favoritas: Spicy Sweet Potatoes

Spicy Sweet Potatoes

4 side-dish servings

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb sweet potatoes, cut into chunks

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground coriander

juice of 1 lime or lemon

1 teaspoon sugar

salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Saute the potatoes in the oil for 10 minutes until golden all over.

Add spices, juice, sugar and salt.

Cover and cook for 10 - 15 more minutes, until potatoes are tender.

Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs, toss and serve.

Rebecca (who first introduced me to this recipe) suggests to go heavier on the spices, light on the sugar, use 1 teaspoon of dried basil instead of fresh, and omit cilantro. I made it her way and loved it. It's nice to have a spicy little twist on sweet potatoes. It's like seeing your granny put on red lipstick and her dancing shoes.

Sweet potatoes are my favorite fall vegetable*. I absolutely love them. I fixed these for the Thanksgiving 2009 meal with my husband's family. Actually, I should clarify: I fixed these for the Thanksgiving 2009 meal for myself and my father-in-law. He warned me that no one else would eat them, but in naive hope I disregarded his advice and peeled/cubed/spiced two pounds of potatoes. Oh, well. I brought home leftovers and promptly put them in a burrito with rice and beans. I had the rest of them for lunch today with some cheddar cheese on top. I think that this might be my standard sweet potato recipe from here on out. I'll miss the casserole with marshmallows on top but I like the chili and lime kick.

I'm into this sweet potato thing. A few weeks ago I tried this sweet potato pound cake that I heard about on All Things Considered (yes, I listen to NPR and I'm under 65) and it was great. Butter? Check. Sugar? Check. Mashed sweet potatoes? Checkity check.

If you like sweet potatoes, try out Rebecca's spicy ones. If not, make them for me when I come over for dinner.

*Technically, I think sweet potatoes are tubers, not vegetables. I just have a hard time saying that I have a favorite tuber. Doesn't sound right.