Yam and Hot Pepper

Another very popular Ghanaian street food. This is very delicious and easy to make, provided you find the right yam. In America, the sweet potato is called the yam -  this is not the yam we seek. A true yam looks like this or this .

Yam and red pepper ( pronounced peppe ) brings so many found memories for me. I remember outside my dad's office sat a yam seller who made the best fried yam and peppe. The yam would be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. As for the peppe it was a wonder we did not breathe fire out at every exhale. Our eyes would be red and watery our noses would be runny, our tongues would be on fire but nothing could stop us till we finished the last piece. My mom also use to make it for 'small chop' ( aka appetizer/starter ) sometimes. Ahh, how I miss small chop !

I have tried to re-create this here, far away from Ghana. Luckily I found some yam in our local Asian grocery. I could not believe my eyes. I did a little dance in the store much to my husband's amazement. He later said he has never met anyone who gets so excited at seeing food produce.And then in the next isle I find these peppers called 'jamaican pepper' or Scotch Bonnets, which looked just like the pepper in Ghana. I just couldn't wait to get home and make me some yam and peppe. Serve the yam hot as they taste best when hot.

This recipe is amazing, especially the peppe. I found this interesting article on Wikipedia  that I thought I would share here, "It is common for people to experience pleasurable and even euphoriant effects from eating capsaicin-flavored foods. Folklore among self-described "chiliheads" attributes this to pain-stimulated release of endorphins..." So I say 'Say no to drugs and yes to capsaicin'.

I have also read somewhere that red peppers also helps with weight loss.... one more reason to enjoy it.



Yam and Peppe

Dum Aloo Banarasi

Very rarely you come across the perfect recipe, a recipe that hits all the right notes, flavor wise. This is one of those rare treasures. Chances are if you have ever been to my house I might have made this for you. This is my no fail forget-about-finger-licking-you-will-lick-the-whole-pot recipe.

The dish is perfect and needs no tweaking. The gravy is ambrosial, it has the perfect balance of hot,sweet and spicy notes. I used baby red potatoes as I like their color and I do not have to peel them.

Recently on our trip to North Carolina we stopped by Morris Farms to check out their produce. We bought these beautiful baby red potatoes from there along with ripe strawberries, sweet peaches and boiled groundnuts (peanuts). We also had their tractor churned peach ice cream and strawberry shortcake and they all tasted luscious. Do try and stop by if you ever travel that way. However, do check their corn before you buy them, we bought a whole crate full and it was the most over grown hard corn ever.

 I got this recipe a long time ago from one of my google searches and I have since forgotten the source and thus I'm unable to give credit to that person. I have adapted it just a little to my personal taste and I can say with confidence that this is one of the best gravies I have ever had.

You can use this gravy in other dishes....I have even substituted the aloo / potatoes with paneer.

Farmers market baby red potatoes.