I dream of Kumara...

Kumara or sweet potato is a common plant in New Zealand. Every time when I pass by kumara stalls in the market, it will bring back the memories from home. When I was young, my family moved a few times like nomads. From the time I was born until I was 8 years old, I had already moved 3 times. And so it came to the time when my family moved to this quaint little place literally called "Chiselled Stone" and my parents decided to settle down for a while.

We moved to a place several miles away from town. The place we lived had a large plot of land but they were very swampy. After we painstakingly drain the water away, the soil became porous and sandy. The only thing that grew abundantly was the lalang grass (cogongrass) that grew speedily. So we ended up burning them once in a while to fertilise the soil.

At the time we moved to this place, we were caught in the economic recession. Jobs were scarce and day in day out I watched my parents worried about the remaining meagre earnings dwindling as the days gone by. So we decided to grow our own food to supplement our meagre diet. One of the crops that we grew was sweet potatoes. After ploughing the land with hoe, we dropped these little gems into the soil and watched them grow.

Sweet potatoes are versatile and hardy plants, they just grow in any type of soil without needing too much maintenance. The first batch of sweet potatoes we harvested were spindly looking and puny, because the soil was so poor and we could not afford to apply fertiliser. To compensate the lack of fertiliser, we doused the plants with urine. To many of you, this may sound off putting (I can imagine some of you shrieking in horror and run away puking now... :p ), but that was the only fertiliser we got in those difficult days.

Once we harvested the sweet potatoes, we would wash them and then steamed them. Once steamed, we took them out and peeled off the skin and ate it just like that. No seasoning. No garnishing, no additional flavouring. It was au naturale. In those days, all we care was to fill up our hungry stomach and we could not care less about the flavouring.

We also plucked the young shoots of the sweet potato plants and served it as vegetable. My mum would stir fry young sweet potato shoots with chillies and served it as main dish. When the rice was scarce, we would add some sweet potatoes into the rice and cooked them together to make a fuller meal. (Apparently, I was told this was a common staple diet for people in East Asia during WW2, but I could not verified that...)

Occasionally when my parents decided to give us a treat, they would prepare some fried battered sweet potatoes for us. To a lot of people, that does not meant a lot but to me that was the most delicious delicacy for us. :)

Just like the brown rice and anchovies, the sweet potato that used to be poor men's diet all of sudden becomes a fad among the nutritionists nowadays. Those "experts" raved about the nutrition facts packed in this humble root and squealed with delight about how healthy it was to eat sweet potatoes (Sheesh!). As a result, there were so many different recipes exploding all over the place to show us the fancy and creative ideas of preparing sweet potatoes. I have listed some of them for you to try it out. As for me, I still like my steamed sweet potatoes...

(Disclaimer: The following recipes are collected from the internet and they are not mine. You may try them with your own risk... :p )

Cheese and Sweet Potato Muffins

Ingredients:-

• 1 3/4 cups SR Flour
• 2 tblsn caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 cup grated cheese
• 3/4 cup grated sweet potato
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup of butter, melted

Method:-

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C.
2. Brush oil on the bottoms of 12 regular sized muffin tins.
3. Mix flour, sugar, paprika and baking podwer in a bowl.
4. Add the cheese, basil and sweet potato and mix well.
5. In another bowl mix the milk, egg, and butter .
6. Pour the egg mixture into the flour and fold in with a fork. Do not over mix.. it just has to be wet mostly through, it doesn't even matter if there are small areas of flour about. This is the main secret to good, light muffins.
7. Spoon into muffin tins, filling each one about 2/3.
8. Bake for 15 - 25 mins or until just starting to brown.

Baked ricotta with sage and sweet potato

Ingredients:-

• olive oil
• 500g ricotta
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup grated fresh parmesan
• 1 cup tightly packed rocket leaves, coarsely chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large sweet potato (kumara) peeled
• 1/4 cup sage leaves

Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 190C.
2. Lightly oil a 6-hole Texas muffin tin.
3. Place the ricotta and eggs in the bowl and beat to combine. Add the parmesan, rocket and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the mixture between the prepared muffin holes.
4. Coarsely grate the sweet potato (kumara) and arrange a pile on top of each ricotta cake. Scatter with sage leaves and drizzle with a little olive oil.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown, puffed and set (the ricotta cakes will deflate once removed from the oven). Cool in tins before removing and serving warm.

