Indian Root Vegetables

Looking at several root vegetables milling around the kitchen, I came up with this recipe that spices up these veggies with typical Indian spices and a few other fun additions. Tomatoes help make a pseudo-gravy. Serve with basmati rice. Reduce number of red peppers to reduce heat-spice, if you can't hack it.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 310 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• salt to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• 1 (1 inch) piece ginger, grated
• 1 medium onion, chopped, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 3 sprigs cilantro, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, cubed
• 10 whole dried red chile peppers, or to taste
• 1 large yam, cubed
• 2 small red potatoes, cubed
• 3 tomatoes, roughly chopped, or more to taste
• 1 bunch spinach, chopped (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat oil in a large lidded frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chiles and mustard seeds to the hot oil, and let crackle for about 15 seconds. Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds more; do not burn the garlic. Add onion and saute until lightly brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chili powder, turmeric, and garam masala; mix well.

Step 2

Add yam, sweet potato, and red potatoes to the frying pan with the onion mixture. Stir to spread spices evenly. Cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir to release juices. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer until root vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Step 3

Add spinach to the frying pan; cook and stir until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and garnish with cilantro.