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Shakkariya nu shaak
Sweet potato with peanuts
શક્કરિયા નું શાક: farali sweet potato with cumin, green chilli and crushed peanuts
Gujarati families keeping the Mahashivratri upvas often fill the thali with shakkariya nu shaak, a quick dry curry of sweet potato cubes tempered with cumin and green chilli, finished with crushed roasted peanuts, a little sugar and a squeeze of lemon. It is sweet, tangy and gently hot, and is eaten with rajgira puri, sabudana khichdi or a bowl of farali kadhi. Only rock salt and green chilli are used here; many households avoid turmeric and red chilli powder on fasting days, and some do not eat cumin either, so adjust to your own family's custom. Common mistake: stirring too hard once the cubes soften, which turns the shaak into mash; turn gently, and stop cooking when a cube gives way when pressed but still holds its shape. Chef's tip: soak the cubes in water while you prepare the rest; it rinses off surface starch so they brown instead of sticking.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the shaak
- 1 ⅛ lb sweet potatoespeeled, in 2 cm cubes
- 2 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 tsp rock salt (sendha namak)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ¾ oz roasted peanutscoarsely crushed
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
To serve
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves (optional)chopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Drop the 1 ⅛ lb sweet potatoes into a bowl of water as you cut them; drain well just before cooking.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp peanut oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and, once it crackles, 2 green chillies for a few seconds.
1 minStep 3: Add the sweet potato and 1 tsp rock salt (sendha namak) and toss. Sprinkle over ¼ cup water, cover and cook on a low heat for 10–12 minutes, turning gently twice, until a cube gives way when pressed.
12 minStep 4: Uncover, raise the heat and cook for 2–3 minutes until the edges catch slightly.
3 minStep 5: Scatter over 1 ¾ oz roasted peanuts and 1 tsp sugar, add 1 tbsp lemon juice and turn gently to coat. Top with 2 tbsp coriander leaves and serve hot.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does shakkariya nu shaak take?
- About 28 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of sweet potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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