Sweet Potato with Ginger and Curry Leaf Recipe

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November 26, 2013Sweet Potato with Ginger and Curry Leaf Recipe

My mom loves sweet potatoes but doesn’t care for mashed potatoes. For that reason, during the holidays, I focus attention on a sweet potato dish. Rest assured, there will be other carbs on the menu, most likely noodles and/or rice.

The tofurkey adventure last week allowed me to try out an easy sweet potato on my husband before I presented it to my mom. I adore sweet potatoes for their natural sweetness, which is best coaxed out via baking. Roasted in their jackets (skin on) sweet potatoes are favorite snack in many parts of Asia. In Vietnam, they’re also enjoyed fried into fritters with shrimp (banh tom) and in sweet soups (che).

For this side dish, I bought garnet sweet potatoes, selecting ones that were roughly the same size so they all cooked at the same rate. I baked them in moderately high heat and refrigerated them for a few days. Then I cut them up into big chunks and quickly sauteed them in fragrant virgin coconut oil, curry leaf from the garden and finely chopped ginger. A light sprinkling of coarse Maldon salt added a savory-sweet punch.

It was a cinch. Once the potatoes were cooked, they held in the fridge – which firms them up and makes them much easier to handle. The only dramatic part was the curry leaf, which spit and popped in the hot wok. That is its nature. If you don’t have curry leaf (sold at Indian markets), ginger alone will do; or, add a little chopped cilantro at the end for spark.

What’s with virgin coconut oil? It lends a tropical note to food. My mother has a super soft spot for coconut-laden foods and coconut oil embodies that in fragrance and taste. A small amount was all I needed. Virgin coconut oil is sold at many health food markets but I bought mine at Trader Joe’s. The refined coconut oil doesn’t have a coconut taste, which is great for all-purpose cooking. Here, I wanted coconut essence.

Recipe

Sweet Potato with Ginger and Curry Leaf

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, each about 1 pound (450 g) and similarly shaped Rounded 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil1 branch curry leaf (optional)1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh gingerMaldon or other coarse salt

Instructions:

Wash the sweet potatoes, trim their ends, then put them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425F (220C / mark 7). Bake for about 1 hour until they feel just tender in the middle when poked with a fork; baking depends on the shape of the sweet potato. There will be stuff oozing out of the ends. Set aside and cool completely. Refrigerate up to 3 days. These firm up during chilling so it’s good to work in advance.Cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks. If the skin falls off, discard those pieces. Otherwise leave them for texture.In a large skillet or wok, heat half of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add half of the curry leaves and ginger. Lower the heat to sizzle and become aromatic. When the curry leaf starts popping, add half of the sweet potato. Raise the heat to medium-high or high, then cook to coat with seasonings and warm through. Transfer to a serving dish and repeat with the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle with Maldon salt and serve.

What is your favorite easy way to eat sweet potatoes?

P.S. If you love sweet potatoes, check out this new booklet by Scott Hocker; he's a gifted writer and friend. The recipe collection is split between savory and sweet.

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Comments Sweet Potato with Ginger and Curry Leaf Recipe

My mom loves sweet potatoes but doesn’t care for mashed potatoes. For that reason, during the holidays, I focus attention on a sweet potato dish. Rest assured, there will be other carbs on the menu, most likely noodles and/or rice.

The tofurkey adventure last week allowed me to try out an easy sweet potato on my husband before I presented it to my mom. I adore sweet potatoes for their natural sweetness, which is best coaxed out via baking. Roasted in their jackets (skin on) sweet potatoes are favorite snack in many parts of Asia. In Vietnam, they’re also enjoyed fried into fritters with shrimp (banh tom) and in sweet soups (che).

Stay Connected                         Get a Discount for Yourself & Others!Share the dumpling love. Click below to SAVE 25%.

