Kelang Palya (Sweet Potato Curry) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin seed
1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon Urad Dal
3 curry leaves
1 dried red chili, cut into half inch pieces
1 green chili, sliced
1/4 inch gingerroot, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 pinch asafoetida powder
1/4 teaspoon jaggery, crushed
1/4 cup water
salt, to taste
cilantro, to garnish

Preparation

Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Put it in a bowl of cold water and set aside. See note.
In a pan, heat the oil.
Add the cumin, mustard and urad dal.
When the mustard splutters and urad dal has changed color, add curry leaves, red chili and ginger.
Stir for a minute then add the turmeric powder.
Stir and now add the sweet potatoes.
Dissolve the asafoetida in the water and add to the pan.
Add salt to taste.
Add the crushed jaggery only if using the pale sweet potato as the orange one is sweet enough.
Mix well, cover and let cook until the sweet potatoes are tender.
Serve garnished with chopped fresh corriander leaves.
NOTE: If you would like to make mashed sweet potatoes, boil them first in lightly salted water until tender enough to be mashed with a fork.