Paua

Paua is the Maori name for a large edible sea snail known elsewhere as abalone, ormer shells or sea opal. Paua can be found along the rocky shorelines of shallow coastal New Zealand waters.

The shell of the paua is greyish on the outside but beautiful on the inside where intense blues, purples, greens and sometimes even pinks come together in an iridescent swirl.

Paua Fritters

Paua can be made into delicious fritters. New Plymouth is famous for its paua fritters, so make sure you sample them when you’re in the Taranaki region. If you would like to cook the New Zealand delicacy yourself, try this easy Kiwi recipe:

6 paua (without shells)
1 finely chopped onion
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 egg
finely chopped parsley to season
1 cup milk

Cut paua into cubes, mince and mix with onion. In a mixing bowl, combine baking powder, flour, salt, egg and parsley. Add paua mixture and milk to create fritter mix. Fry in oil at a low temperature. 

Paua Arts & Crafts

Maori people see paua as taonga or treasure and use the shells in traditional and contemporary New Zealand arts and crafts. In Maori carvings paua shells are often used to represent eyes. But paua is not only popular in Maori arts. The paua shell is used in jewellery, and paua shell anything is typical of Kiwiana! Items made of paua shell are popular New Zealand souvenirs and you can find everything from paua ashtrays and paua bookmarks to paua kiwi.

Paua House

If you want to see an extreme example of Kiwi creativity with paua, you should head to the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch where you can admire a whole paua house! Fred and Myrtle Flutey left an extraordinary legacy in Bluff; a house decorated with paua shells. Their paua house has been lovingly recreated at the Canterbury Museum and is well worth seeing.