Classes & EventsHands-on @LoveAppleFarms, Santa Cruz, CA
Sat, Feb 22, 12-4:30pm, Pho Workshop
Sat, Mar 22,12-4pm, Asian Dumplings

5-hr Hands-on @SFCooking, San Francisco
Fri, Feb 28, 5:30pm, Dumpling Date Nite! {reg not open}

Recent PostsMy Mom's Dried Persimmon RecipeRace for Persimmons: Me vs the Chinese Ritz Cracker LadyCraftsy's Black Friday SaleSweet Potato with Ginger and Curry Leaf RecipeHomemade Tofurkey with Miso Mustard Sauce RecipeGiveaway Winner: Crackers & Dips CookbookSticky Rice and Pine Nut Dressing RecipeGiveaway: Crackers & Dips CookbookJapanese Furikake Rice Crackers Recipe9 Recipes for Wok WorkoutsCopyright 2002-2013 by Andrea Nguyen | Privacy Policy

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Bourbon Dark Chocolate Crack Cookies Recipe

There are cookies, and then there are bad-ass cookies. Ones that are nearly impossible to mindlessly eat. After the first bite, they stop you and make you take a look at what it was you just sunk your teeth into. These are one of those.

A deliciously, rich chocolate and bourbon rifted cookie. A chocolate cookie with a little swagger.

This little bad boy is originally inspired by a cookie from David Lebovitz’s amazing Ready for Dessert. We’ve been smitten with his recipe for quite a while now, posting another adaptation with dried cherries and Luxardo a couple years ago. As with most recipes that our hearts are fond of, we’ll tinker and tweak to suit our moods or particular cravings.

Those who know us will attest to our love of bourbon. For me in particular, I’d have to say it ranks number one amongst my favorite spirits. Give or take a day or two when a smooth rum or feisty tequila catches my tongue. The age of bourbon has never been so extraordinary, with so many exceptional craft distillers creating such a range of great bourbons to enjoy.

“Why not extend the smokey, subtly sweet pleasure of bourbon in a chocolate cookie?” I think to myself one day. Well, I didn’t think it in so many words, it was more like, “Bourbon… Chocolate… must have!” and soon this cookie was devised.

So for all of you bourbon lovers out there (BTW if you are in NYC in the flatiron district, there is a great bourbon bar on 26th called Maysville – tons of bourbons and good food – thanks Rachel for the recommendation- you rock!)… Sorry, “squirrel” moment. So for all of you bourbon lovers out there, please share your favorites. It is always a pleasure to find another great bourbon.

My favorite go-to is Buffalo Trace. Great character, smooth, goes great in cocktail, nice straight up, and is an incredible price for the quality.

I’d love to hear your favorites.

-Todd

Yield: 24-30 cookies

Total Time: 3 hours

Adapted from Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz. For a cherry version, we posted another adaptation previously here. We will often freeze the chocolate dough balls after they've been coated with the regular sugar, and when ready to use, thaw for about 30 minutes, coat in confectioners sugar and bake. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month. These chocolate cookies are best eaten while still warm (aren't most cookies) or at least the same day.

3/4 cup (100g) all-purpose Flour1/2 teaspoon (3g) Baking Powder1/4 teaspoon (1g) Kosher or Sea Salt8 ounces (225g) Dark Chocolate, chopped3 Tablespoons (45g) unsalted Butter2 Tablespoons Bourbon2 large Eggs, room temp.1/3 cup (65g)  Sugar (+ extra for coating cookies)Confectioners Sugar (for coating cookies)In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. Set aside.Combine the dark chocolate, butter, and bourbon in a medium bowl over a pot of simmering water. Gently melt the chocolate and butter, stirring frequently. Remove the bowl from the simmering water.Whisk together the eggs and sugar on high until the mixture forms a well-defined ribbon when the whisk attachment is lifted out, about 5 minutes.  By hand, gently stir in the melted chocolate mixture until combined.Again by hand, stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Cover and refrigerate until firm (1-2 hours).

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a couple baking pans with parchment paper.

Pour the granulated sugar and confectioners sugar into two separate small bowls. Form the chocolate cookies into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll the balls in the regular sugar, and then roll in the confectioners sugar to coat.  Place on the baking sheets spaced about 1-inch apart.Bake for 8 minutes then rotate the cookies sheets and bake for another 6-8 minutes. Cookies should still be slightly firm on the edges and fairly soft in the centers. Don't overbake them.Let the cookies cool on the sheet pan until firm enough to handle then transfer to a cooling rack.

