Roasted Sweet Potato Stirfry

Growing up, I remember sweet potato was only used in Mukkala Pulusu in our home. The skin is usually left intact and the vegetable is cut into roundels and added to this spicy tangy sweet concoction that happens to be my favorite. All of us sit together to eat and anyone who gets an extra piece would give it to me, for thats how much I love the Chilakada-dumpa (sweet potato) in the Pulusu. And then I remember dad preparing a sweet dish using sweet potato on our popular demand. It was such a simple recipe but tasted all the same great. We would lick the bowl clean and wait for the next time, it would be prepared. Its high time I ask him to make it for us again 😀

Who would have thought sweet potato could taste this great as a stir-fry curry?! I was a little skeptical at first but when I tasted the dish at last it was simply awesome. It goes well with rasam or sambar rice. Amma had the idea of this recipe after watching something similar in a cookery show. I liked the sound of it and being bored with the usual curries and vegetables, I thought this would be the welcome change. And I was not wrong. I roasted the sweet potatoes on open fire and soon the kitchen was filled with sweet aroma. One can boil the vegetable too but I am sure the taste is not the same.

Recipe

What I used - 

• Sweet Potatoes, 4 medium
• Onion, 1 large
• Ginger Garlic Paste, 1 tsp
• Green Chillies, 2
• Oil, 2 tsp
• Red Chilli, 1
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Urad Dal, 1 stp
• Jeera, 1 tsp
• Hing, ¼ tsp
• Red Chilli Powder, 1 teaspoon (optional)
• Salt, as required
• Water, as required

How I made -

1. Wash and clean sweet potatoes. Rub oil all over the vegetable. Roast on open fire until cooked ( I roasted it on stove top. Skin turns blackish brown with lots of blisters. Insert a knife to check if the vegetable is cooked). Drop the roasted sweet potatoes in water. Remove the skin. Chop into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
2. In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, urad dal and jeera. When urad dal is golden brown and mustard seeds are spluttering, add hing, curry leaves and chopped green chillies.
3. Add finely chopped onions and fry until translucent. Add ginger garlic paste. Stir fry for 30-sec.
4. Add chopped roasted sweet potato pieces. Add salt and red chilli powder ( if using).
5. If required, sprinkle some water and cook closed for 5 mins.
6. Serve hot with rice and sambar/rasam or as dry vegetable with rotis and dal.