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients:-

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 1/2 cups sweet potatoes (3-4 lg.)
• 2/3 cup half-and-half
• 2 eggs, separated
• 6 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 9 inch pie shell, partially baked

Method:-

1. Boil until tender, peel, and mash sweet potatoes.
2. Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. Add molasses and sweet potatoes; beat well.
4. Stir in half and half, egg yolks, and sherry.
5. Beat the egg whites until stiff, fold into mixture, and pour into the pie shell.
6. Put into a preheated 425 F degree oven.
7. Reduce heat to 375 F and bake about 35 minutes.
8. The pie will be brown and set in the middle. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.
9. If no alcohol is wanted, simply delete it from the recipe but the taste will be completely different.

Sweet Potato and Apricot Casserole

Ingredients:-

• 1 (1 lb) can sweet potato (or yams) or 4 medium sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled ((or yams)
• 3 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, undiluted
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup dried apricot, chopped

Method:-

1. Mash potatoes.
2. Mix with the juice and butter, sugar and all the seasonings.
3. Stir in unbeaten eggs and the apricots.
4. Spoon into a well buttered casserole baking dish.
5. Bake at 350 F for 20 - 25 minutes.

Chicken With Sweet Potatoes And Rice Recipe

Ingredients:-

• 2 chickens (broilers), cut in halves
• 2 onions, peeled, chopped
• 8 sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced
• ½ cup rice, washed
• Seasonings to taste

Method:-

1. Put all ingredients in a stew pan.
2. Cover with water.
3. Cover stew pan and let boil for about 35 to 40 minutes.
4. Serve.

Sweet Potato Oranges

Ingredients:-

• 6 oranges
• 985 g cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
• 200 g white sugar
• 60 ml orange juice
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 5 ml vanilla extract
• 225 g butter, softened, divided
• 6 g grated orange peel
• 145 g brown sugar
• 1 g all-purpose flour
• 120 g chopped pecans

Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Prepare oranges by cutting tops off, 1/4 to 1/2 inch down. Spoon out the flesh, leaving a shell.
3. In a large bowl combine sweet potatoes, sugar, orange juice, eggs, vanilla extract, 1/2 cup butter and grated orange peel. Spoon mixture into orange shells. Place in a deep casserole dish.
4. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine remaining 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, flour and pecans. Cook until sugar dissolves in melted butter. Spoon over oranges. Fill casserole dish with water to reach 1/2 inch in depth.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:-

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 quarts of water

Method:-

1. Slice sweet potatoes into 3/4 inch strips.
2. Boil water in a large pot. Add potatoes.
3. Bring the potatoes to a simmer.
4. After the sweet potatoes have softened, let them cool.
5. Peel the potatoes.
6. In a small bowl, stir together the butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
7. Brush or pour over potatoes.
8. Preheat a grill over medium heat. Put potatoes on the grill.
9. Cook for 10 minutes. Turn the potatoes after 5 minutes.
10. Sweet potatoes are ready when they are soft in the middle.

Bean (lima) And Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:-

• 2/3 cup lima beans, shelled
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled, diced
• 6 cups water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Seasonings to taste

Method:-

1. Put all ingredients in a kettle.
2. Cover.
3. Cook slowly for about 35 minutes.
4. Then serve.

Candied Sweet Potato

Ingredients:-

• 4 pounds sweet potatoes
• 1 1/4 cups margarine
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 3 cups miniature marshmallows
• Ground cinnamon to taste
• Ground nutmeg to taste

Method:-

1. Slice the sweet potatoes into quarters.
2. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
3. Boil a pot of water and add potatoes. Continue to boil for 15 minutes.
4. Let the sweet potatoes cool, then peel them.
5. In a saucepan, add the margarine, brown sugar, 2 cups marshmallows, and flavors. Bring to medium heat, stirring. Sauce will be finished when marshmallows are melted.
6. Add potatoes to the marshmallows. Softly mas half of the potatoes in with the marshmallows.
7. Pour the mixture into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
8. Bake for 15 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and pour uncooked marshmallows over the top. Place back in oven until the tops of the marshmallows are slightly brown.

