Outback Dining for Vegetarians Quiz

Answer: Bush tomato

This tiny fruit is packed with vitamin C, and is used in traditional medicine to treat toothache. While there are over 100 varieties, only six species can be safely eaten. The tomatoes are left to ripen on the vine before being picked and can be stored for several years.

Answer: Macadamia nuts

Most macadamia trees used in commercial agriculture can be traced back to a small group of around six trees. While native to Australia, early cultivation occurred in Hawaii, and for many years this was the main source of commercially grown nuts.

Macadamia nuts are nutritious and research by the University of Newcastle has shown nut consumption can improve cholesterol levels. Nutritionally macadamia nuts have high levels of B vitamins, iron, manganese, magnesium and phosphorus.

When pressed, the oil used by macadamia nuts can be used in cooking, and has a high smoke point of 200 Celsius.

Answer: Lilly Pilly

The berries of the lilly pilly are tart in flavour, making them a popular fruit for use in jams. The berries are quite small in size, and are popular with Australian native parrots and fauna. It is also used in traditional medicine for its anti bacterial properties.

It is often used as a decorative garden plant for hedges and topiary.

Answer: Quandong

The quandong has twice the vitamin C content of an orange. The tart flavour is often used in pies and desserts. The quandong is also prized in native medicine for treating toothaches. Quandongs are very drought tolerant, and use the root systems of other plants to get their nutrients.

The wood is also used to make bowls - known as coolamons in the Gamillaroi language.

Answer: Pepperberry

Pepperberries are more versatile than conventional peppercorns, able to be used in sweet and savoury dishes, with a complex flavour. The leaves, stems and berries can all be used in cooking. A true superfood, they have three times the anti-oxidants of blueberries.

In traditional medicine, it is used to treat toothache.

Some producers export to Japan where it is used in the production of wasabi paste. It is also used in brewing.

Answer: Finger lime

Their nickname of bush caviar is taken from the pearl-like globules that are inside the fruit. These crystals are described as 'exploding' and give an intense flavour. They are a rainforest fruit and come in several colours (yellow, green, pink, red and clear) and each variety has its own distinctive flavour. Nutritionally they are rich in folate, potassium and Vitamin E and C.

A versatile fruit they have been used in salads, seafood, pasta, curry, sushi, sashimi, desserts and cocktails.

In bush medicine, they are prized for their antibacterial properties.

Answer: Kakadu plum

Kakadu plum (also called the Gubinge, Billygoat Plum or Murunga) are small green, almost pear shaped fruits. It has the highest concentration of Vitamin C of any fruit (around 3000 times the recommended daily intake) and is also high in iron, copper, folic acid and antioxidants (13 times more than blueberries). It is used in jams, sauces, juices and ice cream.

In traditional medicine, it is used as an antiseptic.

Answer: Warrigal greens

Seeds from warrigal greens were transported to Europe by the crew of the Endeavour as Captain James Cook recognised their value in helping to prevent scurvy. Warrigal greens can be used in the same way as spinach and chard. Sir Joseph Banks provided seeds to Kew Gardens in 1771.

Warrigal greens are also native to New Zealand where they played a significant role in the Maori diet. They are rich in Vitamin K, vitamin B6, vitamin C and manganese.

Answer: Wattleseed

Wattle is Australia's floral emblem, and is represented in the Australian national colours of green and gold. The seeds are very hard and can survive up to 20 years in their dormant state, and require heat to germinate. Due to this hard casing, they can be foraged year round, and stored for future use. The Australian First Nations people crushed the seeds with stones to form a type of flour which could be baked into damper and cakes. Ground roasted seeds have been described as having a nutty, coffee like aroma and flavour.

Nutritionally, wattleseeds are a source of carbohydrates as well as containing potassium, calcium, iron and zinc in fairly high concentrations.

Answer: Murnong

The yam daisy can look very similar to other flowers.such as the dandelion. The tubers it grows are a pale white in colour. Once prolific, many of its natural growing areas were grazed for sheep and cattle.

The taste is described as being nutty, and potato like. The leaves can also be used in salads.

There are a number of groups assisting in the reestablishment of this native food.