Karengo

Karengo is a type of edible seaweed, more precisely red algae of the Porphyra genus, which is indigenous to New Zealand. It ranges from dark green to purple in color and has a firm texture and mild flavor. After it is collected at rough-water rocky coasts, it is sun or oven dried and can be incorporated into various dishes or used as a condiment.

The plain version is commonly eaten as a snack, while the flakes are mainly used as a food supplement. Recent research has shown that there are more than 35 different species of karengo in New Zealand, and most still do not have scientific names.