Starting from the bottom, now we're here!
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Sweet Potatoes (शकर गंदी)
Why can't you be mad with this vegetable? Because it's so sweet!
Hello friends! Welcome to my first blog and thank you for visiting. Here I’ll post a short description about our star, the humble Sweet Potato (ft. my dad's hands).
A Brief History
Even though the sweet potato is native to the tropical regions of South America in what is present-day Ecuador, China produces the most sweet potatoes globally, with an annual output of 70,963,630 metric tons.
Sweet potatoes are also sometimes called yams in North America, however enslaved Africans had already been calling the 'soft' sweet potatoes 'yams' because they resembled the unrelated yams in Africa and the name just caught on. Sweet potatoes are starkly different from true yams.
The plant does not tolerate frost. It grows best at an average temperature of 24 °C (75 °F), with abundant sunshine and warm nights making it the perfect crop to grow in places like Ecuador, Tanzania, Ethiopia, India and of course, China.
Sweet potatoes in India are called Shakargandi (शकर गंदी), and are known for their nutritional value. They are rich in vitamins A and C, fiber, and antioxidants, making them beneficial for overall health.
How is it prepared?
Shakargandi ((शकर गंदी) is a very popular street food in India. The recipe can be customized with many toppings but the most traditional recipe consists of just lemon and chaat masala. This one has another special ingredient that even I didn’t know vendors sold called kamarakh (कमरख) or Starfruit. Other vendors will sometimes top the dish with pomegranate for some added sweetness to contrast the kick of the chaat masala and lemon. It’s a perfect balance of savoriness, acidity, sweetness and umami.
Pop Culture Reference
In the movie, South Central (1992), the main character and his friends use potatoes as a silencer for their guns! Technically, not a sweet potato, but thought I spud this in just for fun.
Recipe
Taken from: https://www.conceptyourkitchen.com/sweet-potato-chaat-a-flavourful-shakargandi-chaat-recipe/
Ingredients:
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 small tomato, finely chopped
1 green chili, finely chopped (adjust to taste)
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1 tsp chaat masala
1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder (adjust to taste)
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
Tamarind chutney and mint chutney for drizzling
Sev (crispy chickpea flour noodles) for garnish
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the sweet potato cubes in a little oil, salt, and red chili powder, then spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are tender and slightly crispy.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the roasted sweet potatoes, chopped onion, tomato, green chili, and fresh coriander leaves.
Add the chaat masala, roasted cumin powder, salt, and lemon juice. Mix everything well to ensure the flavors are evenly distributed.
Just before serving, add the roasted peanuts for a delightful crunch.
Drizzle tamarind chutney and mint chutney over the chaat, and garnish with a generous helping of sev.