Thai Green Curry Sweet Potato Mash

Sometimes we tend to view someone we know one way, one way only.  We don't see other possibilities of their personalities - never see other aspects that may exist in their out-of-office, everyday life. Think of a co-worker you know as a dedicated professional dealing with the ins and outs of the office day after day...dependable, conscientious, dedicated.  Serious.  You have a certain mindset about what and who this person is.  Then, you find out that serious, staid individual performs in musical comedy several times a year. What?!  Well, how interesting!  Who knew?!  A new appreciation develops, a new admiration.

There are foods like that, I think.  Peas comes to mind.  A simple dish of buttered peas is just about how we all enjoy them.  And then there are sweet potatoes.  Oh sure, we jazz those up at the holidays...maybe with brown sugar or marshmallows or we even go wild with a few toasted pecans. There's the standard baked sweet potato with butter, salt and pepper - or even (getting wild again) with cinnamon and brown sugar.  What else can you do with sweet potatoes besides the usual...besides the day-to-day staid, expected?  

Do I have a recipe for you!  An entirely new way to look at AND serve sweet potatoes.  With a little spice, a little tart, a little heat, a touch of sweet....you've got potatoes with pizzazz!  These are sweet potatoes with so much personality that I recommend serving them with a simple protein...grilled steaks, grilled pork chops or broiled chicken because these potatoes shine, folks...they become the star of the show that is dinner.  I'm talking Thai Green Curry Sweet Potato Mash! (Maybe next time we'll take on the humble green pea.)  Oh, and that aforesaid performer?  Real.  Really.  Tax people can be SO surprising sometimes.

Thai Green Curry Sweet Potato Mash

8 servings

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup shallots, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon green curry paste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/3 cup light cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Cook potatoes covered with water until tender.  Drain, return to pan, keep warm.
 

Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots, cook until just soft.  Stir in brown sugar, salt, green curry paste, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne; cook a minute, stirring constantly.  

Add mixture to potatoes along with cream and lime juice.  Mash with potato masher and serve.  So pretty!  So good!  So good for you!  1 serving has only 120 calories and is super high in potassium and vitamins C and A.

NOTE:  I like to serve these with a small wedge of lime to squeeze over the top before enjoying!