Sweet Potato Curry

This recipe was passed to me from a foodie friend of mine on a Facebook food forum. It is Sweet Potato Curry from Kenya. I have been thinking a lot this week about Wangari Maathai. She passed away on Sunday from complications due to ovarian cancer. A light has been extinguished from Kenya and the world.

If you have not heard of her before, please google her. I cannot express all the ways she contributed to making this world a better place. In a nut shell, she was the first Eastern African woman to earn a PhD. She was the first African woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize (2004). She was the first woman at the University of Nairobi to be appointed:
-senior lecturer
-chair of the department of veterinary anatomy
-associate professor

She campaigned for equal rights for women at the university. She lead women to plant trees throughout the region - which is an amazing story in itself.

So, when I came across this Kenyan recipe I immediately wanted to cook it in tribute to this amazing Kenyan hero.

You can tell from this picture that I overcooked the spinach. But it still tasted AMAZING!

Sweet Potato Curry from Kenya

172 calories

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled and diced
1/2 large sweet onion, chopped or 2 scallions, thinly sliced
10 ounces fresh spinach, washed, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
1-2 teaspoon canola oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 cup water
Basmati rice or brown rice, for serving

Preparation:

1. Peel, chop and steam the potatoes in a veggie steamer for about 15 minutes (you can also boil or bake them).

2. While the potatoes are cooking, heat 1-2 tsp of canola or vegetable oil over medium heat.

3. Add the onions and sauté for about 2-3 minutes (until they begin to soften).

4. Add the curry powder, cumin, and cinnamon, and stir to coat the onions evenly with the spices.

5. Add the tomatoes (with their juices) and the chickpeas, stir to combine.

6. Add 1/2 cup water and raise the heat up to a strong simmer for about 1-2 minutes.

7. Add the fresh spinach (a few handfuls at a time), stirring to coat with the cooking liquid.

8. When all the spinach is added to the pan, cover and simmer for about 3 minutes (until the spinach is just wilted).

9. Add the cooked sweet potatoes to the liquid, and stir to coat.

10. Simmer for another 3-5 minutes (or until the flavors are well combined).

11. Transfer to a serving dish, toss with fresh cilantro and serve hot (over Basmati or brown rice).


Servings: 6

Nutritional information for one serving:

Calories: 172
Calories from fat: 21
Total fat: 2.4g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Total carbs: 33.7g
Fiber: 7.6g
Protein: 6.7g

this is my curry blend! it's not as spicy as other curries so my kids enjoy it. the recipe for this is also on my recipe blog.