The sweet potato is a starchy, sweet tasting root vegetable. They have a thin brown skin on the outside with coloured flesh inside, most commonly orange in colour, but other varieties are yellow, white or purple.
Sweet potatoes are a rich source of fibre as well as containing an array of vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, selenium. They are a good source of B vitamins and vitamin C.
Sweet potatoes are one of the best sources of vitamin A; a medium one contains more than 100 percent of the daily recommended intake.
Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene, and makes this nutrient easier for the body to absorb. Cooking sweet potatoes with the skin on also helps prevent the loss of nutrients, including Vitamin C and beta-carotene.
Sweet Potato Masala Fry is a very simple yet delicious dry side dish.
INGREDIENTS :
(1) 500 grams of Sweet Potatoes / Shakarkand
(2) 2 medium sized Onions, chopped into small chunks
(3) 4 Whole Red Chillies (as per requirement)
(4) 4 Green Chillies, slit (as per requirement)
(5) 1 sprig of Curry leaves
(6) 5-8 cloves of Garlic, crushed
(7) 1 inch sized ginger, crushed
(8) 1 teaspoon of Cumin seeds / Jeera
(9) 1 teaspoon of Mustard seeds / Rai
(10) Half teaspoon of Urad Dal
(11) Half teaspoon of Turmeric powder / Haldi
(12) 4 tablespoons of Mustard oil for cooking
(13) Salt as required
(14) Handful of chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing
Cuisine: Indian
Course : Side dish
Serves : 2-3 persons
Time : 30 minutes for preparation and 15 minutes for cooking = 45 minutes
PREPARATION :
(1) First crush the Garlic and Ginger one by one in a mortar pestle.
(2) In a kadhai / wok, take water upto 1 inch height as shown in the figure.
Place a steel stand / trivet in the water and place a steel plate over it.
Place 5 pieces of Sweet Potatoes on the plate.
Cover the lid of the kadhai and steam cook the Sweet Potatoes for 15-18 minutes on a low flame.
Do not over cook the Sweet Potatoes, but cook it in such a way that it does not lose shape and is firm but cooked.
You can know if it is cooked or not by pricking with a fork.
Once cooked, take out the Sweet Potatoes on a plate and allow them to cool.
Peel the Sweet Potatoes and cut them into bite sized cubes.
(3) Slit the green chillies.
All the ingredients are gathered together for the preparation of Sweet Potato Masala Fry.
METHOD :
(1) Heat 4 tablespoons of Mustard oil in a kadhai / wok.
(2) Once the oil is warm, add Mustard seeds and Cumin seeds. Allow them to crackle.
Immediately add Urad dal and allow it to change colour slightly and give a nice aroma.
(3) Add Whole Red Chillies and Green Chillies.
(4) Add Curry leaves.
(5) Add Crushed Ginger and Garlic immediately.
(6) Add chunks of chopped Onions and mix well.
(7) Add Turmeric powder and mix well.
(8) Add cubes of cooked Sweet Potatoes. Add Salt as per requirement. Mix well.
(9) Stir fry / roast for 3-5 minutes or till the sweet potatoes are slightly browned.
(10) Add chopped Coriander leaves and mix well.
(11) Our Sweet Potato Masala Fry is ready and now transfer it on a serving bowl.
(12) Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves.
(13) Serve it with Chapatis / Phulkas/ Pooris and Dal Rice.
