Roasted Indian sweet potato or yam
Roasted Indian sweet potato or yam
One of my favourite Indian street foods is a roasted sweet potato. They are cooked slowly over charcoal. When they prepare your dish, they are peeled and cut up into cubes with various toppings. You eat it with a toothpick. Each vendor puts their own twist on the dish, but what is consistent for the ones I tried, is the beautiful balance of sweet and spicy and creamy and crunchy.
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 can of salt-free chickpeas (541 ml) – drained
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Garnish
Lime or lemon wedge
Mint cilantro sauce - homemade or store bought
Crispy garlic – dehydrated grated garlic or quick-fried
Steps
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Wash sweet potatoes. Pierce each potato a few times with a knife or fork. Place on a baking sheet. Bake until they are soft to the touch. The length of time will depend on the size of the sweet potato, but allow 45 minutes to 1 hour. Do not microwave the potatoes, baking really does make a difference in the flavour.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Pat them dry and remove any loose skins.
Pour the chickpeas in a bowl and toss with tamari, lemon juice and seasoning.
Spread evenly on a lined baking sheet.
Bake for 50 minutes – check occasionally and turn. Bake until crispy, but not too browned.
You can also use your dehydrator. They take about 8 hours at 115 F.
Serve the sweet potatoes hot. Slice them down the middle and then crosswise a few times. Top with the chickpeas and mint cilantro sauce. Serve with lemon or lime wedge and crispy garlic.
