF would continue to work hand in hand with the food industry on this project.
“Obtaining direct feedback on the work I’m doing allows me to tailor my science to be more relevant to industry needs,” she said.
“For example, at a major recent meet with industry on the Sunshine Coast, the Future Food Forum, chefs loved the ‘fresh beetroot’ aroma description for Davidson plum, but preferred the word ‘caramelised’ over ‘carob’ for describing bush tomato.
“In terms of the salad greens’ tasting, the chefs went wild about the novelty of the native violets (greens and flowers), saying they would buy them as a higher value product for uses in garnishing from entree to desserts.
“It was clear that the work we’re doing is exciting to chefs and users of native ingredients.
“It’s also clear that the Australian flavour wheel we are developing has the potential to give the industry an excellent tool that can be used in the promotion of these indigenous ingredients.
“In many respects we are moving towards accepting Australian flavour as another part of our culture and identity.”
Some native foods you might expect now to turn up on restaurant menus and in retail outlets:
Davidson plum (NSW)
Aroma is earthy, like fresh beetroot with slight pickled notes. Taste is sour with some astringency and slight bitterness
Davidson plum (Qld)
Rosella jam or cooked rhubarb aroma, some floral and stewed fruit notes. Taste is sour with some astringency and slight bitterness
Native violet
Delicate herbaceous and floral aroma with a light, watercress-like flavour
Riberry
Aroma of sweet spiced tea, with some musk notes, bush honey and resinous. Tastes sour and astringent with some sweetness
Desert lime
Aroma of slightly fermented citrus, some pickled notes, stewed fruit and cut grass. Taste is sour, some astringency and bitterness
Quandong
Aroma of dry lentils or beans with some earthy, fermented notes. Taste is slightly sour and salty
Tasmanian pepper leaf
Aroma of Australian bush scrub, dry paperbark and herbs. Intense heat which develops on the palate
Bush tomato
A savoury caramelised aroma, some cereal notes. A savoury taste
Lemon myrtle
Aroma of lemon lolly, perfumed with some herbal and menthol notes. Flavour is lemon lolly and cooling with some sweetness
Wattle seed
Aroma of crushed nuts and cereal-like. A savoury flavour on the palate
Warrigal greens
Fresh green bean aroma, a hint of geranium and slightly salty to taste
Sea celery
Strong fresh-parsley, herbal aroma and flavour
Finger lime
A zingy, fresh, citrus aroma, some cooked citrus notes and a tart flavour on the palate
Muntries
Aroma of moist fruit mince, spice, bush honey and buttery. Taste is sweet
Lemon aspen
Aroma of conifer leaves and fresh citrus. Sour flavour with some astringency and bitterness
Kakadu plum
A stewed apple and pear aroma, cooked citrus and a floral-musk note. Taste is sour with sore astringency
Anise myrtle
Aroma of aniseed, menthol and herbal. Flavour of aniseed and slightly cooling on the palate