Tropical sweet potatoes

A nutritious and flavourful side dish!

I love sweet potatoes and enjoy finding lots of different ways to prepare them. Aside from being very nutritious (they’re packed with vitamins A, B6 and C, plus they’re a great source of potassium and fibre), I adore their flavour and find they add a great pop of colour to any plate. I was recently wondering what to serve with some spicy turkey sausages and thought up this fun, easy recipe which was a huge hit. We’ve also enjoyed it with grilled chicken and as a side for burgers. You can make it vegan by using non-dairy butter, if you like. If you’re interested in more great sweet potato recipes, check out this roundup of five of my other favourite ways to enjoy them.

Ingredients

• 2-3 sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs / 680 g)
• Few pinches salt
• 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter (dairy or non-dairy)
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 2 teaspoons (4 g) freshly grated lime zest
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
• Few dashes hot sauce (or more, to taste)
• Salt, to taste
• 1/4 cup (18 g) shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons (7 g) finely chopped cilantro leaves or parsley

Method

• Peel sweet potatoes, taking care to remove all the pale outer flesh so the brighter orange flesh is fully exposed (this helps prevent the outer edges of the potatoes from discolouring while cooking).
• Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) cubes and place in a small saucepan. Add just enough cold water to cover and sprinkle salt over top. Cover pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until just tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife (about 3 minutes after the pot comes to a boil).
• While potatoes are cooking, toast coconut in a dry skillet placed over medium heat, stirring often. Transfer to a small bowl once it has browned – keep a close eye on it as it can burn quickly.
• Drain potatoes when tender and pat dry with a tea towel or paper towel.
• In a skillet large enough to hold the par-cooked potatoes in a single layer, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove and discard garlic.
• Add the dried potatoes to the pan and toss gently to coat with the butter. Cook potatoes, turning carefully, until each cube is crisped on at least two sides (about 8-10 minutes), increasing heat slightly if needed. Stir together lime juice and hot sauce; sprinkle over crisped potatoes and stir gently. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, to taste.
• Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with lime zest, toasted coconut and cilantro. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4.