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Baked Kuri Kabocha Squash and Apple Maple Pudding (and it's vegan too)

(The 10 year anniversary of JustHungry is at the end of this month. To commemorate this event I’m highlighting some of my favorite posts from the archives. This very healthy squash pudding or crustless pie would make a very good side dish for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s vegan, so anyone can enjoy it without worry! It is not that sweet - probably less sweet than many traditional side dishes. I hope you give it a try! Originally on published November 19, 2007, and tweaked a bit since. If you want this to be gluten-free, choose an appropriate type of miso. The miso adds a small but critical bit of umami and richness.)

You know how certain diehard carnivores react to words like ‘vegan’ ‘no dairy’ and, gasp, ‘tofu in a sweet dish’. There’s no reason to tell them that all of these phrases are applicable to this smooth, creamy baked squash pudding, until they’ve actually eaten and enjoyed. It even is devoid of white sugar, though it is sweetened with maple syrup. The simple combination of creamy squash pudding, flavored and sweetened with real maple syrup with the pure sweetness of the squash shining through, and sweet-sourness of the apples works perfectly together. (The tofu merely adds the creamy texture; you don’t taste it at all.) It’s rich, but rests very lightly on your stomach - not a bad thing after a heavy main course.

This recipe is adapted quite heavily from one in a Japanese cookbook, Saisai Sweets (Vegetable Sweets), by the wonderful Yumiko Kano, who I have mentioned previously. The original recipe called for soy milk, but I’ve used silken tofu instead for a richer, thicker consistency. I’ve omitted other things like rum-soaked raisins, and upped the maple syrup for more sweetness.

This will make a pudding or a crustless pie that is about 10 inches / 28cm or so in diameter, enough for 6 to 8 servings (though I’ve seen one disappear in one person recently).

I’ve given weight measurements rather than cup measurements, because the proportion of squash to tofu is what’s the most important thing here. Scale up or down according to your needs.

1 lb (450-500g) of cooked red kuri or Hokkaido squash, skin on, or roasted butternut squash or other sweet, dense kabocha or winter squash, flesh only (see below for how to cook the squash)1 block (300g / about 11 oz) silken tofu, well drained1/4 tsp. cinnamonA few gratings of nutmeg (about 1/4 tsp.) 2 Tbs. neutral tasting vegetable oil, such as sunflower 1/2 tsp. sea salt1 Tbs. mild, smooth white miso 8 Tbs. real maple syrup (not ‘pancake syrup’ or ‘imitation maple syrup’), plus extra for drizzling on top2 medium sweet eating apples 1 Tbs. lemon juice

Equipment needed: food processor, a pie or quiche or tart dish

If you are doing this for Thanksgiving, cook the squash ahead of time - up to 2-3 days in advance.

To cook the red kuri squash, either: cut in half and scoop out the seeds and fluffy bits in the middle. Poke several holes in the skin side with the point of your knife. Lay cut side down in a baking dish filled with about 1/2 inch / 1 cm of water. Bake at 350° F / 180° C until soft - a skewer poked through the skin side should go through easily. Drain away any left over water.

Alternate method in a pan: de-seed, de-fluffy bit and cut up the squash into about 1 inch / 2cm chunks. Put in a very heavy pan (such as a cast iron enamel one) with enough water to come up to about 1/2 of the squash chunks. Simmer, lid on, until the chunks are tender; drain away any excess water.

If you are using butternut squash, which has a much harder skin than red kuri squash, bake in the oven cut in half as above until tender.

Cool the squash after cooking to about room temperature. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.

To make the pudding:

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C (if it’s not already on of course.)

Put the cooked squash (skin and all if you are using red kuri squash - see notes), tofu, oil, salt, miso and maple syrup into the bowl of a food processor with the steel chopping blade. Process until totally smooth - you may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times. Taste at this point, and see if you want to add more maple syrup (but remember you will be drizzling more syrup on top later).

