Rēwena bread (parāoa rēwena)
A Māori bread from New Zealand made with a fermented potato, flour, and sugar starter. This recipe makes two small loaves and takes several days for the starter to become bubbly.
Rēwena is a bread associated with Māori cuisine in New Zealand. Its starter, known as a bug, is made with cooked potato and fed over several days; it is then mixed with flour, water, and sugar to shape and bake the bread. This version follows the documented method for two small loaves, without commercial yeast or baking soda.
Method
- 01
Cook the potato
Wash the potato, cut it into pieces, and boil it in water until soft. Drain it, save enough cooking water to measure 2¼ cups, and mash the potato.
- 02
Start the bug
Once the mashed potato and cooking water are warm, mix 2 heaped tablespoons of potato, 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ¾ cup cooking water. Cover the container loosely and leave it in a warm place for 24 hours.
1440 min - 03
Feed the starter: day 1
Add ½ cup flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ¾ cup warm water. Stir until combined and cover loosely again.
- 04
Feed the starter: day 2
Add 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ¾ cup potato cooking water. Stir until combined and cover loosely again.
- 05
Feed the starter: day 3
Add ½ cup flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ¾ cup warm water. Stir until combined and cover loosely again.
- 06
Feed the starter: day 4
Add 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ¾ cup potato cooking water. Stir until combined and cover loosely again.
- 07
Check the starter and shape the dough
On day five, check whether the starter has bubbles. If it does not, give it one more feeding of ½ cup flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ¾ cup warm water; wait one day and check again. Once bubbly, mix 2 cups starter with 4 cups flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, and 2 cups warm water. Knead on a surface dusted with some of the measured flour for at least 10 minutes. Divide the dough into two small loaves and return a small piece of dough to the starter you are keeping.
10 min - 08
Proof and bake
Place the loaves on a greased tray, cover them, and leave them in a warm place until doubled in size; about 2 hours is a guide, though it may take longer in cool weather. Preheat the oven to 180 °C fan and bake for 30 minutes.
150 min
Ingredients
Sources and review
Content researched, cross-checked and automatically validated. Sources consulted:
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- How to make Rēwena Bread - Food Secure North Canterbury foodsecurenc.org.nz/how-to-make-rewena-bread/
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State: Published after documentary validation; no “Tested” label is shown.