Winter Cravings

I know this hot, hot weather should have me craving salads and smoothies but for some reason I am really craving Indian food! I thought about making a sweet potato curry but the thought of swallowing warm spicy food just seemed wrong - so I found the perfect compromise, a curried sweet potato salad!

I got the recipe from Lauren at Healthy Food For Living after browsing mouthwatering photos of sweet potato dishes on Tastespotting. Boiled cubes of sweet potato are tossed in a mixture of yogurt, curry and mango chutney. I used Greek yogurt as suggested because the sweetness of the potato allows for a hint of tanginess. My mango chutney is from Trader Joe's - chunky and cheap! I didn't have any cashews on hand so I toasted some slivered almonds which had a wonderful texture. And for the ultimate tweak, I added some toasted coconut for it's incredible aroma. My tweaks are included below, click here for the original recipe.

Curried Sweet Potato Salad
about 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp mango chutney

1 tsp curry powder

1/2 cup raisins or dried cherries ( I ran out of raisins so had to mix)

1/4 cup chopped green onions, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup slivered almonds or cashews

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

Salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Place cubed potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the potatoes are tender but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Drain cooked potatoes.
2. While potatoes are cooking, heat skillet over medium heat. Add nuts; cook and stir until slightly brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes; set aside. Repeat with coconut, keep a close watch because it browns much quicker.
   
3. In large bowl, stir together the yogurt, chutney, curry, dried fruit, nuts and scallions.
   
4. While the potatoes are still warm, add them to the bowl; toss gently until potatoes are completely coated. Season with salt; garnish with remaining scallions and toasted coconut.
   
5. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or eat immediately if you're hungry (I was!)