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

Post a Comment

I love interacting with all my readers, thank you for your comments. Have a great day!

Popular posts from this blog

Up-cycling fabrics

Image
   In our hot and humid climate, jeans are not big movers in our op shop.  We had a $1 a pair sale rack, and still have full racks..... so I decided to make up a few different bags to see if we can somehow save these items from landfill.  Re-fashioning those items into something useful.  I made a few variations just to try out the market and sold this one on the first day they were put out! Each one is individual, depending on what fabric I have available. I tend to lay things out, and then just play around a bit.   Here I am laying out all the options before I start sewing.  I have joined a facebook group which is so inspirational and supportive.      Up-Cycled Cloth Collective | Facebook So often, it is just a case of seeing what is there, and then using it in the best way possible.  I was excited to find this tote bag, which was perfect as the lining of a bag for a teenager. this was also snapped up quickly. The bags were hung up at the op shop and hopefully this will continue to be
Read more

Garden share collective June 2014

Image
Once again another month has rolled by and it is time to link up with  Lizzie at   strayedtable  for our monthly collective where we share what has happened in our gardens for the last month and what we hope to be working on for the next month.  Wrapping up May and heading into June. Last month I wanted to work on: Seed tape .... I did make seed tape, and did a tutorial on the processs - you can see it  here.   It was fun, and worked well, expecially with kids. Mostly though I see a space and throw a few seeds in.  I can see myself doing it at the beginning of a planting season. Worms . .... I have been adding a little of the worm castings every time I plant something, and as a side dressing when plants seem to need a bit of a boost.  It does seem to help. Sitting .... plenty of that - I like the new (original) location of the swing where we have a long view of the garden. - veggie garden is just around that corner.... Eat veggies out of the garden .... so far we have
Read more

I have something to tell you.....

Image
Come on in to my garden.... I have something to tell you  Sit down in the comfy chair  for a little while, and listen to the tinkling of the wind chimes - are you relaxed? Good!  Remember how I entered that garden competition, and the judges came, and they wandered down my paths, taking photos?  Yes! I won runner up! a Fifty dollar gift card ........ from a real nursery, not the big box store that I normally shop at.  Oh gosh, how exciting.... I wonder what I will buy? Thank you Cairns Regional Council!
Read more