Sweet potato in tomato, lime and cardamom sauce

Occasionally, it is the sauce that makes the dish; it really does not matter what is in the sauce. These absolutely delicious sauces can be poured over, baked with, or stewed with practically anything, meat or vegetable, and you will really crave the sauce. This dish is all about the sauce, potent, fresh and delicious. The combination of flavours, bright tomatoes, cardamom and tangy limes make this sauce lip-smacking good. The caramelized sweet potatoes add an incredible softness to the dish. I recently added this new volume by Ottolenghi to my collection, and this recipe popped out at me. This book is approximately called Flavour. The recipes, like this one, are tongue-tingling goodness. You will see me cook from here soon.

For more wonderful recipes from this cookbook, click here.

For the potatoes:

1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into circles about 1/2 inch thick

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

For the tomato, lime and cardamom sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 green chilies, minced, or to taste

2 shallots, minced

1 small can, 13.5 oz tomatoes, puréed in a blender to a smooth sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Zest of 2-3 limes

Juice of 2-3 limes

1 teaspoon dill, minced

To roast the potatoes:

Heat the oven to 375°F.

Mix all the ingredients for the sweet potatoes. Layer them on a lined baking sheet and roast for 30-45 minutes until cooked through and crisp outside. Remove and set aside.

To make the tomato, lime and cardamom sauce:

Add the oil, garlic, chilli, and salt to a large flat sauté pan. Cook on medium heat until the garlic is soft, but do not crisp or brown. Remove half the mix and set aside.

Add the shallots and cook on medium-low until they are soft and translucent—again, do not brown. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, cardamom, cumin, lime zest, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes thicken to a sauce, like for pasta. Taste and adjust for salt and other flavourings. This should be a bright and tart sauce packed with flavour.

Add a touch of water. Layer the roasted sweet potatoes as much as possible in a single layer, but if they do not fit, you can form a second layer. Cover and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Squeeze in the lime juice and sprinkle with the chopped dill and sautéed garlic that was set aside earlier. Serve immediately, in the pan preferred, or move into a large shallow bowl that can accommodate all the potatoes in a single layer. Serve as a side or as an appetizer with bread like pita or naan.