A pinch or two of chaat masala, an Indian spice blend made with dried mango, is incredible sprinkled over the finished dish instead of plain salt. It’s available through the NYC-based spice purveyor Kalustyans and at small Indian food shops, too. Chopped scallions are a fantastic and less assertive substitute for the red onions (plus they don’t have to be salted or rinsed).
- Serves: 6 people
- Category: Dinner, Side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt plus extra for serving
- 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds)
- 1 tbsp. ketchup
- 1 tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp. roughly chopped cilantro
- 1 lime, halved
- 1/2 c roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Adjust one oven rack to the middle position and another rack to the uppermost position. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Whisk the canola oil, honey, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt together in a large bowl. Halve the sweet potatoes into quarters lengthwise and then chop crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Place the potatoes in the bowl with the oil mixture, toss to coat, and turn out onto a rimmed baking sheet (save the bowl for later). Place in the oven on the middle rack and roast for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the smoky glaze. Whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, smoked paprika, and cayenne in the large bowl you used for the sweet potatoes. Place the onions in a fine-mesh sieve and toss with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Set aside for 5 minutes and then rinse under cold water. Turn out onto a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- Take the potatoes out of the oven and turn the broiler on to high. Use a spatula to scrape the potatoes into the bowl with the smoky glaze. Gently toss the potatoes to coat and return them to the baking sheet. Place the potatoes on the upper rack and broil until sizzling, about 2 minutes (watch closely as broiler intensity varies). Remove from the oven and transfer half to a large plate. Sprinkle with half of the onions, the cilantro, the juice of 1/2 lime, and some peanuts. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, onions, cilantro, lime, and peanuts, sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt (or chaat masala, see note above), and serve.