Barbecued kumara skins

Barbecues make everything more exciting. Even the humble kumara, when filled with tasty treats, becomes all smoky when treated to 10 minutes on the barbecue grill. The skin on the bottom get blackened, while the inside stays soft and tasty - although if the weather doesn't cooperate with your barbecue plans, these stuffed kumara can also be grilled in the oven, like boring, normal food. In that case, the tops will be crispy instead. Makes enough for 3 - 4 people. 

4 medium kumara

1 tomato

5cm chunk of yellow capsicum

3 heaped teaspoons of sour cream

1 spring onion

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

Give you kumara a good scrub to clean off any dirt - if the skin looks particularly ugly, you can scrap off the top surface using a spoon, which leaves the skin itself intact. Microwave for 5-6 minutes on high until soft, then leave to cool in the microwave. 

Cut the kumara in half lengthways. Scoop out the inside using a teaspoon, being careful not to break the skin. Put the kumara flesh into a mixing bowl, and mash until smooth. 

Add the paprika and sour cream. Finely dice the capsicum and spring onion, and add to the mixture. 

Cut the tomato in half, and squeeze over the kumara mixture so the seeds squirt out. This will add plenty of moisture to the kumara, and keep everything soft when you cook them. Finely dice the rest of the tomato, add to the bowl, and give everything a good mix. Season with salt and pepper.

Fill your kumara skins with the mixture - you might need to press down slightly on the skins to make sure they sit flat on the chopping board. Cook on a hot barbecue plate for 10 minutes, until the skin becomes crispy and the filling is warmed through. You can also grill indoors for 10 minutes if the weather gods aren't on your side. We had ours with chorizo sausages and salad - very summery!