Sweet potato, ratalu, ratala, shakarkand, a tuber by any other name is as delicious and nutritious. There are over 15 types of sweet potatoes around the world and all belong to the morning glory or Convolvulaceae family. All the 15 varieties look similar on the exterior, reddish-brown in color and tapered at both ends. In the US, they tend to be orange on the inside while in India they are creamy beige when sliced. Both are sweet and a dream to cook with. Sweet potatoes can be baked, roasted, fried, steamed, and can be turned into a great side dish or a dessert. Additionally, they are dense in proteins, vitamins, and fiber so use them often and freely.

Sweet potatoes are very popular in the US and have been enjoying increased popularity as fries. In India, they are a staple fasting food and can be cooked with milk and jaggery to make a sweet kheer, or grated and made into a savory hash, known as kees. I love to chop them instead of grating and cook them in a tempering of ghee and green chilies to serve as a side salad with quinoa, couscous, farro, or as part of a fasting grain bowl. Or eat it by itself as I did here with a dollop of plain yogurt.

Step by Step

1. Wash and peel one sweet potato
2. Chop into cubes by cutting in half, width-wise, then into quarters, and finally into bite sized chunks
3. Finely chop one green chili or 1/2 de-seeded jalapeno pepper
4. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a kadhai or pan
5. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and allow them to crackle
6. Add the green chillies and saute for ten seconds
7. Add the chopped sweet potatoes and saute for 30 seconds
8. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt, cover the pan and allow the sweet potatoes to cook gently on low heat. Stir occasionally.
9. They will be cooked in 10-15 minutes; check that they are soft all the way through
10. Add
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
11. Stir gently till the spices are well mixed with the sweet potatoes
12. Turn off the heat and garnish with
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • 1 tbsp crushed peanuts
    • 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
13. Serve as a side or enjoy a bowlful with a dollop of cooling plain yogurt

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Sautéed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are very popular in the US and have been enjoying increased popularity as fries. In India, they are popular as a fasting food and can be cooked with milk and jaggery to make a sweet kheer, or grated and made into a savory hash, known as kees. I love to chop and cook them in a tempering of ghee and green chilies to serve as a side salad with quinoa, couscous, farro, or as part of a fasting grain bowl. Or eat it by itself as I did here with a dollop of plain yogurt.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Course: Fasting Foods, Grain Bowl, Sides, Snack

Cuisine: Indian, Maharastrian

Keyword: fasting foods, ratala, ratalu, shakarkand, sweet potato, sweet potatoes, yam

Servings: 2

Author: Madhavi

Ingredients

• 1 sweet potato
• 1 green chili
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 + 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp red chili powder

To garnish

• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp crushed peanuts

Instructions

• Wash and peel one sweet potato
• Chop into cubes by cutting in half, width-wise, then into quarters, and finally into bite-sized chunks
• Finely chop one green chili or 1/2 de-seeded jalapeno pepper
• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a kadhai or pan
• Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and allow them to crackle
• Add the green chillies and saute for ten seconds
• Add the chopped sweet potatoes and saute for 30 seconds
• Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt, cover the pan and allow the sweet potatoes to cook gently on low heat. Stir occasionally.

  They will be cooked in 10-15 minutes; check that they are soft all the way through.
• Add 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)

  1/2 tsp red chili powder

  Stir gently till the spices are well mixed with the sweet potatoes
• Turn off the heat and garnish with:

  1 tsp lemon juice

  1 tbsp crushed peanuts

  1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• Serve as a side or enjoy a bowlful with a dollop of cooling plain yogurt