It is no secret that I love sweet potatoes. They are versatile and lend themselves well to both, savory and sweet dishes. I am always looking for new ways to use them in my cooking. This sweet potato halwa is an easy, delicious and festive dessert, especially for Navratri. Since the potatoes are naturally sweet, too much added sweetener is not required. For once, I decided against using coconut sugar or jaggery because I wanted to retain the vibrant orange color of the halwa (I would have used erythritol, but I was running short). For this recipe you can use any sweetener of your choice. If you are not a fan of sweet potatoes, simply sub them with regular potatoes and adjust the sweetener accordingly.

Recipe

Sweet Potato Halwa

(Makes 3-4 servings)

Ingredients

500 grams sweet potatoes, steamed and peeled
2 tbsp ghee, divided
1/4 cup sugar (add more to taste)
Pinch of saffron dissolved in 1 tsp hot milk
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
2 tbsp toasted and chopped nuts, to garnish

Method

Mash or grate the sweet potato. I like using a potato ricer because it helps to get rid of any stringy bits. You should be left with around 1 1/2 cups of sweet potato after grating.

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Fry the nuts until golden brown. Drain, remove and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of ghee along with the sweet potato to the pan. Fry, stirring frequently over medium-low heat, scraping any potato that sticks to the sides or bottom of the pan. Continue to cook the sweet potato until it changes color and the fat separates (about 12-15 minutes).

Add sugar and saffron-infused milk and mix well. The sugar will melt and the halwa will become moist. Continue to stir for another 7-8 minutes or until it leaves the sides of the pan and comes together.

Mix in the ground cardamom and remove from heat. Serve hot garnished with the fried nuts.