My first blog ever! Excited … scared. Deal with it, human.
I watched a great film, A Suitable Girl at the recently concluded Chicago South Asian film festival (csaff.org) which traces the lives of 3 girls in India. Coming from varied socioeconomic backgrounds, all well educated and independent and the only thing in common- either desperately or reluctantly looking to get married within the arranged marriage framework. Beautifully nuanced, the makers set out to lay the facts as they are, without taking sides. What shocked me was that things are pretty much the same as they were eons ago for girls on the ‘marriage market’. Don’t want to give out too much about the movie so will stop here.
That got me thinking about the this past week when married women from India partially fasted for eight days on specially ordained foods during the festival of Navratri ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navaratri) presumably for the long lives of their husbands. One of those foods is the under rated Sweet Potato. Why not take this versatile root vegetable that coincidentally is also found on the Thanksgiving table and give it my own special twist. So from the kitchens of India to my lab (aka kitchen) I go, to perfect a recipe and bring to the tables here. I am going to try and keep the ingredients simple, healthy and easily available at the local grocery stores. Below is the fruit of my labor.
SWEET POTATOES WITH A PECAN AND COCONUT CRUMBLE
2 Sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/4 ” roundels)
4-5 twigs of thyme
3 cinnamon sticks
4 tbsp Ghee/clarified butter (no Substitution please)*
CRUMBLE
Large handful of pecans crushed in a mortar and pestle
4 tbsp fresh or dry desiccated or grated coconut*
4 tbsp brown sugar
5 tbsp crushed oats
2 tbsp cold butter diced
2 tbsp flour (optional) *
Salt as Needed
Season the SP with a little salt and keep aside. In a flat bottomed pan put in the ghee, thyme and cinnamon sticks. On a low flame stir for a few minutes so that all the flavors are nicely infused into the ghee. Now in batches cook the SP on both sides till crisp(careful not to burn them). Transfer directly on to a pie dish(no greasing needed).
To prepare the crumble put all the ingredients along with the drippings from the pan (toss the thyme and cinnamon) into a bowl and mix well with a fork. The mixture will have a soft gooey texture which is fine.
Now spread it over the SP and bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Serve as a side dish or a healthy dessert.
HAPPY COOKING FROM KAVITA ATUL!
SIDEBARS:
- Ghee is available in most grocery stores now but if you not want to purchase a whole bottle heat 3 tbsp of butter, on a low flame stir till it turns a golden brown and gives off a nutty, rich aroma. Now you can add the thyme etc and carry on.
- If you cannot find fresh or fresh frozen use dry coconut but soak it in a couple tbsp cold milk for a few mins and then use as directed.
- I used whole grain Teff flour, you could use white flour too.