Recipe

Sweet Potato & Green Bean Sabji

Photo by bluejeangourmet

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Sweet Potato Recipe
Chef
bluejeangourmet's Notes: I often find myself craving spicy Indian food during colder months. Growing up, my mom made this dish with regular potatoes, but I love the bright color and creamy texture that sweet potatoes...
I often find myself craving spicy Indian food during colder months. Growing up, my mom made this dish with regular potatoes, but I love the bright color and creamy texture that sweet potatoes bring. Even if you're not familiar with Indian cooking, this is still a simple dish to make and doesn't require too long of a list of spices! For the tomato paste, you'll only need a little, so I recommend purchasing a brand (I like Amore) which comes in a toothpaste-like tube instead of a can. Serve this "sabji" (which simply means "vegetable dish") with store-bought naan or pita bread.

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Prep the vegetables: peel & dice the sweet potatoes into roughly 1-inch chunks, then wash & remove the ends from the green beans, chopping them into inch-long pieces.
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In a large, heavy-bottomed pan (with a matching lid), heat the oil over medium-high heat. After 3-4 minutes, the oil should be quite hot but not smoking. Throw in the mustard seeds & sprinkle in the asfoetida. It's essential to heat these two ingredients at the outset and let them get very hot or they will make the whole dish taste bitter.
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Turn down the heat to medium; add ginger. Cook until the ginger begins to soften, then add the sweet potatoes, sambar powder, & water. Toss to ensure that the potatoes are well-coated with the spices.
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Cover the dish, turn the heat down to medium-low, and allow the sweet potatoes to cook until just tender, about 15 minutes.
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Add the green beans and cook for another 5-8 minutes, including more water if necessary. Once the green beans are bright and cooked through, fold in tomato paste to bind the dish. Taste the dish for salt & season accordingly.
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