Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Tamarind Glaze

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Padma Lakshmi loves to make this roasted sweet potato recipe during Diwali, a festive time when her family often winds up eating a lot of fried treats. This gives them the feeling of eating chaat or Indian street and snack foods but without all the fuss. The tamarind sauce is a tangy counterpoint to the sweet potatoes, and the yogurt gives it a mellow creaminess without being too heavy.

a recipe photo of the Oven-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Tamarind Glaze
Photo: Anthony Jackson
Active Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Servings:
6

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut lengthwise into wedges

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided

  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped

  • 2 ¼ cups water, divided

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • ¼ cup tamarind concentrate (see Tip)

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt

  • ¼ cup chopped fresh dill or parsley, divided

  • ½ cup pomegranate arils (seeds)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

  2. Combine sweet potato wedges, 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Spread evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until golden on the bottom, 30 to 35 minutes. Flip and continue roasting until tender, about 10 minutes more.

  3. Meanwhile, combine onion and 1/4 cup water in a blender; puree until smooth.

  4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion puree, cumin, crushed red pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until darker in color, thickened and slightly reduced, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tamarind concentrate, sugar and the remaining 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until reduced by about half, about 40 minutes.

  5. Whisk yogurt and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons dill (or parsley).

  6. Arrange the sweet potato wedges skin-side down in a circular pattern on a platter. Drizzle the tamarind sauce in a circular pattern, followed by the yogurt mixture. Sprinkle with pomegranate arils and the remaining 2 tablespoons dill (or parsley).

Tip

The tropical tamarind tree produces a sour-sweet fruit in a brown pod, with edible pulp. It's often sold in concentrate or pulp form. You can make your own "concentrate" by mixing 1/4 cup pulp and 1 cup hot water in a medium bowl. Let stand for 20 minutes. Break up the paste and mix it with the water with a fork. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing against the solids and scraping the underside of it to collect as much of the pulp as possible. Discard solids.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

230 Calories
6g Fat
41g Carbs
5g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Serving Size 2/3 cup potatoes, 2 Tbsp. yogurt & 1 Tbsp. tamarind sauce
Calories 230
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 14g
Added Sugars 4g 8%
Protein 5g 10%
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Vitamin A 16426IU 329%
Vitamin C 9mg 10%
Vitamin E 1mg 9%
Folate 29mcg 7%
Vitamin K 49mcg 41%
Sodium 337mg 15%
Calcium 124mg 10%
Iron 1mg 6%
Magnesium 41mg 10%
Potassium 550mg 12%
Zinc 1mg 9%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

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