This versatile vegetable, with a distinct place in New Zealand’s culinary identity, supplies sweetness to everything from waffles to tempura.
Kūmara have a long history of cultivation here in Aotearoa, with some archaeological evidence suggesting the crop arrived in New Zealand sometime between 1300 and 1400.
Māori adapted growing
When purchasing kūmara, seek out specimens with firm, smooth, clean and blemish-free skin. For the most nutritional value, always select kūmara with a deep colour. They’ll have the best flavour and texture if cooked and consumed within a week or two of purchase. Never store them in the fridge – to maintain the quality of the produce – store in a stable, dark and well-ventilated place.
When it comes to cooking kūmara, they are pleasingly versatile. As the recipes below prove, they can be baked, mashed, fried, or stewed in delicious recipes of both the sweet and savoury variety.
While kumara prices tripled in 2023 due to the knock-on effects of severe weather, with many New Zealand growers’ crops wiped out, they’re now coming down again just in time for spring cooking.
Mashed orange kūmara adds a lovely sweetness and wholesome texture to this special breakfast dish. Top with your choice of seasonal stewed fruit for extra goodness.
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Advertise with NZME.Drizzled with orange and brown sugar, the kūmara accompaniments to this succulent joint of lamb get deliciously caramelised on the surface.
A crispy well-seasoned kūmara and breadcrumb topping make this cosy pie feel too indulgent to be healthy, but the silky filling laying beneath is jewelled with plenty of nutritious vege.
Lamb is a beloved protein in both Aotearoa and Greece. Feta, parsley, cumin, oregano and paprika give a Mediterranean twist to this thoroughly Kiwi classic recipe. If you’re packing a picnic anytime soon, these will be gobbled up in a flash.
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Advertise with NZME.Introducing this kūmara recipe, Elanor Ozich writes “there’s just something about the combination of salty, tender potato, grilled to crispy perfection that speaks to my soul like nothing else.” One bite and you’ll agree.
By swapping half the volume of potato with slices of kūmara, you add a depth of sweet flavour to this indulgent side dish or main event.
There’s oodles of comfort to be found in a pot of this creamy and peppery Kūmara & Pūhā Soup. A big batch of this is a great way to fill and re-energise puku after a big morning of outdoor activities.
In these charming little cakes, soy and fish sauces lift the mellow sweetness and earthiness of smoked salmon and kūmara. You could eat these as is, or stuff into a pita for a warm and nutritious meal.
Salmon not your thing? Maybe lamb is your jam instead. This is a nifty way to stretch out leftovers after a roast dinner.
For a homemade, and slightly healthier, version of fish and chips try out Angela Casley’s recipe for pan-fried fish and oven-roasted kūmara chips.
This simple wrap recipe comes together with only three ingredients. From there the options with what you top, fill and slather it with are limited only by your palate and imagination. To please vegans and non-vegans around his dinner table chef Des Harris some shaved courgettes, cucumber, leftover steamed kūmara and a tangle of the onion pickles. But he says you can also add halloumi or poached chicken for extra protein.
If you only have a small amount of kūmara to use up, slice it into thin coins and fry in a light and crispy tempura batter alongside whatever other vegetables you have in the vegetable drawer. Eat as a pre-dinner snack with an ice-cold beer, or make a meal of it by serving on a bed of rice with a drizzle of teriyaki sauce for an easy riff on donburi.
Of the kūmara varieties, yellow makes the creamiest mash. Roasting it adds a delightful flavour and brings out the sweetness.
As much as people will hate us to say it: The addition of grated kūmara into the batter of these sweet little iced cakes makes them irresistibly moist. The dolloped topping looks like mashed kūmara, but it’s actually a light mascarpone and coffee icing.
Here, stuffed with chickpeas and with a drizzle of tahini dressing, kūmara pockets make a perfect accompaniment or are great on their own.
Can’t resist a bag of kūmara crisps? They taste even better when you’ve made them yourself. These lacey rounds are softly spiced with paprika and encrusted with nutty sesame making them the perfect seasoned scoop for a creamy broad bean dip.
With sweet and meaty flesh, monkfish is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lobster.” In this set and forget slow cooker recipe, which isn’t a million miles away from a French version of a boil up, it softly simmers alongside lentils, and kūmara in an aromatic pool of cream and white wine.
Hot and salty on their own, this trio of starchy root vege are all the more delicious when dunked into this homemade spiced tomato sauce.
A hearty showstopper, this deliciously dense pie makes a fantastically filling lunch for a crowd.
A good alternative to toast to set you up for the day. These patties are quick and simple to make, mashed with fresh herbs and lemon. Top with a runny poached egg, and tomato and basil on the side and you have a delicious breakfast.
More recipe roundups
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