Buttery Sweet Potato Puree with tomato Bits

For this dish you can use either yams or sweet potatoes, depending on the degree of sweetness or moisture, you prefer. It is little more than a seasoned mashed root vegetable dish, and is nice with a Vedic or Western dinner menu. To keep calories to a minimum, rely on the orange juice to make a buttery consistency. The sweet, firm flesh of Italian plum tomatoes is ideal for this bharta, though you can use any type; even green tomatoes are delicious.

Preparation time (after assembling ingredients): a few minutes
Cooking time: about 10 minutes

Ingredients
•Yams or sweet potatoes freshly ash-or oven-baked - 6 medium-sized (about 2 pounds/1 kg)
• Salt - 1 teaspoon (5 ml)
• Turmeric - ½ teaspoon (2 ml)
• Paprika or - ¼ teaspoon (1 ml)
• Ground ginger - 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 ml)
• Ground nutmeg / mace - ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) or ground ginger - 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 ml)
• Orange juice - 4 table spoons (60 ml)
• Orange zest - ½ teaspoon (2 ml)
• Ghee or butter - 3 table spoons (45 ml)
• Brown sugar or jaggery - 1 ½ table spoons (22 ml)
• Italian plum tomatoes seeded and coarsely chopped - 2 medium-sized (about ¾ pound/340 g),
• Sliced almonds, toasted - 2 table spoons (30 ml)

Preparation
1. Cut and scoop out the yam or sweet potato pulp and mash with a potato masher or force through a food mill or potato ricer. Add the salt, turmeric, paprika or cayenne, nutmeg, mace or ginger, orange juice and orange zest, and whisk with a fork until well blended.
2. Heat the ghee or butter in a 12-inch (30 cm) frying pan over moderate heat. Add the sweetener and cook until it caramelizes and turns reddish-brown. Drop in the tomatoes and cook, gently tossing, justly until they soften and glisten.
3. Add the yams or sweet potatoes and, using the back of a wooden spoon, mash and blend the ingredients. When warmed throughout, serve on a warmed platter, garnished with toasted almonds.

Serves:
6 Persons

By Yamuna Devi Dasi