Pumpkin shoots

Cucurbita spp. · Vegetable

40 pairings

Pumpkin shoots are the tender growing tips of the squash and pumpkin vine (Cucurbita spp.) — the youngest 15–30 cm of stem with its soft leaves, curling tendrils, buds and sometimes an open flower — harvested and cooked as a leafy green. Mild, grassy and faintly sweet, they are a staple pot herb across sub-Saharan Africa and much of tropical Asia.

Picking a good onedrag

Coiled tendrils, stems snap wetLimp, yellow, woody stems

Market freshCook it any way tips are cooked — a sautéed relish, a groundnut or coconut stew, a quick blanch and stir-fry. Market shoots taste mild; bin a bitter one.Everyday best

Tips and tendrilsCoils relaxed, leaves open and flat, still even green

Stem snapStill snaps, but the break face is already drying

The liftStands, then bows over slowly

Smell at the cut endsGreen and mild, close to nothing at all

What to look for, from coiled tendrils, stems snap wet to limp, yellow, woody stems.

Preparing