Oven Fried Sweet Potato Cubes in Sweet Chili Sauce and Sesame Seeds

I haven’t posted recently since DH and I have just returned from a short trip to the U.S. It was a bit shocking to see the changes there due to COVID, watching everyone walking around masked and Manhattan with about a third the regular number of people running around, shelves in stores empty etc. etc. but was still a great feeling being greeted by the staff at the hotel we frequent while there. They were great as always and as happy to see us as we were to see them. An especial thanks to Bashie, Miriam and Ikrum, for all their help, as well as Lucas and Mauricio.

Back in the saddle. DH and I had taken our son Dov out to dinner for his birthday to a terrific steakhouse called Papagaio, where if you order the Brazilian table, you get a wide array of grilled meats, chicken, liver and salads and sides. We went for the whole 9 yards and enjoyed ourselves tremendously. I told the waitress that I write a food blog and the manager came over (a really nice fellow) and I asked if they were willing to share a recipe or two. He graciously gave me two recipes, this one and one more to be posted soon for boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

We were all wowed by this side dish, which even with all the meat eating we couldn’t stop nibbling. They actually fry the sweet potatoes in their recipe but I made this a tad healthier by oven frying them and ya know what? It was just as delish with a bit less guilt 😉 and no need to stand over the stove frying stuff.

Turn your oven on to 400 F/200 C.

Start with some nice sweet potatoes.

and peel and rinse them and cut into similar size cubes so that they will all cook at the same rate.

Then take a rimmed baking sheet and toss the sweet potatoes right on the sheet in mild vegetable oil like canola which you drizzle over all. Make sure they are in one layer on the pan.

Make sure they are coated all over (but not dripping in oil, just coated) and grind or sprinkle some salt over the lot.

Take your sweet chili sauce out of the fridge and some sesame seeds as well. You only put it over the sweet potatoes once they are roasted. Just let them sit at room temp.

By now your oven is preheated. Pop the sweet potatoes into the oven and roast for about 40 minutes or till a toothpick easily pierces the cubes (test a few to be sure).

Immediately remove sweet potatoes and pour a few tablespoons of (room temp) chili sauce over them and a few tablespoons of sesame seeds over that. Toss, toss, toss right on the pan till coated.

These are equally good hot or room temp, as you like. Sometimes I serve them as one of my salatim (tapas like salads) sometimes as a side dish. These are a bit hit and I’ve caught people using their fingers to get the last bits from the bowl. Just sayin’.

Oven Fried Sweet Potato Cubes in Sweet Chili Sauce and Sesame Seeds

4-5 sweet potatoes, peeled, rinsed and cut into cubes
3-4 tablespoons mild oil like canola (I don’t advise olive oil, it will overwhelm the taste of the dish)
2-3 teaspoons coarse/kosher salt OR 1-2 teaspoons regular salt
3-4 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
3 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 F/200 C. Take the sweet potatoes and pat dry with paper towels. Place in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle oil over them and toss right in the pan. Then sprinkle with the salt. Place in hot oven and roast about 40 minutes or till the sweet potatoes are soft when pierced with a wooden toothpick. Check a few of them to be certain and immediately, right in the pan, toss with sweet chili sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds and toss again. Serve hot immediately or room temp. Warms up beautifully if you have any left.