Pumpkin Sprouts 南瓜苗 nàahm-gwâa-miùh

Recently while at the wet market I saw greens that looked a bit like bracken fern.

The seller told me that those were not fiddleheads ferns but pumpkin sprouts (nàahm-gwâa-miùh南瓜苗) and they would only be available for a short period of time (about one month).

I had never tried this veggie before. I knew that pumpkin blossoms could be deep-fried or stuffed and baked but did not know that pumpkin sprouts were also edible. As I usually do (when I discover a “new” veggie), I asked the stallholder how to prepare it. The lady vendor told me to simply stir-fry the plant with or without meat.

Pumpkin sprouts

I saw nàahm-gwâa-miùh at 2 different stalls; one was selling it for HK$12 per catty and the other for HK$14 / catty (1 catty is about 600gr).

Unfurling fronds of pumpkin sprouts

Pumpkin sprouts and pork stir-fry

Pumpkin sprouts and pork stir-fry

Ingredients:

• ½ catty (~300g) pumpkin sprouts
• ~150g lean pork or boneless pork chop (sliced)
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 garlic clove, chopped

Marinade:

• 1 Tbsp potato starch
• 1 tsp water
• ½ tsp salt

Seasonings:

• 1 Tbsp light soya sauce
• 1Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
• Ground black pepper (to taste)

Steps:

Wash pumpkin sprouts and snap off the rough ends (keep only the tender part of the plant).

Marinate the pork slices with potato starch, water and salt for at least ½ hour (help to tenderize the meat).

 

Stir-fry minced shallots and garlic

Add pork and cook trough

Add sprouts and seasonings

Stir-fry pumpkin sprouts until done (for ~10-15 min)

When done, turn off the heat and transfer the stir-fried ingredients to a plate. Serve hot.

The matchstick-like veggie was crisp and I liked its pleasant and unique flavour. Yet I think that the sprouts would be better cooked in small amounts, for example in a stir-fry with other veggies, mushrooms and dried bean curd (a combination of different textures – dried and fresh ingredients).

I would like to add that pumpkin sprouts are not going to be my favourite veggie but that my experiment with them was definitely better than the fiddlehead ferns'one!