KAMOKAMO FRITTERS
MAKES 18
Kamokamo would have to be one of my most favourite veges. There’s nothing quite like the sweet, creamy flesh of a young kamokamo. My favourite way to eat them is either cut into chunks and boiled with a knob of butter melted over it, or diced and pan-fried in butter and salt. So simple, and so delicious. Although it’s from the marrow family, the kamokamo is soft and sweet; only when very large does it become a bit bitter, and the skin harder. Save the seeds from large kamokamo for planting – I grow mine from my koro’s seeds. They are incredibly easy to grow, as long as you keep the mounds well watered (twice a day if you can), and pick off the tendrils to encourage more flower and fruit growth. If you stagger the seed planting by a few weeks between each sowing, you can get a full summer’s worth of this sweet crop, even all the way through to April, depending on the climate. It’s not uncommon to find a few new baby kamokamo hiding under the vine leaves every day, or to find a giant one that has been hiding for some time!
The smaller, younger kamokamo are softer and sweeter, and there’s no need to remove the softer seeds. The large ones can be used like pumpkin, seeds removed and roasted with the skin on.
4 cups grated kamokamo (seeds removed if a mature
kamokamo) or zucchini (or a mixture)
¾ cup plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup grated Parmesan olive oil, to cook
Put all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined thoroughly.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over a medium heat. Spoon tablespoons of batter into the hot skillet, and cook until the underside is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 1–2 minutes. Serve with sour cream and chopped chives, avocado and relish, or add to a big breakfast.