Baby jap pumpkins and eating pumpkin vine tips

Continuing on from my last post I have been hankering for baby vegetables.  This weekend I decided to pull out the eggplant bush that seemed to develop some kind of wilt.  I am not sure it is bacterial wilt as another one is growing up right alongside it.  This one has produced nonstop for about 18 months but definitely suffered some sort of malady, and since there is another one on the way I ripped the entire bush out..  It was covered in tiny eggplant - yeah!   I also had to hack away some of the pumpkin vine which is trying to overtake my entire veggie patch rather than stay in its assigned spot.  I cut some of the tips and then went researching where I had read that they were edible (and tasty!)
I found the information I was looking for - I had read it in a marvelous book called Tropical Cuisine, by Claire Richards.  See details here.  I also threw in all the baby pumpkins I had cut off the meandering vines and stir fried it all together.  also a few leaves of kale that is doing surprisingly well this year in my garden.
Oh yummy - hubby had barbecued some South African boerewors that we have our local butcher make for us and it was the perfect match.  So I discovered that I already had two different types of baby vegetables growing in my own backyard.  At least half this meal was grown in my backyard - I like that!  Have you tried pumpkin vine tips?  

Comments

  1. RoslynMon Sep 10, 10:05:00 AM

    I would never have thought to try the pumpkin vine or even the baby pumkins for that matter, but your meal certainly looks delicious.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Sep 13, 08:29:00 AM

      Roz,
      I have been wanting to try them for ages,and am so glad that I did

      Delete
  2. RohrerbotMon Sep 10, 11:41:00 AM

    Mother of pearls does that look good! Yum! Yes I've had the pumpkin tip in Mexico. They put it in their soup along with the flower. One of my favorites!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Sep 13, 08:30:00 AM

      Rohrerbot,
      Oh Ok I will have research some more recipes Mexican food is good.

      Delete
  3. garden girlMon Sep 10, 12:14:00 PM

    I've never tried pumpkin tips. What a delicious-looking meal! Amazing you had an 18-month-old eggplant. It will be only a few more weeks here before we have frost and all the veggie plants will be finished.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Sep 13, 08:31:00 AM

      Garden girl,
      It is only the volunteer eggplant that survive in my garden. The ones I plant all die.

      Delete
  4. BernieHMon Sep 10, 04:56:00 PM

    No I haven't tried pumpkin vine tips. Your dish sure does look delicious with all those home-grown ingredients. Those sausages look rather good too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Sep 13, 08:32:00 AM

      Bernie,
      It was the perfect match with the spicy sausage.

      Delete
  5. VirginiaCMon Sep 10, 05:47:00 PM

    I'm laughing at the thought that you would like the pumpkin vine to stay in its assigned spot in the veggie patch....you're funny.
    I have never had pumpkin tips, but now I will have to try them.
    Your lunch looks absolutely delicious....did you leave any back for me?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Sep 13, 08:33:00 AM

      Virginia,
      :) well I wouldn't want it to think it was in control.... All gone, but let me know next time you want to stop by.

      Delete
  6. orchid0324Mon Sep 10, 10:06:00 PM

    Dearest Africanaussie,
    Oh, how interesting!!! Eating pumpkin vine tips, I haven't had them, either.
    Thank you very much for your lovely comments♡♡♡
    Sending you lots of love and hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Sep 13, 08:35:00 AM

      Miyako,
      I love reading about your interesting food too. It is nice to hear about what other people are growing and eating.

      Delete
  7. AudreyTue Sep 11, 07:04:00 AM

    Have a look at Jane's Delicious Garden blog from Johannesburg. She grows pumpkins up frames. Your wors looks good

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Sep 13, 08:38:00 AM

      Audrey,
      I looked at that blog - gorgeous photos of her trip to Botswana - I haven't found the pumpkins up the frames yet though. I will have another look - I am liking growing vertically.

      Delete
  8. AudreyTue Sep 11, 07:05:00 AM

    Have a look at Jane's Delicious Garden blog from Johannesburg. She grows pumpkins up frames. Your wors looks good

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousTue Sep 11, 08:19:00 AM

    What a great use of those small pumpkin. I hate cutting long vines when they have fruit on them but now maybe I'll be willing to be more ruthless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Sep 13, 08:39:00 AM

      Laura,
      You have more room than I do - none of my pollinating efforts seem to have worked so far so maybe this is all i will have...

      Delete
  10. UnknownTue Sep 11, 03:35:00 PM

    I'm so inspired by your blog that now I'm seriously considering growing vegetables and vines. My neighbours have been growing white bitter gourd successfully, so I think I'll start with that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Sep 13, 08:44:00 AM

      Stiletto,
      Oh I am glad I inspired you! I have wanted to grow bitter gourd for a long time, but keep thinking I should taste one first!

      Delete
  11. UnknownWed Sep 12, 06:54:00 PM

    Oh my goodness...that looks SO tasty!

    ReplyDelete
  12. KarenThu Sep 13, 12:48:00 AM

    How wonderful to have a meal consisting of all the goodness from your own garden. We have nothing to eat homegrown this year, the drought was too much for my crops, but there's always next year, right?

    What a tasty meal that must have been, yum!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieThu Sep 13, 08:46:00 AM

      Karen,
      well you have nothing lacking in the flower department this year so I wouldn't be too sad. Luckily we have been having a few days of rain a week so i haven't even had to water.

      Delete

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