Citrus Kumara

The early Maori settlers brought the first kumara to New Zealand more than a thousand years ago. These were very small "bush‚" kumara. The kumara we eat today evolved from the American variety of sweet potato, introduced here in the 1850s.

Dargaville is the main kumara-growing area and these days we can buy three varieties of kumara - red, gold and orange, which is the sweetest of the lot.

Kumara should be stored in a cool dry place, not in the refrigerator. When buying, look for a smooth, unbroken skin. Handle carefully to prevent bruising. You don't have to peel them. A scrub will do. The skins contain a type of fibre which has a protective role against cancer.

A good serving of kumara will give you your day's requirement of Vitamins A and E. They are also a good source of Vitamin C, have more fibre than oatmeal and contain only 141 calories per 500g, in spite of their sweet taste.

4-6 gold kumara
juice and rind of two oranges
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup water

Peel or scrub the kumara and cut each into two or three chunks. Place in a shallow ovenproof dish. Dot with butter. Whisk together the rind, juice, water and mustard and pour over the kumara.

Poke in a few sage leaves, reserving a few for presentation. Cover the dish with a lid or foil and bake at 160C for 45 minutes, basting once or twice and adding a little water if the liquid is evaporating too fast.

Remove the foil or lid and cook for a further five minutes. Baste again and add strew over a few more sage leaves for serving. Serves six.