Candied Yams in Coconut Milk

North American Yams, or Sweet Potatoes, are found on virtually every Thanksgiving table in the United States. I am a huge fan of sweet potatoes and eat them pretty much year round. One of the easiest ways to eat yams is to simply wrap one in aluminum foil to roast it in the oven. I don't even add anything to it. The roasting process caramelizes the sugars and makes it so much sweeter. Thanksgiving dinner, in my opinion, calls for a little more pizazz so I make Shakarkandi ki Sabzee.

Shakarkandi ki Sabzee

Ingredients:

1. 2-3 lbs North American Yams (sweet potatoes!) 
2. 1 large Red Onion, diced. 
3. 2 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
4. 2-3 tsp cumin seeds
5. 1-2 tsp Coriander powder
6. 4 whole green cardamoms.
7. 1-3 bay leaves, depending upon their size.
8. 6-8 whole black peppercorns
9. 1 inch cinnamon stick
10. 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper, to taste
11. 2-3 tsp Garam Masala
12. 1-2 cups Coconut milk
13. 2 tbsp Cilantro leaves, chopped.
14. Salt, to taste
15. 4-6 tbsp Brown sugar for topping

Stove Top Directions (60-90 min before Dinner):

Peel and dice yams into 1-2 inch cubes. In a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and let stand for 10-15 min in the sink. Rinse well. Line a sauteing pan, with vegetable oil and add cumin. Once the aroma is released, add onions and ginger/garlic paste and cook until the onions are a nice golden color. Add remaining spices. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add yams, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a lidded casserole dish. Sprinkle brown sugar liberally on top. Cover and set in oven at 350 F until ready to serve. Check periodically to make sure they don't dry out. If needed, add a 1/4 to a 1/2 cup of coconut milk. Garnish with cilantro leaves just before serving.

Crock-Pot (Slow-Cooker) Directions (1-2 hours before Dinner):

Peel and dice yams into 1-2 inch cubes. In a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and let stand for 10-15 min in the sink. Rinse well. Line a sauteing pan, with vegetable oil and add cumin. Once the aroma is released, add onions and ginger/garlic paste and cook until the onions are a nice golden color. Add remaining spices. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil. Drain yams and add to the crock and pour the coconut milk, onion and spice mix on top. Sprinkle brown sugar liberally on top.  Set crock-pot to low and leave undisturbed until ready to serve. Check periodically to make sure they don't dry out. If needed, add a splash, or two, of coconut milk. Garnish with cilantro leaves just before serving.