AKUDJURA (BUSH TOMATO) GROUND
| Botanical name: |
Solanum centrale |
| Family: |
Solanaceae |
| Other names: |
Akatjurra
Akatjera
Wild Tomato
Bush Tomato
Desert Raisain |
Akudjura is a very valuable source of food to the Aboriginal tribes who traditionally
gathered large amounts of this fruit from the dry outback where it grows wild.
As the Aboriginal people have no written language the word Akudjura itself has
come to be spelt differently in different areas. Some of these different versions
are Akatjurra and Akatjera.
Only one of a few edible varieties, Akudjura is native to the arid regions
of central and Western Australia to South Australia and the Northern Territory.
The Aboriginal tribes have gathered these dried fruits for thousands of years
relying on them as a staple at certain times of the year. They would grind the
fruits into a paste which was then rolled into large balls which were sun-dried
and then stored for use in times when food was scarce. Many wild tomatoes are
rich in Vitamin C and early desert explorers and drovers (herders of cattle and
sheep) prevented scurvy by including them in their stews and meals.
This small shrub has pale green-grey leaves with fine hairs and grows very
quickly. Like many Australian plants this shrub thrives after bushfires and grows
well in very poor, dry conditions. The green fruits dry out on the bush, turning
yellow and wrinkled, resembling raisins when ripe. Unripe fruits contain toxic
factors and it is important that the fruits must be fully ripened before picking
and use. The Akudjura is closely related to the typical garden tomato as they
both belong to the Solanaceae family.
The ground Akudjura appears as an orange-brown powder with a flavour that is a
combination of sun-dried tomatoes and caramel. Today, Akudjura is used in a variety
of recipes that include soups, sauces, dressings, pesto, marinades, salsa, chutney,
as a seasoning, and in bakery products such as scones, foccacia and breads. It
can also be used to replace traditional tomato in tomato-based pasta sauces and
pizzas. Our Akudjura has a shelf-life of 12 months when kept below 20°C in original
packaging.
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