A biological study of Durvillaea antarctica (Chamisso) Hariot and D ...

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(i) Boil the dried kelp in a saucepan for at J.easJc tvlO hOUl:'"S 0
'The thongs swell considerably so do not use a pressure cooker.
(U) After coaling, cut the thong8 hlto bite-sized pieces. In
this state the kelp can be stored f~eezer in the sticky
thD,t is formed during the cooking process.
The boiled kelp can then be used in a nw~beY of ways.
(a) As cold salad with other vegetables.
(b) As a casserole with potato cubes, bacon pieces, peppers,
chopp~,d onions, etc. The onion should be fried wi th the bacon and
then the Du.X'villaea and other vegetables added',
Serve hot.
(c) ,As soup. By cutting the pieces into thin strips and cooking
in t'J& ter lI,i th toma 'co s oup ~ sal t, pepper p herbs, etc. Serve he t
with unsweetened cream,
2. For algipic acid
As mentioned in Chapter If the algin content of Durvillaea spp.
is very high. Both species in New Zealand, but particularly D,
antarctica, have been harvested spasmodically. Several hundred
tonnes of milled dried kelp have been exported to Japan since 1971.
Both stipes and blades were used, although the dried stipes often
pl~ved very difficult to grind. For an account of the uses of algin
see Moore Cl941).
3. As ba9s for mutton birds
Southern Maoris used to manufacture bags out of wide honeycombed
D. antarctica blades into which they stuffed cooked mutton birds
(chicks of the sooty sheanre ter PuffinuB gri88UB). The c>xt has now
largely died out j although some Stewart Islanders may still make bags
occasionally. For an account of the manufacture of these bags, see
Dempsey (19641 Chapter 4)"