Sweet Potato Laddus/Balls

In my previous post of sweet potato, I had mentioned all the goodness that this root vegetable has to offer us. So to find a way or two to include this in our diet helps. In my childhood, apart from eating it just in boiled form, we use to enjoy it when granny adds it to a curry or my dearest aunt used to make these sweet laddus.

In fact once when I was visiting my cousins for a vacation in childhood, my Aunt made these laddus, with which I totally fell in love with. I was all praises for her that she could transform the just boiled sweet potato into this flavourful dessert treat in no time.

After marriage I too try to make these laddus once in a while.

Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Ghee
1 Tbsp Sugar
or
1 Tbsp Condensed milk
1/4 cup grated Coconut
Little salt to add while boiling the potatoes

Directions:
Cut the Sweet Potatoes into large chunks add enough water and salt and Pressure cook for 10 - 15 minutes.
Check to see if the potatoes are done by passing a knife through chunks.
If the knife passes freely, then remove from heat and discard water.
Remove skin once the potatoes can be touched without burning fingers.
Mash them a little and keep aside.
Roast the grated coconut in 1/2 tsp of ghee for a minute or so and add it to the mashed potato.
Now add ghee, sugar, condensed milk to the potato mixture and thoroughly mash and mix till all evenly mixed and the sugar is melted.
Grease fingers with the remaining ghee time to time and make small lemon size balls and serve immediately.
Good accompaniment for breakfasts.

Baked Sweet Potatoes

In this increasingly conscious diet world, healthy food choices are a must than ever. We are under constant look out to replace fatty foods with foods rich in complex carbohydrates, or in good carbs or rich in protein. One such Vegetable which falls into this health group is "sweet potato".

Sweet potato is ranked high in nutrition of all vegetables, for content of dietary fiber, naturally occurring sugars and complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium.

It has almost twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, 42 percent of the recommendation for vitamin C, four times the RDA for beta carotene, and, when eaten with the skin, sweet potatoes have more fiber than oatmeal. All these benefits with only about 130 to 160 calories!

Among root vegetables, sweet potatoes offer the lowest glycemic index rating. That’s because the sweet potato digests slowly, causing a gradual rise in blood sugar so you feel satisfied longer. Many of the most popular diets these days have this in the "good" carb list.

Growing up I and my brothers used to enjoy a sweet potato each, as an after school evening snack..passionately boiled by my great grandmother. At present I go one step further to bake the semi boiled sweet potatoes, brushed with a little butter and sprinkled with brown sugar to get the best flavour and caramelized effect.

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
1 tbsp Butter/PAM/I can't believe its Butter/Becel Margarine
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
Salt to taste
Pepper dust as required
Aluminium Foil
1 Baking Tray

Directions:
Semi Boil the sweet potatoes with enough salt, cut into large chucks and discard water
Remove skin and cut into 1 inch semi circle pieces.
Mean while pre-heat the oven to 325F
Spread a foil on the baking tray.
Spray some PAM or any kind of melted butter on the foil and arrange the sweet potato pieces

Pour the remaining butter on the top the pieces to coat them moist
Now sprinkle brown sugar and pepper dust on the pieces and bake them for 20 - 25 mints.
After 12- 15 mins, flip the pieces to the other for even browning on both sides.
Remove from the oven and serve as side dish for any main course.
Mostly good for spicy meat or chickpeas or beans.