for Matariki

Parāoa Parai

When Matariki climbs into the winter sky, she calls us home. This is te tau hou Māori — the Māori New Year — a time to remember those who have passed (maumahara), to gather our people close (whanaungatanga), and to look to the year ahead with full hearts and fuller puku.

And no Matariki table is complete without parāoa parai.

Fry bread is the kai of togetherness — golden and crunchy on the outside, pillowy soft within, made to be torn, shared and passed hand to hand around the table. At Kai Ora, this recipe has been made by four generations of our wāhine — from our kuia Hana Blanche Waitai Murray, through Mata Ra, to the tamariki flouring their hands in our kitchen today. It carries our whakapapa in every piece.

This Matariki, we're sharing it with you — to make with your own whānau, warm from the pot and drizzled with Kai Ora Kānuka honey while the whetū look on.

Kai to share under the stars

Matariki has always been marked by kai. As the cluster rises, we gather to feed one another, to feed our manuhiri, and to give thanks for the harvest of the year gone by. Parāoa parai belongs right at the centre of that table — humble, generous, and made for a crowd. One batch makes 20–25 pieces, so there's plenty to go around (and always someone reaching for one more).

Let's make it

1. In a bowl, mix the chilled milk, boiling water and honey. Stir until the honey dissolves, then add the yeast. Leave for around 15 minutes to activate and go frothy.
2. Add the flour and salt. Mix to combine, then give it a gentle knead in the bowl until you have a smooth dough. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm spot to double in size.
3. Lightly oil your bench and roll the dough out to about 2cm thick. Cut into squares, cover again with the damp tea towel, and leave to proof on the bench for around 15 minutes.
4. While the dough rests, heat a medium pot of oil to 165°C. Gently lower in the pieces, flipping each one so both sides cook. Once golden on both sides and cooked through the middle, lift out and drain on paper towel.
5. Rest for 5 minutes — then serve warm, to the whole whānau.

How we like ours

Butter and a slow drizzle of Kai Ora Kānuka honey is our forever favourite — the honey pooling into the warm, torn middle. Or go the whole way: creamed pāua, a boil-up, or straight from the hāngī. This Matariki, we'd love to know — what's the topping your whānau reaches for first?

Mānawatia a Matariki