Taste the world: The Miltones

Come March 16, New Plymouth's Pukekura Park will be transformed into a verified melting pot of different cultures, cuisines and musical tastes. The World of Music Arts and Dance Festival, better known simply as Womad, will return to TSB Bowl of Brooklands for three days of live music and arts, a drawcard for dozens of eclectic acts from all over the world.

With Womad scheduled to light up the stage come March, we get acquainted with some of the festivals' visiting and local musicians before the big gig, as they dish on life on the road and the feel-good recipe that reminds them of home.

For razor-sharp blues and bayou folk-frenzy, West Auckland quintet The Miltones, 2017 has been a wild ride.

Previously supporting Jamie Lawson and The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band, this year saw The Miltones unleash their own debut – an infectious celebration of life dubbed by music critics as “the freshest sound in New Zealand popular music right now”.

Here, we meet frontwoman Milly Tabak, to learn what makes her family's raw fish dish particularly nostalgic:

"This dish brings back childhood memories of jumping into dad's, old-beat up, red Pajero. Our car would be stacked with camping equipment and the dreaded middle seat was my spot, often squished between two giant older brothers. Once all in, we were ready to putt our way up north.

Memories of dragging our fish nets up Pohutakawa Bay, catching Kaiwai and proudly running back to mum with the catch of the day, often resulted in this yummy number."

MILLY'S RAW FISH
Serves 4–6

INGREDIENTS

4 cups kahawai, cut into cubes
6 lemons
1 red onion
coriander, finely chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cucumber
1 fresh red chilli, chopped
1 can coconut cream
salt and pepper, to season
wasabi or hot sauce, to serve

METHOD

Squeeze, lemon juice over kahawai and set aside to marinate for two–three hours, until fish goes nice and cloudy.

Combine red onion, chilli, tomato and cucumber together in a bowl. Mix through coconut cream, seasoning with lots of salt and pepper.

Strain fish from lemon juice and gently mix into coconut mixture. Add the chopped coriander.

Add wasabi or hot sauce to serve.

Chill after prepping. Serve your fish dish after half an hour!

Womad Festival New Zealand, Friday, March 16 – Sunday, March 18, TSB Bowl of Brooklands, New Plymouth. For festival and ticketing information, see their website here.