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cooking, easy, gluten-free, NZ, potatoes, recipes, sides, vegetables
I am such a sucker for anything claiming to be from New Zealand. Is it possible to have a crush on a country? Evidently… It’s not just because I’ve been there. Oh, no. Why would a girl with an unstamped passport just pack her bags on a whim and head to New Zealand of all places? Don’t most Americans tend to make Europe their first big trip? I mean, I’ve never even been to Canada, let alone Mexico, which is probably about a 3 hour drive away. New Zealand customs were suspicious! And then, you’d think that since I’ve been there, I’d be satisfied, yet every day my thoughts are consumed with the place.
I haven’t gone completely off my rocker, though. The nearby snooty grocery store sells 24-packs of New Zealand water. Seriously, folks. I bought a bottle of water once in Auckland, and it was at an outdoor music festival where containers weren’t permitted through the entrance. So, no, I haven’t been tempted by the imported water…yet.
I was instantly taken with these potatoes, though. I mean look at them! (Oddly beautiful and slightly…gross, no?) They weren’t in season while I was there, so my first time seeing them was actually here at said grocery store well after my trip. I finally decided to give them a try a few weeks later (now a month or so ago), and am glad I did!
These are much different from sweet potatoes, which are called kumara in New Zealand (I ate lots there!). The sign said they were oca potatoes, which I looked up when I got home. They’re originally from South America (specifically the Andes), but are also grown in Europe, Mexico, Polynesia, and of course, New Zealand. It sounds like you can prepare them in pretty much any way that you would other kinds of potatoes. Some people even eat them raw!
Honey Roasted Yams
adapted from vegetables.co.nz
Since I had never had these before and didn’t know what they’d be/taste like, I went with a recipe. This one looked super simple, and it was good! Next time, I might try them simply with some herbs and olive oil. The flavors in this sauce were pretty prominent and I wasn’t sure whether I was tasting sauce or potato at times. That said, it would also be good with other types of root veggies!
1/3 pound oca potatoes, rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F. In a small baking dish, toss together all of the ingredients. Bake until tender, about 30-35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
These potatoes retained some crunch even after being roasted for over a half hour. They were fun to try!
bake me away! 
I’ve honestly never seen New Zealand potatoes before! They’re a bit goofy-looking, but your recipe looks simple and perfect–I absolutely love roasted new potatoes or sweet potatoes, and I’m sure the recipe would transfer well.
Hope you’re having a good weekend!
haha, yeah…a couple of my friends thought they looked like larvae, which I kind of agree with! They do have “normal” potatoes in NZ, but it’s awesome because they have three different varieties of sweet potatoes. And yep, this recipe would work well with any! I personally think it would be awesome with carrots. :)
Hello
I live in New Zealand and theses are not potatoes. These are yams also know as Oca.
In fact, your “classic” potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams are all in different plant families.
Rochelle
Auckland
New Zealand
they look interesting ..would love to try some.
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I couldn’t help but respond, being an actual New Zealander and one with both Maori and European ancestors, with a passion for root vegetables. The vegetable in question, the yam, is never referred as a potato here. That would be confusing. We have a huge range of potatoes as well as a whole category of ‘Maori potatoes’ which range from deep purple in colour through to yellowy-white. These are also different to the kumara, known as the sweet potato, though again, no-one here calls them that. Again, there are varieties, from yellowy-purple, red, orange and gold. The yams also come in apricot, yellow and pale yellow. they are more watery in texture than a potato so that’s why they are best roasted. The season for them is quite short – they’re usually only available for a few months in mid-winter.
A belated thank you for your reply! Yes, I have to admit that being called “yams” I think of potatoes (here many call sweet potatoes yams), especially since these had regular potatoes on either side of them at the supermarket. Since I was in NZ in the summer, I didn’t see any yams, but I did have a few different types of kumara. I’m going to have to make some corrections to this post…thanks for setting me straight!
Well said and very well explained ….
Thanks Jessica – I’d just returned from buying 3 bags of yams that were only 99c each, so I’d decided to look online for recipes other than my usual roasting ones. That’s how I came to find your blog. It’s the root vege season here – so many varieties of kumara, potato and yams at the moment. Lovely with just about anything!
Ms Maui is absolutely corrrect. There are lots of things in NZ that are called names that mean something else to others Our silverbeet is your chard and sweet potatoes means different in the UK and USA. It makes lfe interesting. I love yams, have just bought 1 1/2 kg will eat some and cook and freeze some for later.I boil mine in the microwave for about 6 minutes then put into the electric fry pan and “bake” as per other recepies. Saves using the oven. Have you tried artichokes, looks the same only nobblier white, crunchy, and can be cooked the same. I’ve only seen them home in NZ
Hi i’m a NZ’er living in Austin, i think the only real difference is here people use the names sweet potato and yams interchangeably, like in NZ I would call the oca potato a yam, a kumara is still a sweet potato (in that group anyway even though yes i do call it a kumara), and maori potatoes are still potatoes just heirlooms. may i ask firstly where you got them from the yams? (I gather they won’t be there anymore but for future reference!) and also if you have ever seen kumara here as i LOVE it and haven’t come across it yet…
Hi, I’m a kiwi and i always see them in supermarkets and everything but have never had them haha. I am gonna use your recipe tonight for dinner for me and mum.
Also, it is so sweet to hear your love for Aotearoa!
The yams we have are red, so I dunno if they’d taste the same…
A kiwi here also…letting you know to get the best out of yams (your oca potato) they really shouldn’t be crunchy! Roasted in the oven for over 45 mins – yes they take a long time – them what you get is a mushy on the inside and crispy-ish on the outside and OMG, so good :-)
Hi, as the season for yams is so small and i love them, I would like to freeze them for having with my christmas dinner, Has anyone frozen them before?? Appreciate any advice…
This yam or oca is actually originally from the Andes of South America, as potato is originally from Peru, we got more than 3000 varieties. I am trying your recipe now :)