I worked out how to make damper just by watching mum when I was young. Because I enjoyed mum's damper, which could be cooked in the oven, a pan or even in the ashes. A lot of different mob have their own style of damper too, such as Johnny Cakes.
On the Cultural Camp, I requested volunteers from the crowd. Three boys wanted to give it a go. I showed them how to mix the ingredients together as well as kneading and preparing their dough for the oven. They all did really well.
Like every culture in the world, food is at the centre of things. Making and sharing food isn’t just about eating – it’s about coming together to yarn and connect.
And I think everyone on the camp tried some damper with Golden Syrup or Strawberry Jam and enjoyed it! Well no complaints. Must have been good.
Making Damper with Uncle Donald:
Step 1: Mix in self-raising flour, milk, an egg and a pinch of salt, until it forms a dough that is elastic in texture. I don’t work with measurements – I think with experience, you know when you’re onto a good thing.
Step 2: Cover a surface in flour and knead the dough with the palm of your hands, folding it over and over. Once again, it’s about watching how other people do it and trying it yourself. What works for me is to not knead the dough too much that it becomes hard.
Step 3: Shape the dough to fit your pan or oven dish by using your palms or knuckles to form the dough into a circular or rectangular shape.
Step 4: Time to cook it! The more traditional way of cooking damper is in the hot coals of a fire, covering the dough in ashes. This is the way I remembered as a kid when mum cooked damper on the beach. But you can cook it in a pan or an oven.
Step 5: There are a few tricks to knowing when damper is ready. Some people cook by time, some stick a twig or skewer in there to see if it’s still wet or doughy. I know when damper is ready by tapping it. If it sounds hollow, it’s ready.
Step 6: Use a bread knife for cutting up your fresh damper. I have enjoyed eating damper with butter and golden syrup, or even with a stew or curry. That’s the good thing about damper, you can have it with anything!