Lost & Found? - Kumaras

sethasaurus

Hey folks,
Just wondering if anyone has seen these available in the shops or farmers markets, etc.

Some people say kumara is the Maori word for sweet potato.
It's a kind of sweet potato but not what you have here in the northern hemisphere.
Kumara is the name for kumara.

aidan24326

Kumara IS sweet potato, there is nothing different about it I'm afraid. It's just a different name for the same thing, like coriander/cilantro or zucchini/courgette etc. It isn't generally used outside of New Zealand with the exception of restaurants/cafes that have a NZ connection through the owner or chef, of which there are a couple here in Dublin.

CJhaughey

There might be different varieties available in NZ but the orange skinned one is the same as NZ, Not many Red skinned ones here but you do get the purple skinned orange flesh here as well.
I haven't found much difference in them between NZ and Ireland.
They are all imported here.

Whistlejacket

I lived in NZ for a while. God I miss the kumara chips made with the purple skin/orange flesh version, served with sour cream and plum jam. Sounds all wrong but tastes so right!!

sethasaurus

Don't try and tell a Maori guy that kumara is the same as your sweet potato.
Its a -type- of sweet potato, but its not the sweet potato you get here (Ireland).
If you'd ever eaten a roast kumara you'd know (also taste and see) the difference.

CJhaughey

sethasaurus wrote: »

Don't try and tell a Maori guy that kumara is the same as your sweet potato.
Its a -type- of sweet potato, but its not the sweet potato you get here (Ireland).
If you'd ever eaten a roast kumara you'd know (also taste and see) the difference.

Eaten plenty of good kai in my time ,puha and pork bones ,kaimoana and all.
you know there is more than one type you get here? Have to look around try smaller veg stalls etc ask if they don't have what you want.

sethasaurus

I don't know why it is, but each time I ask for info on an Irish forum, the replies always amount to "Just ask around"...

Faith

sethasaurus wrote: »

I don't know why it is, but each time I ask for info on an Irish forum, the replies always amount to "Just ask around"...

So why don't you ask around, if that's the advice you constantly get?

Amazingfun

Moore Street in Dublin has a good selection of the orange and purple ones

Mellor

sethasaurus wrote: »

Don't try and tell a Maori guy that kumara is the same as your sweet potato.
Its a -type- of sweet potato, but its not the sweet potato you get here (Ireland).
If you'd ever eaten a roast kumara you'd know (also taste and see) the difference.

Kumara and sweet potato are the same thing, both refer to the exact same species of plant.

But, like regular potato (and most veg) there are loads of different varieties. And I don't mean the obvious orange, purple and red. I'm talking about similar sub varieties like kerr pinks and king edwards, or roosters and desiree.

the beer revolu

sethasaurus wrote: »

I don't know why it is, but each time I ask for info on an Irish forum, the replies always amount to "Just ask around"...

Maybe if you gave your location, people could be more specific.
Do you think people are withholding information from you and pawning you off with " just ask around "?

sethasaurus

Thanks Amazingfun. I'll have to check it out.