In the meantime, peel and core two medium eating apples. (I used Cox’s Orange. You want a sweet, eating apple, not a hard, sour cooking apple here. Golden Delicious is a universally available type that will work fine here.) Slice into thin wedges, and toss into some acidulated water (water with a little lemon juice in it) to stop the slices from turning brown. Drain well and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Fill the tart or pie dish with the pumpkin cream. Arrange the apples in a nice pattern on the cream, pushing down each slice a bit (they will sink a little, but this is a very dense cream.) Drizzle the top with more maple syrup. Alternatively, sprinkle with maple sugar if you have it.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned.

This pudding, or crustless pie, is great warm, at room temperature or chilled.

If you don’t have real maple syrup, try a flavorful clear runny honey instead. If you can’t get a hold of kuri squash, you can substitute another squash, preferably a kabocha type, that is denser and sweeter than most other types. Try butternut squash, rouge d’Etampes or Muscat (Musque de Provence). Do not use regular pumpkin - it is far too watery and fibrous. The orange skin of the kuri squash cooks up quite soft, and the orange adds to the vibrant color of the pudding. If using other, more tough-skinned squash varieties, or you have a green-skinned variety and want to keep the pudding orange-colored just scoop out the flesh and discard the skin. If you don’t care about keeping it all vegan, use butter instead of the oil. Dot the top with more butter, for a really rich flavor.Try ripe pears instead of apples.

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Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Revisited

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Race for Persimmons: Me vs the Chinese Ritz Cracker Lady

Race for Persimmons: Me vs the Chinese Ritz Cracker Lady - Viet World Kitchen window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init( { apiKey: 'a279adbe87e2b3c505e777af99a5260d', xfbml: true } );};( function() { var e = document.createElement( 'script' ); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById( 'fb-root' ).appendChild( e );} )();Viet World Kitchen Newest Post Dumplings Asian TofuRecipe IndexEventsFav SitesAbout MePermission+Credit Welcome! Join me to explore, create, and contribute to the culinary traditions of Asia.

Andrea Nguyen
Author & Teacher
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My Books + App
Purchase @ Amazon, B&N, iBooks, IndieBound, J. Biscuit & local bookstores
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Purchase @ Amazon, B&N, iBooks, IndieBound, J. Biscuit & local bookstores
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November 29, 2013Race for Persimmons: Me vs the Chinese Ritz Cracker Lady

When we bought our home ten years ago, our neighbors Dan and Adrian generously offered to let me pick persimmons from their trees. They have three fuyu (the flat kind) persimmon trees that Dan says he originally thought were suppose to be ‘dwarf’ trees. They’re over 20 feet tall.

Dan and Adrian knew that Asians have a thing for persimmons because for years, a local Chinese lady had been harvesting the persimmons from their trees. They didn’t know her name but she always left a box of Ritz crackers to express her thanks. Seriously. She came with family members, I was told. After we arrived, the Chinese Ritz cracker lady got to harvest from only the front yard tree. We got the two trees in the back, Dan said.

Some years there were tons of persimmons. My husband and I would get out a ladder and he’d climb up and snip the fruit or branches (we did a little trimming for the neighbors). I ducked below and gathered the fruit. We’re not outdoorsy people, and standing on wobbly ladders stretched out to nab a piece of fruit is not our thing. But we did it for my parents – who’d swoon over the tree-ripened fruit that covered their kitchen counters. My parents dehydrated the persimmons because there were so many. They gifted some back to the neighbors one year.

Inevitably, my mom would say, “Why do you two do go through the trouble? It’s so much work, and dangerous. You should be working. What if one of you falls?” Though we had wondered the same things, we’d just look at my mother, roll our eyes slightly, then say that we pick the persimmons because she likes them, because we sort of enjoy to pick the fruit, because our neighbors say that the fruit is for my mom.

