Pumpkin shoots
Cucurbita spp. · Vegetable
Top 10 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 freshEveryday bestCook 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.
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