Focus on food: Kina

Sweet, briny, creamy and a true taste of the ocean, kina is a Kiwi seafood sensation. Whether you love it or not, there’s no doubt this tasty, spiky echinoderm has a unique flavour that can be eaten straight from the shell in the sea, or in a variety of dishes to add rich butteriness and plenty of nutrition. Creamed, fried, in a dip or paté, as a topping for sushi or added to pasta dishes, the humble kina is a versatile little number that will bring the ocean to your plate.

Kina - the facts

While there are over 500 species of sea urchin worldwide, the New Zealand kina is endemic to this country and its offshore islands. They can grow to be almost 20cm in diameter, making them potentially one of the largest sea urchins in the world. 

Sea urchins are found in diets of indigenous peoples worldwide, and here is no exception. Kina is an important traditional food for Māori, who prize them for their internal organs and gonads. 

Mostly herbivorous - there are ‘kina barrens’ in some parts of the coastline, where kina have consumed much of the kelp forests - kina can be found in rocky areas to depths of 50 metres around the coast of the North and South islands and the Chatham Islands. They have a life cycle of at least 20 years, spawning annually from November to March.

Nutrition

Fresh kina is a protein, making it an excellent snack for muscle-building and repair - often useful for avid divers! It’s a good source of iodine, selenium, vitamin B6 and vitamin A; it also contains magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin B2 and vitamin E.

Recipe ideas

Beloved by many renowned Kiwi chefs, including Peter Gordon, Christalle Lowe and Al Brown, kina is best eaten fresh. It’s worth noting that while kina can be frozen, the taste intensifies, so use less if using in cooking. To use, crack open the kina shell with a rock, and carefully remove the tongues (roe) by hand. Rinse away the grit, and any purple membranes so you’re left with the yellow or orange parts.

Kina Paté

There are lots of versions of this tasty topping, but Peter Gordon’s Kina Dip is delightful. Combine the roe from 3-4 kina with the zest and juice of a lime, a good handful of parsley and plenty of cracked black pepper and blitz in a food processor. Add a couple of heaped tablespoons of cream cheese and blitz again. Serve with crackers or fresh bread.

Kina Pasta

For kina lovers, it doesn’t get better than simply cooking pasta, then tossing in a frying pan with melted butter and cracked pepper. When pasta is cooked, simply stir the kina through the pasta and serve with a squeeze of lemon.

Plenty for a meal for two, this recipe is great for people who want all the benefits of kina but may not love the taste:

Cook 200g spaghetti according to packet instructions; meanwhile sauté 100g bacon lardons (optional), 1 small finely chopped onion and 4 cloves finely chopped garlic. When the pasta is cooked, drain well. When ready to serve, add kina roe (the more you use, the stronger the flavour) to your onion and garlic mix, and stir to combine. Add spaghetti, and grate parmesan into the pan until melted. Serve with extra grated parmesan and black pepper.