Sometimes I get stuck in side-dish ruts.
Quinoa’s been the old standby lately. It’s just so darn fast and tasty and healthy.
The holy trinity of great sides, really.
But as we come into a new season, one that evokes cravings for warm, satisfying comfort dishes, it’s high time to switch things up a bit.
It’s time for root veggies. It’s time for sweet potatoes.
Dara and I rely on sweet potatoes in our cooking quite a bit. We’ve shown you how to use them for a quickie meal with curried chickpeas, as part of an african inspired stew and as a main ingredient in a homemade veggie burger.
In this recipe they stand alone as a side that works perfectly alongside a plethora of options. They’re also a great source of fibre (even better if you eat the skins) and vitamin A which is important for eye health.
In fact, I had my vision retested today after a 2 year hiatus and it has actually improved! I told my optometrist it’s all of the sweet potato recipes I’ve been developing. :p
Steamed or boiled and mashed sweet potatoes are a fantastic side without a thing added, but here garlic, ginger and sesame oil give them a punch of asian flair – my very favourite kind of food flair.
Here I have them pictured with some roasted lemony broccoli and some crispy Ontario pickerel.
What will you try them with?
Erin
Ginger sesame mashed sweet potatoes
Serves | 4-6 |
Prep time | 10 minutes |
Cook time | 15 minutes |
Total time | 25 minutes |
Ingredients
- 3 Medium sweet potatoes (peeled)
- 1 clove garlic (chopped)
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger (grated)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock or water
- salt and pepper to taste
Note
Fresh ginger is very easy to grate with a small side of a grater or a microplane when it's frozen. Peel it first by scraping the skin away with the edge of a spoon. I always keep a nub of ginger in the freezer sealed in a small ziplock bag.
Directions
1. | Chop sweet potatoes into roughly 1.5" pieces and transfer to a medium saucepan along with chopped garlic. Add enough water to cover the sweet potatoes about half way. |
2. | Bring to a boil over heat high, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for about 12-15 minutes until potatoes are easily pierced through with a sharp knife. Strain potatoes and garlic. |
3. | Add ginger, sesame oil and stock or water and use an immersion blender to 'mash' the sweet potatoes until smooth. If you prefer it a little chunky that's okay too of course. You may need a little more stock/water if you're looking for an extra smooth 'mash'. |
4. | Season to taste with salt and pepper (you will need less if using stock) and serve. |
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