Sweet Potato, Onion and Rice Soup

Ingredients:-

• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 4 onions, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup rice
• 3 cups water
• 3 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Seasonings to taste

Method:-

1. Put sweet potatoes, rice, milk, butter, and seasonings in a kettle. Add water.
2. Cover.
3. Let boil slowly for about 30 minutes.

Sweet Potato, Onion And Carrot Soup

Ingredients:-

• 2 carrots, peeled, sliced
• ½ onion, peeled, chopped fine
• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced
• 5 cups water
• 1 cup milk, scalded
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Seasonings to taste

Method:-

• Put all ingredients, except the milk, in a kettle or large pot.
• Cover.
• Let simmer for about 30 minutes.
• Add the scalded milk and serve.

Colourful Sweet Potato Tong Yuen (Glutinous Rice Balls) In Sago Coconut Syrup

Ingredients:-

• 200g glutinous rice flour
• 50g rice flour
• 150-160ml boiling hot water
• 130g steamed and mashed orange coloured sweet potatoes

Ingredients (A):

• 175g glutinous rice flour
• 25g rice flour
• 170ml or just enough boiling hot water
• 90g steamed and mashed purple coloured sweet potatoes

Syrup:

• 900ml water
• 225g sugar
• 4 screwpine leaves, shredded and knotted
• 3 tbsp sago, soaked
• 300ml thick coconut milk
• ¾-1 tsp salt

Method:-

1. Put glutinous rice flour and rice flour in a mixing bowl.
2. Pour in boiling hot water and add mashed sweet potato to mix.
3. Knead into a smooth dough.
4. Pinch off small portions and roll into balls.
5. Combine ingredients (A) together in another mixing bowl and knead to a smooth dough. Roll small portions of dough into balls.
6. Cook all the balls of dough in a pot of boiling water until they float. Remove and soak in cold water for 5-10 minutes.
7. Bring water, sugar and screwpine(pandan) leaves to a boil.
8. Add sago and cook until transparent.
9. Add coconut milk and salt.
10. Once it comes to a boil put in all the dumplings. Dish out and serve immediately.

Crispy Scallop & Sweet Potato Croquettes

Ingredients:-
Filling:

• 50ml cooking oil
• 250g scallops, diced
• 50g carrot, diced
• 50g celery, diced
• 50ml hoisin sauce
• salt to taste

Dough:

• 3 salted eggs, boiled
• 225g sweet potato, boiled
• 300g wheat starch
• 75g vegetable shortening

• oil for deep frying

Method:

1. To prepare filling: Heat oil in a wok and stir-fry the scallops, carrot and celery. Season to taste with hoisin and salt. Dish out and set aside.
2. To prepare dough: Discard the salted egg whites. In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes and salted egg yolks. Add the wheat starch and shortening and knead into a dough.
3. Divide into golf ball-sized spheres. Flatten each with the palm and place a tablespoon
4. of filling in the middle. Gather the edges, seal and shape into an oblong shape.
5. Heat the oil in wok and deep fry until golden brown in colour.

Oven-Dried Candied Kumquat, Mandarin Orange, Star Fruit and Sweet Potato

Ingredients:-

• 10 kumquats
• 10 mini mandarin oranges (with skin)
• 625g caster sugar
• 500ml water
• 2 small Sweet Potato
• 1 star fruit

Method:-

1. Freeze the kumquats and mandarins. Bring water and sugar to boil for light syrup.
2. Slice mandarins, kumquats, sweet potatoes and star fruit with a mandolin (2mm thick)
3. Soak the slices for 2 minutes in syrup, drain on a rack to remove the excess syrup and place on a silicone mat.
4. Dry 2 to 3 hours in an oven at 80 to 90ºC (to dry without browning). If using lotus root or ginger, blanch before slicing.

Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Pudding

Ingredients:-

• 120gm pumpkin
• 120gm sweet potato
• 90gm agar-agar (jelly)
• 1 tbsp pandan juice
• 1 pandan leaf
• 40gm sugar
• 50ml santan (1/2 coconut)
• 100ml water
• 1 tsp custard powder
• a pinch of salt

Method:-

1. Boil pumpkin and sweet potato till soft. Drain and set aside. Blend the pumpkin and sweet potato with santan and custard powder.
2. Boil agar-agar till dissolved and add sugar, salt and pandan juice. Add the blended ingredients to the agar-agar. Keep stirring till it boils. Pour into moulds. Serve chilled or warm.

Spicy Sweet Potato Balls

Ingredients:-

• 200g cooked sweet potato, mashed while still hot
• 75g plain flour
• Pinch of salt

Filling:

• 1 can tuna with chilli, well drained and chillies removed
• 60g grated coconut, use only the white part of coconut flesh

Method:-

1. Fry tuna in a little oil for about a minute. Stir in coconut and toss until filling is completely dry. Dish out and set aside.
2. Mix mashed sweet potato with flour and salt. Combine into a smooth dough. Divide into equal portions and wrap each portion around a teaspoon of filling. Dust hands lightly with extra flour and roll into a ball.
3. Heat oil over medium low heat. Fry the balls in batches until golden. Remove and drain well.

Sweet Potato and Lotus Roots Tempura

Ingredients:-

• 200g orange coloured sweet potatoes
• 150g lotus roots
• Enoki mushrooms, ends trimmed
• 4 medium prawns, shelled and de-veined
• 1–2 tbsp plain flour
• Tempura batter
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• 140g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 240ml chilled beer or
• well-chilled soda water

Tempura dipping sauce:

• l water
• 180ml light soy sauce
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 40ml mirin

Method:-

1. Peel lotus root and slice thinly. Put into water with a dash of vinegar (to prevent discoloration).
2. Skin sweet potatoes and slice thinly. Soak in water for 15–20 minutes.
3. Break the egg into a bowl and pour in the beer or soda water. Whisk vigorously until frothy then add the sifted flours and baking powder to mix until just combined. Do not over-mix; the mixture should be lumpy.
4. Heat oil in a wok, dip sweet potatoes, lotus root, prawns and enoki mushrooms in plain flour, then shake off excess flour.
5. Dip into tempura batter and drop them into the oil in batches.
6. When they are light golden, remove with a pair of chopsticks. Drain on absorbent paper.
7. Fry small amounts at a time; make sure enough time is allowed for the oil to return to the correct temperature before frying the next batch of ingredients.
8. Serve tempura with dipping sauce.

Combine all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. Allow the flavours to blend for at least an hour before using the sauce.


Sweet Potato Balls

Ingredients:-

• 500g mashed sweet potatoes
• 200g glutinous rice flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp custard powder
• 3 1/2 tbsp castor sugar
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• Oil

Method:-

1. Combine mashed sweet potatoes, glutinous rice flour, custard powder and sugar with just enough water to form a smooth dough that is soft in texture but not sticky.
2. Divide dough into small, equal portions and roll into balls. Dip in water and coat with sesame seeds.
3. Deep-fry sweet potato balls till golden brown. Dish out and drain well before serving.

Sweet Potato Doughnuts

Ingredients:-

• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1¾ tsp instant yeast granules
• 1 tsp sugar
• 120–130ml lukewarm water
• 250g high protein flour, sifted
• 50g plain flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 40g castor sugar
• 2 tbsp milk powder
• 120g sweet potato
• 1 tbsp shortening
• Oil for deep-frying

Method:-

1. Steam sweet potato until soft. Peel and mash until smooth.
2. Combine lukewarm water with the starter dough ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Leave aside to froth for about 10–15 minutes.
3. Mix sifted flour, milk powder, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Add in shortening and mashed sweet potato to mix. Pour in frothy liquid and add the egg. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough comes together.
4. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and leave to rise for about one hour or until it doubles in bulk.
5. Punch down the dough and remove onto a floured work tabletop. Roll out the dough slightly thicker than 1cm and stamp out rounds with a doughnut cutter. Gather the snaps and re-roll, then cut out more doughnuts.
6. Place doughnuts on a non-stick baking paper and cover with a dry tea towel or a lightly greased cling film. Leave to rise for 10–20 minutes or until they feel light and spongy.
7. Heat oil for deep-frying in a wok over medium heat. Slip a few doughnuts into the oil at a time, leaving enough room for them to expand.
8. Make sure that the oil is not too hot otherwise the doughnut will not be cooked. If the oil is not hot enough, the doughnut will absorb too much oil.
9. When the doughnuts are golden brown, turn them over and cook the other side. It takes about 2–3 minutes to cook through.
10. When done, remove doughnuts from oil and drain briefly on absorbent paper towels before rolling them in cinnamon sugar mixture.