The Chinese Ritz cracker lady usually harvested her tree when no one is home at Dan and Adrian’s. A couple of years ago, she was doing her usual picking and another neighbor came up to her and told her she was trespassing. We noticed that she didn’t come back this year because her tree stood unpicked. Hopefully, she found another tree to harvest as well as another recipient of the box of Ritz crackers.

So the fruit hung on the branches and as the season wore on, the golden-orange leaves dropped and revealed a medium harvest of fruit. My husband and I would do our daily walk past the trees and I’d remind myself, “We have to pick persimmons soon for my parents.”

We didn’t get around to it soon enough. One afternoon, a local community group of foragers were swarming around the neighbors yard with ladders and professional picking tools. At first glance I spotted an Asian woman and thought the Chinese Ritz lady had returned with gusto. She and her crew were picking from my trees! The nerve.

I walked up to one of them and said, “Are you harvesting from all the trees? This family lets me pick from the back ones.”

They’d gotten permission and arranged it ahead of time, the woman informed me. She looked slightly alarmed but held her ground.

Damn, we weren’t fast enough. Before I was in friendly competition with the an Asian family for the prized fruit and now, it was a team of athletic backyard foragers. My husband tried soothing my defeated soul, saying that my parents had enjoyed decades of persimmons, that we can’t pick them every year. How many persimmons can one person eat? By the time we finished our daily walk to the grocery store, I felt a little better.

The foragers were loading up their bikes and minivan with persimmons. My head was a little low as we passed them by. Dan screamed out in his baritone voice, “Hey you two, come over here.” For a flash moment I thought my not-so-kind words to the forager woman had gotten me into trouble.

Instead, Dan handed over two boxes of persimmons and a few pomegranates. He had the foragers set aside some for us to bring to my parents this week.

I was -- to say the least -- very thankful. And a little embarrassed. But ultimately, I was delighted and relieved to have such nice, thoughtful neighbors.

Happy Thanksgiving leftovers!

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Comments Race for Persimmons: Me vs the Chinese Ritz Cracker Lady

When we bought our home ten years ago, our neighbors Dan and Adrian generously offered to let me pick persimmons from their trees. They have three fuyu (the flat kind) persimmon trees that Dan says he originally thought were suppose to be ‘dwarf’ trees. They’re over 20 feet tall.

Dan and Adrian knew that Asians have a thing for persimmons because for years, a local Chinese lady had been harvesting the persimmons from their trees. They didn’t know her name but she always left a box of Ritz crackers to express her thanks. Seriously. She came with family members, I was told. After we arrived, the Chinese Ritz cracker lady got to harvest from only the front yard tree. We got the two trees in the back, Dan said.

Some years there were tons of persimmons. My husband and I would get out a ladder and he’d climb up and snip the fruit or branches (we did a little trimming for the neighbors). I ducked below and gathered the fruit. We’re not outdoorsy people, and standing on wobbly ladders stretched out to nab a piece of fruit is not our thing. But we did it for my parents – who’d swoon over the tree-ripened fruit that covered their kitchen counters. My parents dehydrated the persimmons because there were so many. They gifted some back to the neighbors one year.

Stay Connected                         Get a Discount for Yourself & Others!Share the dumpling love. Click below to SAVE 25%.

Classes & EventsHands-on @LoveAppleFarms, Santa Cruz, CA
Sat, Feb 22, 12-4:30pm, Pho Workshop
Sat, Mar 22,12-4pm, Asian Dumplings

5-hr Hands-on @SFCooking, San Francisco
Fri, Feb 28, 5:30pm, Dumpling Date Nite! {reg not open}

Recent PostsMy Mom's Dried Persimmon RecipeRace for Persimmons: Me vs the Chinese Ritz Cracker LadyCraftsy's Black Friday SaleSweet Potato with Ginger and Curry Leaf RecipeHomemade Tofurkey with Miso Mustard Sauce RecipeGiveaway Winner: Crackers & Dips CookbookSticky Rice and Pine Nut Dressing RecipeGiveaway: Crackers & Dips CookbookJapanese Furikake Rice Crackers Recipe9 Recipes for Wok WorkoutsCopyright 2002-2013 by Andrea Nguyen | Privacy Policy

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