"Mabu Mabu: An Australian Kitchen Cookbook" by Nornie Bero
Mabu Mabu celebrates the everyday use of native ingredients through the joyful, generous cooking style of Nornie Bero, one of Australia’s most influential First Nations chefs.
In this vibrant cookbook, Nornie invites readers to explore Australian native flavours with confidence, drawing on her deep knowledge of herbs, spices, vegetables, fruits, seeds, and native plants. Her approach is grounded in accessibility, encouraging home cooks to engage with native ingredients as part of everyday meals rather than something reserved for special occasions.
Raised on the island of Mer in the Torres Strait, Nornie’s food story is shaped by early experiences of fishing, foraging, and cooking alongside her father. Her culinary journey later took her through Italian and Japanese kitchens in Townsville, Melbourne, and London, before returning home to establish Mabu Mabu, now widely recognised for its bold and contemporary Indigenous cuisine.
The book shares a wide-ranging collection of recipes, from well-loved favourites such as Pumpkin and Wattleseed Dampers to richly layered dishes like Kangaroo Tail Bourguignon. Condiments and accompaniments feature strongly, including Saltbush Butter, Quandong Relish, Pickled Karkalla, and Pulled Wild Boar, reflecting the depth and versatility of native ingredients.
Alongside the recipes, Nornie offers guidance on foraging, sourcing, and ingredient substitutions, supported by a comprehensive glossary of native foods. Interwoven throughout are personal stories that connect food to place, family, and cultural knowledge.
Mabu Mabu, meaning “help yourself”, is an open invitation to cook, learn, and share, bringing native ingredients into kitchens with warmth, colour, and respect.
- Publisher: Hardie Grant Books
- Publication date: 19 January 2022
- Edition: 1st
- Language: English
- Print length: 216 pages
- ISBN-10: 1743797281
- ISBN-13: 978-1743797280
- Item weight: 839 g
- Dimensions: 18.16 x 2.67 x 25.27 cm