For kids’ stuff: Dip the doughnuts in melted chocolate and sprinkle with sugared coloured rice.


Sweet Potato and Sago Jelly

Ingredients:-

• Orange portion:
• 60g sweet potatoes (orange-coloured variety), cooked and mashed through a fine wire meshsieve
• 8g agar-agar powder
• 75g castor sugar
• 200ml water
• 60ml milk
• 40ml thick coconut milk

Green portion:

• 20g sago, washed and soaked for 10 minutes, then well drained
• 450ml water
• 90g castor sugar
• 14g agar-agar powder
• 20ml milk
• 20ml thick coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp green colouring

Method:-

1. Combine sugar, agar-agar powder, sweet potatoes and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add in milk and coconut milk and cook for 40-50 seconds.
2. Pour mixture into a wet jelly mould. Leave aside to just set then remove the set jelly from mould.
3. Meanwhile prepare the green layer.
4. Combine water, sugar and agar-agar powder and bring to a boil. Add in sago and cook until transparent. Add in milk and coconut milk and continue to cook for an extra minute.
5. Pour one ladle of mixture into a mould. Add in the set orange coloured jelly then pour in remaining green portion. Leave aside to set then chill before cutting into serving slices.

Sweet Potato Leaves with Belacan (Shrimp paste) (This is fancy version of the poor men's diet)

Ingredients:-

• 300g sweet potato leaves
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp dried prawns, soaked, drained and pounded.

Pounded:

• 3 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 red chillies, seeded
• 1 1/2 tsp Maggi belacan granules

Seasoning:

• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar or to taste
• 1/2 tsp chicken stock granules

Method:-

1. Pluck the sweet potato leaves from the stalks. Cut the stalks into 7cm lengths, discarding the tough parts. Wash and drain well.
2. Heat wok over high heat until hot, then add in oil. Fry the pounded dried prawns until aromatic. Add the rest of the pounded ingredients and stir-fry well.
3. Put in sweet potato leaves and stalks and stir-fry briskly for one to two minutes. Add seasoning to mix. Dish out and serve immediately.

Fried Nian Gao (Glutinous Rice Cake) with Sweet Potato and Taro (Yam)

Ingredients:-

• 2 tray 2x4 cooked nian gao (cut 1 cm square)
• 1 taro/yam (peel and sliced 1 -2 cm)
• 2 large Japanese sweet potato (peel and sliced 1-2 cm)
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 100 ml water
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cup oil for frying

Method:-

1. Peel ,cut and wash taro or yam,sweet potato and nian gao,set aside.
2. Preheat oil in stainless steel wok or pan at 300 F or 150C.
3. Combine egg,rice flour,all purpose flour,salt,baking powder and water in a medium bowl,whisk all ingredients until become smooth batter.If the batter is too thick,add in some water,little,by little at one time,do not make the batter too watery,coz it's can't hold nian gao ,taro and sweet potato later. If the batter still have some lump,sieve with a siever in another bowl.
4. Place 1 piece of nian gao between sweet potato and yam.Dip the nian gao into the batter and fry over slow medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.Drain on paper towel before serve.

Sweet Potato Rice (The fancy version of the poor men's diet)

Ingredients:-

• 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 kg (2 lbs) sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 400g (14 oz) rice, e.g. basmati
• 1L (4 cups) vegetable stock
• parsley, as garnish (optional)

Method:-

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the garlic gently for 1 minute.
2. Add the sweet potato and rice to the saucepan and make sure you coat them with the oil. Add the hot vegetable stock and turn the heat down to simmering.
3. Cover and cook gently for 15-20 minutes, till all the stock is absorbed and the rice and sweet potato is cooked. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

This side-dish is very versatile and will go well with grilled fish or any stew or casserole.