Wattleseed recipes front and centre

This tiny seed is a huge bush food star.

Wattleseed cheesecake Source: Adam Liaw

Like many Indigenous bush foods, wattleseed is a bit of an unsung 'super food'. It's an excellent source of potassium, calcium, iron and zinc. It also has a low glycaemic load and is a very rich source of protein. Superfood indeed! 

Wattleseed as we know it in the kitchen is the seeds or ground seeds from any of Australia's 100 native acacia trees traditionally used for food and medicine. The seeds are collected from the seed pods which the trees produce in late summer and early autumn. Wattleseed has been collected by Aboriginals for thousands of years and pounded into flour or roasted in a pod to eat.

It has a nutty flavour with an aroma similar to roasted coffee. It has a savoury, biscuity taste with touches of sweetness.

Naturally, wattleseed is utterly perfect in all manner of dishes in the kitchen. Let us show you around.

Spread it

This Aussie version of Nutella has less bad stuff and more good stuff. Source: Murdoch Books / Josh Geelen

Your new favourite spread/topping/ingredient is watella - like Nutella, but much better for you. Go on, pile it high.

Butter it

Damper provides a very pleasing taste to effort ratio. Source: Frank Yang

This wattleseed damper recipe will give you a little taste of what a traditional bread made with ground wattleseed would taste like. The answer? Scrumptious!

Devour it

A great pudding for newbies - you can really appreciate wattleseed's nutty flavour. Source: Outback Gourmet

Quandong and wattleseed add the most delicious twist to a standard white chocolate pud.

Ice it

Seeds from the Acacia victoriae wattle have an aroma similar to coffee or fortified wine. Source: Karen Sheldon Catering

If it's too hot for pudding, make it ice cream instead. To draw out the flavour, small dark brown wattleseeds are roasted and then ground into a powder.

Drink it

Wattle seeds and bush honey put a bush twist on a hot goat's milk toddy. Source: On Country Kitchen

Wattleseed makes a wonderful milky drink to warm you from head to toe. Be sure to drink it outside under the stars to appreciate its magic.

Decorate it

Wattleseed adds a delightful warmth to desserts. Source: Adam Liaw

The sweet tartness of berries is a perfect companion to wattleseed's earthy nuttiness, as showcased in this cheesecake. When combined with dairy, the coffee-like quality of the seed is enhanced.

Toss it

A salad that's packed with Indigenous ingredients is positively exploding with goodness. Source: Murdoch Books / Josh Geelen

This noodle salad is fresh and zingy thanks to boonjie tamarinds, but it's brought straight back to earth by a tablespoon of roasted ground wattleseed and a handful of macadamias.

Cream it

Everyone needs a creamed rice dish to long for and this can now be yours. Source: Kitti Gould

End a meal or start the day with a cosy bowl of goodness. Wattleseed brings the nuttiness to a creamy rice pudding and caramelised peaches are its crowning glory.

Dukkah it

Try the Johnny cakes from this recipe with a slathering of watella, too. Source: Danielle Abou Karam

A bold dukkah made with native ingredients was always going to feature watteseeds. Here they are blended with macadamias, ground lemon myrtle, pepperberry and sesame seeds. The result is a condiment that's every bit as versatile as a traditional dukkah.

Ladoo it

The pairing of wattleseed with macadamia is the new peanut with butter. Source: Danielle Abou Karam

Proof that wattleseed can make anything taste extra good - even Indian ladoos. Don't mind if we ladoo!

Bake it

"[Native ingredients] are so connected to Mother Earth that you can taste it in their flavour," says this pudding's creator, Sharon Winsor. Source: Supplied

We'll end with the kind of comfort only your oven can give. A wattleseed bread and butter pudding will surely right all wrongs and prod the sun to come out in the morning.