Cashew Nuts~Sweet Potato Usli (Bhaji).

"Cashew Nuts~Sweet Potato Usli (Bhaji) served with puffed Wheat ~ Jawari (Jowar / Sorghum) Poories" ... Prepared sweet potato usli instead of our normal potato one's with addition of cashew nuts and added on millets to poori ... Today's Satvik Lunch ... Yummy Yumz ... 

** Potato Usli (Bhaji) is a very common dish prepared through out India to be served with poori. Poori-Bhaji means puffed poories served with potato / batate bhaji. Sometimes we add on onion or tomatoes too to this bhaji. I have posted 2-3 versions of this bhaji already before. Today I wanted to do bhaji for poori and I had some sweet potatoes lying at home. For a change though of preparing the bhaji with sweet potato this time round. Sweet potatoes are considered much more healthier than potatoes and the world now is going ga-ga over its health benefits. We amchies were using sweet potato for generations now.

** It is really funny to note the world noticing Indian food and giving recognition now after all these years. Turmeric, hing, red chillies, sweet potato and above all these is coconut oil that is getting wider recognition now. We south Indians were using them in our daily cooking even at a time when coconut oil was a complete NO-NO. Well I can write a lot on this subject about food that over the year got banned, then brought in back saying its good, then again something else, sort of a Yo-Yo pattern. But in my home we never fell into such traps, we always followed what our elders had done and that was good enough for us. 

** Moving on Here is the simple recipe to Cashew Nuts ~ Sweet Potato Usli (Bhaji) ........ 

** Soak about one cup of cashew nuts in one cup of hot water for an hour. If not you can just put the cashew nuts along with water in a microwave safe glassware and microwave for 2 minutes and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. If you have soaked for an hour you can pressure cook for one whistle and keep it ready aside or if you have used microwave method, just microwave again for 2 minutes and the cashew nuts are ready. I have used microwave method this time. The point here is to precook the cashew nuts prior to addition of sweet potatoes as the later cooks fast. 

** Peel off the skin off a medium sized sweet potato and cut them into small pieces / square of half and inch. Immediately soak them in water or else they will turn slightly blackish. So add them into water as you keep cutting them into pieces. Keep this ready aside. You should have about 3-4 cups of the cut pieces. 

** Heat 2 tsp of oil in a thick bottomed kadai / pan, when hot lower the heat and add in ½ tsp of urad dal, when the colour changes slightly add in ½ tsp cumin seeds, pinch of methi seeds and ½ tsp mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to splutter add in 5-6 green chillies cut into small pieces, 8-10 curry leaves, 1 tsp hing / asafoetida powder and ½ tsp of haldi / turmeric powder and fry for a minute. 

** Drain off the water from sweet potato and add to the kadai / pan along with the cashew nuts and the water that it is cooked in with. Mix all wel, cover and cook till sweet potatoes are half done. Now add salt to taste, half cup of finely chopped coriander leaves and 2 tblsp of freshly grated coconut and mix together. Cover and cook till done. If needed you can sprinkle some water only if there is not trace of water in the bhaji. 

** “Cashew Nuts~Sweet Potato Usli (Bhaji)” is done and is ready to be served. This tastes best when served with poori, chapati, roti or parathas. I served it with Wheat ~ Jawari poories and it tasted simply awesome Do try out the combination and enjoy with your family and friends, they are sure to love this combo very much specially children. 

** You can use the search option for "Sweet Potato" where you will get many types of mix and match poori prepared in various combinations. You can choose any of them and serve with this awesome sweet potato bhaji. Do try out various types of dishes to relish with dosa / Idly / roti etc. or with dal-chawal too. Enjoy the dishes with your family and friends and do give me a feedback if possible. You can also click on the link below for checking the same. 

** An Earnest Request : There are many more recipes of similar type in the blog. For all my Recipes, use the search option or the label section in the Blog. If you are still not able to find it please leave a message in comment section or mail me the same. You can also go to my page (add on the left side of blog) and leave a message and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible … Thank you. I have also started a food group for "Konkani Saraswats" by the name "KONKANI DELICACIES" the link of which is posted on the left side of the blog page. Do join us in our culinary journey. I strongly believe in Sharing and always endorse that "Sharing Is Caring".