Crumbled sweet potatoes (Shakarkhand bharta)

One of the most common vegetarian dishes in North India is bharta. It is simple to make and therein lies the magic.

The word originates from Sanskrit, "Bhrt", which means "to crush or mash", describing how the dish is prepared. It has a long history dating back to early agrarian communities of the Indo-Gangetic Plains.

It can be made with a variety of vegetables, eggplant being the most well-known, but also potatoes, gourds, pumpkins and other vegetables. The magic of the bharta lies in its smokiness; usually, the vegetables are charcoal-grilled for a charred flavour. The texture is also critical; mashing between your fingers produces a coarse, chunky texture that is not too smooth. The spices are mild and well-balanced rather than bold.

Bharta is commonly seen in North India, including the states of Punjab, UP, Bihar, Bengal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The recipes are adapted to local tastes, but the essence of the dish is maintained.

This is a lovely bharta from sweet potatoes. The vegetable lends a mild sweetness, tempered by the spices and ghee. I loved the subtlety of this dish, flavourful, and it paired well with everything on the table. You can serve it as a side or load it into a sandwich for a quick snack.

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Ingredients:

1/2 lb sweet potatoes

8 cups of water

!/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons ghee of oil

4 dried red chillies

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 onion, finely diced

12 curry leaves

2 tablespoons ginger paste

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon chilli powder, or to taste

Salt, to taste

1 tablespoon aamchoor powder (dried mango powder)

Cilantro, minced, to garnish

Add the water, salt and sweet potatoes to a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 25 minutes until the sweet potatoes are soft. Cool completely, and peel. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a pot large enough to cook the dish. Add the chillies and cook on the lowest heat setting until they are almost black. You are tempering the oil with the chilli. Remove the chillies and set aside.

Add the mustard seeds; they will pop in 10 seconds. Add the cumin and stir the ingredients briefly. Add the onions and cook until lightly golden, about 4 minutes.

Add the curry leaves and mix well. Add the ginger and cook until it no longer smells raw, about 1 minute. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, chilli powders and salt and stir briefly, being careful not to let the powders burn.

Roughly mash the sweet potatoes, then stir in the spices until you have an even mixture -- taste for salt and chilli. Remove from the heat, add the aamchoor powder, and mix until evenly distributed.

Serve warm, garnished with cilantro.