by Gordon Hamilton

Created on: September 09, 2008   Last Updated: January 04, 2012

Sweet potato fries are not only infinitely more tasty than what we may refer to as conventional fries, they are also more healthy. Sweet potatoes are full of vitamins and nutrients and have strong anti-oxidant properties. They come in a great many varieties, shapes and sizes but what is important when intending making them in to fries is that we choose ones which are more oval/rounded as opposed to the longer, thinner types.

The quantities in this recipe are per person:

1 large, round(ish) sweet potato
1 tbsp olive oil
tsp cumin seeds
Salt

Put your oven on to pre-heat to 200 degrees Celsius or equivalent. Peel the sweet potato and cut it in to slices length-wise, about half an inch thick, and subsequently into fingers. Put the pieces in to boiling water and simmer for five minutes only. While the sweet potatoes are simmering, bring a frying-pan up to a high heat and "dry fry" the cumin seeds until they begin to toast. This will take up to two minutes and the delicious aroma will let you know when they are done. Crush the seeds to a powder with a pestle and mortar.

Add the olive oil to a large bowl, followed by the crushed cumin and salt to taste and mix well in to a paste. Drain the sweet potato pieces and pat them dry with some kitchen towel. Add them to the bowl and mix thoroughly but carefully, so as not to break them. Spread the fries on to a baking sheet and put in to the hot oven for fifteen to twenty minutes until they begin to crisp.

Sweet potatoes are traditionally served as part of a meal accompanying such as lamb. I like these "fries," however, as a snack, perhaps with a simple dip. Try this dip recipe:

1 tbsp of low fat creme fraiche
1 crushed garlic clove
1 tsp freshly chopped cilantro/coriander leaf

Mix the ingredients thoroughly together and, if time permits, refrigerate for a couple of hours for the flavours to fully infuse.

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