Spiced Kumara Mash

So simple but so good! Mashed sweet potato is enlivened with the warming notes of ginger and cumin, doused with tangy lemon juice and dotted with bursts of green peas. A wonderful side dish for Indian inspired meals.

You can choose to invigorate it even more by adding slices of fresh chili – or even dollops of spicy lime/chili pickle – but I prefer to keep mine simple, so you can taste each component without getting bombarded with heat.

This is a lovely little accompaniment to my Chunky Chickpea Curry (recipe here) or use it in a wrap or Soft Springy Tortillas (recipe here) or simply team it up with rice and a crunchy salad.

500g kumara or sweet potato (I used golden)

1 Tbsp coconut or olive oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 heaped tsp fresh grated ginger

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp salt or to taste

1 cup peas

juice of 1 lemon

optional: fresh coriander, slices of chili for serving

Roughly chop up the kumara/sweet potatoes and boil or steam until tender. Leaving the skins on (full of nutrients!) mash roughly and put aside.

Heat the oil in a frypan over a medium heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds, allowing them to sizzle briefly. Add the ginger, turmeric and salt, and sizzle again. Add the kumara mash and stir well, ensuring the spices are well spread throughout the mash. Add the peas and lemon juice, stir well and serve.