Wrap it with Fish Rushes

Ficinia nodosa is a perennial rush. It has clumps of dark green stems on long creeping rhizomes and is native to Australia and New Zealand. It is useful for the revegetation of coastal wetlands. 

These are used in cooking by the Ngarrindjeri people for cooking their local fish, the Coorong mullet. Use them for smoking fish and meat.

◎  Common Name: Fish Rush, Knobby Club-sedge

◎  Scientific or Latin Name: Ficinia nodosa

◎  Comparison: Used for smoking foods

◎  Seasonality: All year wholesale

◎  Region: Widely grown

◎  Taste Profile: The grass itself is used as a tool for smoking meats and weaving, so there is no distinct flavour other than the smokiness of the chosen meat.

◎  Types: Fish rushes are native to both Australia and New Zealand, and it is widespread in the Southern Hemisphere.

Benefits

• Can be used to wrap fish and meat for smoking.
• Can be used for weaving.
• Provides excellent soil support for the regeneration of dunes and water filtration.

Traditional Aboriginal Food and Uses

Fish rushes were traditionally used by the Ngarrindjeri people for cooking their local fish, the Coorong mullet. They were also used for weaving.

Western & Modern

Fish rushes can still be used today in the traditional way, for smoking fish and meat.

It is a quick establishing Australian native tussock grass, ideally planted around water features, ponds, and dry creek beds. The excellent filtration qualities of the plant have been utilised in Melbourne to clean drainwater and to irrigate its parks.

Medicinal

There are no know medicinal uses associated with this plant.

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Note: The term 'Bush Tucker' and 'Bush Food' are not Warndu's preferred terms for Australian Native Ingredients or Australian Botanicals.

Images: © Luisa Brimble