Portarlington School Community Garden – Indigenous Plants July Update

Introduction

Portarlington School’s Community Garden includes a Herb section and a recently added Indigenous Edible Plant patch, the purpose of which is  to acknowledge and learn from Australia’s Aboriginal Culture and the use of Bush Tucker over millennia. We have a lot to learn.

The Indigenous Edibles were planted in late June 2020 – looking good late July

Pig Face Carpobrotus rossii

It is common on coastal dunes.A prostrate plant which spreads to 2 metres or more with thick, succulent leaves up to 100 mm long. The fruits are globular, about 20 mm diameter and dull red in colour. The fruits and leaves are edible.

The red-purple fruit has a flavour  like a salty strawberry or kiwi fruit. Its thick, fleshy leaves can also be eaten, raw or cooked.

Coast salt bush – Atriplex cinerea  

Bush Tucker Plant. Indigenous plant of Geelong region.

Provides a pleasant salty flavour. Foliage can be used in stir fry dishes or as a stuffing for a roast chook.

Bulbine Lily – Bulbine bulbosa

A flowering plant, endemic to Australia. It grows from a corm, which is edible, choose the largest fat ones and roast for the best taste.

The above ground parts are toxic in large quantities.Plants produce a tuft of narrow Gray-green leaves around 400 mm long . Flowers are fragrant, bright yellow and carried in loose clusters.  Although each flower only blooms for a single day the plants remain in flower over a long time. A great native plant that looks as good or better than daffodils. Fragrant they flower from spring to early autumn.

Midyim berry – Austromyrtus dulcis

The delicate berries are sweet and tangy and the plant makes an attractive low hedge that will grow under a little shade.

Fruit to around 100mm in diameter.  Soft-skinned mauve to white fruit speckled with dark spots when ripe. The small seeds are edible. The  soft fruit does not keep well. It can be planted as a low hedge.

Warrigal Greens – Tetragonia tetragonioides

Warrigal Greens – Portarlinton School Community Garden

These bush tucker greens have been used since early European settlement in Australia. You can use Warrigal Greens the way you’d use spinach, chard, silverbeet and bok choy. Remove leaves as needed throughout the warm growing season. Harvest it regularly to encourage growth.

The leaves are rich in oxalates. If using Warrigal Greens or similar vegetables like spinach or bok choy in  very large quantities, they should be blanched drained and  cooked before eating. Check with a Health professional if any history of kidney stones or other health issues. See National Kidney Foundation

Amongst other possible causes of kidney stones-

“….drinking too little water, exercise (too much or too little), obesity, …or eating food with too much salt or sugar. Infections and family history might be important in some people. Eating too much fructose correlates with increasing risk of developing a kidney stone. Fructose can be found in table sugar and high fructose corn syrup.”

Uses and recipes for Warrigal Greens

Stir fry this vegetable with a little garlic. It may also be enjoyed in soups, stews, and as a steamed vegetable. Great used as for Cos lettuce or rocket leaves – peanut butter on toast with some leaves on top, Great!

Breakfast with Warrigal Greens and Borlotti Beans

• Pick, wash and tear up a good handful of Warrigal Greens
• Drain a tin of Borlotti Beans, wash and drain and set aside about half a cup full
• Set aside a bottle of Oyster Sauce (from Asian Grocer or Supermarket’s Asian Section).
• Cook the eggs

Do  the eggs in a frying pan!

1. Crack four eggs into a bowl, add 30ml  of milk and  and good dollop of Oyster Sauce: beat the mixture lightly with a whisk or fork.
2. Melt 1 Tbsp or so of butter in a medium size fry pan on a low heat and when it starts foaming, pour in the eggs and leave to set for 60-90 seconds.
3. Gently pull the eggs from the edges of the pan into the centre with a spatula. Turn and tilt the pan so the runny eggs take up the available space and again gently pull it towards the centre. 
4. Remove the pan from the heat before the egg is completely set and leave it for a minute or two so the egg can gently finish cooking in its own heat.

Or cook  the eggs in a Microwave Oven

1. Crack four eggs into a 4 cup Pyrex Jug and add 20ml of milk. Beat the mixture lightly with a whisk or fork. Add about 25 grams of butter 
2. Microwave on medium-high for 1 min 30 seconds, remove, and stir with a fork to break up the curd.
3. Throw in the Warrigal Greens, Borlotti Beans and  a dollop of oyster sauce   and Microwave on medium-high for a another 1 min 30 seconds until set to your liking.
4. Run the fork around the edge of the bowl and remove to serve.

A bit of bacon or a sausage added if you wish to feed 3 or 4 . Hint – use only a quality sausage or bacon – see, for example Barwon Valley Smallgoods for bacon. A low quality meat will spoil a low-cost and great tasting breakfast – better go vegan than go for poor quality, high salt and sugars to “save money”.