Brown sugar yams

Yams have been in great supply this winter.

These knobbly tubers are about the size of a large thumb.

The most common yam is pink-orange in colour and has a slightly shiny, ribbed surface. Other sweeter varieties come in yellow, apricot and gold.

New Zealand yams originated from the South American Andes, where they are an important vegetable crop known as oca.

They are not the large yams referred to in North American cookbooks that are more like our kumara.

Yams are excellent steamed, boiled, microwaved, roasted, sauteed or baked and hold their colour and texture well.

Ingredients

¼ cup	Brown sugar (Main)
1 tsp	Ground cinnamon
500 g	Yams (Main)
50 g	Butter
½ cup	Walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degC.
2. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
3. Trim yams. Place yams in a small baking dish.
4. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and drizzle with melted butter.
5. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, if using.
6. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until tender, basting occasionally.