Sweet potato, better known as our winter favourite shakarkandi, is largely perceived as a street–side chaat option. Which is great, but we’re here to tell you how this nutritious root vegetable is extremely versatile and can be worked into all sorts of dishes for you to enjoy. Here are some sweet potato recipes to take your shakarkandi game to the next level.  

1. Sweet Potato Hash 

This simple recipe makes for a delectable appetiser and can be considered as the continental equivalent of our beloved shakarkandi chaat.  

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Ingredients: 

1 cup sweet potatoes, diced 

3/4 cup spring onion, chopped 

2-3 cloves garlic, minced 

2 1/2  tbsp olive oil 

3 tbsp Parmesan, grated 

3/4 tsp smoked paprika 

1 tsp dried parsley 

Salt, to taste 

Black pepper, to taste 

Method: 

Heat some oil in a skillet and sauté the garlic until golden. Add the onions and stir for about a minute before adding the sweet potato. Stir and cook on a medium-high flame for 5 minutes and then add the salt, pepper, and paprika. Mix well and cook for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with the Parmesan, parsley, and some finely chopped stalks from the spring onions. Serve hot.  

Related: Healthy Alternatives To Potato Fries Which Make For Yummy Snacks

2. Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry 

This curry is an interesting and unique take on the classic red Thai curry and goes perfectly with steamed rice.  

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Ingredients: 

1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight 

1/2 cup sweet potatoes, diced 

2 tsp cooking oil 

1 onion, chopped 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tomato, chopped 

3 tbsp red Thai curry paste 

1 1/2 cups coconut milk 

1/2 tsp soy sauce 

Salt, to taste 

Smoked paprika, to taste 

Lemon juice, to taste 

2 tsp coriander leaves, finely chopped 

Method: 

Cook the chickpeas in a pressure cooker on a high flame for at least 4-5 whistles. Reduce the flame and let it cook for another 10 minutes. While the pressure cooker releases the remaining steam, heat some oil in a deep bottomed pot and sauté the garlic and onions until they are golden brown. Add the red curry paste to the pot and mix well. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften and blend with the rest of the mixture. Finally, add the sweet potatoes and chickpeas and stir in the coconut milk. Add the salt and paprika, mix everything well, and let it cook on a medium-low flame for 15-20 minutes. Lastly, stir in the lemon juice and soy sauce. Garnish with the fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.  

Read the recipe by The Flavours Of Kitchen here.

3. Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Stuffed jacket potatoes are a classic quick fix dinner option, and if you’re a fan, you should know that there are many sweet potato recipes for the same as well. Here’s an option that you can start out with. 

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Ingredients: 

4 sweet potatoes 

1 tbsp olive oil 

3/4 cup black beans, soaked overnight  

1 onion, sliced 

1 1/2 spring onions, chopped 

2 cup spinach, chopped 

1 cup American sweet corn, boiled 

2-3 tsp of Chipotle sauce 

1 clove garlic, minced 

1/4 tsp salt 

4 tbsp Cheddar cheese, shredded (if unavailable, you can use the classic Amul cheese block) 

Method: 

Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and microwave them for 15 minutes until they are tender. Meanwhile, cook the black beans in a pressure cooker for at least 5-6 whistles, or until they can be mashed easily. In a separate skillet, heat up some olive oil and sauté the sliced onions. Once the onions are soft and translucent, add the spinach, corn, spring onion, garlic, and the cooked black beans, and mix well. Stir in the chipotle sauce and salt, and let the bean stuffing cook for at least 3 minutes. Make a split in the microwaved sweet potatoes and stuff them with the mixture. Sprinkle the shredded cheese and serve hot.  

If you prefer melted cheese, you can just glaze the stuffed sweet potatoes with some olive oil and bake them for 5-10 minutes.  

4. Sweet Potato Waffles  

Yes, that’s right. That’s how versatile sweet potatoes are! You can add them to your waffle batter to add some extra flavour and to turn them into a healthier food option. 

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Ingredients: 

2 1/2 cup flour  

1 cup powdered sugar 

2 tsp ginger, ground or finely minced 

1 tbsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp cinnamon powder 

1 1/2 cup milk 

3 large eggs 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 tbsp butter, melted 

3/4 cup sweet potatoes, mashed and blended  

Maple syrup, to taste 

Note: This recipe calls for the use of a waffle iron. If unavailable, you can simply use the same batter to make some sweet potato pancakes! 

Method:  

In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, i.e. the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon powder. In a larger mixing bowl, combine the milk, eggs, vanilla, and blended sweet potatoes, and whisk in the butter until smooth. Gradually stir in the dry mixture into the sweet potato mixture, one spoon at a time to avoid lumps. Add the melted butter to the batter. Now, use a ladle to pour the batter into the centre of the greased and heated waffle iron and cook until the waffles are crisp and golden brown. Serve warm with maple syrup or honey.  

5. Classic Shakarkandi Chaat 

We couldn’t have missed this one from our recommendations for sweet potato recipes. Unlike the basic street-side shakarkandi chaat, you can use this recipe to add some extra spice and zing.  

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Ingredients: 

1-2 sweet potatoes, boiled and diced 

1/4 cup cooking oil, to fry 

2 medium onions, chopped 

1 tsp lal mirch powder 

1 tsp chaat masala 

3 tsp lemon juice 

2 tsp hari chutney 

1 tsp saunth or imli chutney 

Salt, to taste 

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds  

3-4 tbsp roasted peanuts, chopped 

3 tbsp sev 

Method:  

In a kadhai, heat some oil and fry the diced shakarkandi till golden brown. In a large bowl, combine the onions, coriander, lal mirch, chaat masala, lemon juice, hari chutney, saunth, salt, and roasted peanuts. Toss in the sweet potato chunks and mix well. Plate your chaat and garnish with some leftover chutney, pomegranate, and sev. Dig in! 

Watch the recipe by Saffron Trail here.

If you’re looking to try some other vegetable recipes, check out our recommendations for some out-of-the-box lauki recipes here.

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