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.
Servings: 2
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 powderStir gently till the spices are well mixed with the sweet potatoes
- Turn off the heat and garnish with:1 tsp lemon juice1 tbsp crushed peanuts1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- Serve as a side or enjoy a bowlful with a dollop of cooling plain yogurt