Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/794736
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 5 MARCH 2017 35 DESPITE its name, the sweet po- tato is not related to the potato but belongs to the morning glory fam- ily, (potatoes are members of the Solanaceae family) which also in- cludes tomatoes, red peppers and eggplant. Sweet potatoes are tuber- ous roots and potatoes are actually swollen stems. Sweet potatoes are also often confused with yams al- though they are not related either but share similar characteristics in appearance and taste. Sweet potatoes are native to Peru with remnants found dating back as far as 8000 BC. Today there are hundreds of sweet potato varieties with different skin and flesh colour ranging from pink and purple to cream and orange. They have become a favourite staple ingredient throughout the world and used in various ethnic cuisines. In America sweet pota- toes were cheap to buy and gained a reputation as "food for the poor". They had lost their popularity when people became more affluent, how- ever the sweet potato is making a comeback, mostly because it is rec- ognised for being another tasty and nutritious super food. They pack a powerful nutritional punch with over 400% of your daily needs for vitamin A in one medium potato, as well as vitamin C, loads of fibre and potassium. Many studies have suggested that increasing consumption of plant foods like sweet potatoes decreases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and overall mortality while promoting a healthy complexion, increased energy, and reduce over- all weight. Use sweet potatoes as you would use normal potatoes to make sim- ple mashes, roast them until they caramelize, or include them in cas- seroles, gratins, and pies. Fine food of the week Food Ingredients • 4 large sweet potatoes • 1 large onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp milk • Small knob of butter • 1 tsp harissa (or chilli pow- der) • 100g feta cheese, chopped • Salt and pepper • 2 tbsp pumpkin or sunflower seeds • Fresh chopped chives Method 1. Bake the potatoes, loosely wrapped in foil for about 50 mins or until tender. (Alter- natively you may cook them in a microwave. Microwave on high for 8 to 10 mins or until tender, turning the po- tatoes once.) 2. Remove from oven and let them cool before cutting in half. 3. Meanwhile fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil until golden, set aside. 4. Carefully scoop out the flesh from the potatoes keeping the skins intact. 5. Place flesh in bowl and mash adding the milk, butter and seasoning. 6. Mix in the fried onions and stir in the feta cheese. 7. Fill the skins with the mash and scatter seeds. 8. Return to the oven 200°C and bake for a further 20 mins un- til crisped up. 9. Serve with a side salad to make a complete meal or as a side dish. Recipe of the week BAKED STUFFED SWEET POTATOES The poor man's sweet potato Fun facts • Christopher Columbus is thought to have introduced the sweet potato into Europe. • The sweet potato is the sixth principal world food crop, and approximately 90% of the world's crop is grown in Asia. • The first recorded instance of the name "sweet potato" was in the Oxford English Dictionary of 1775. • There was a shortage of wheat flour during WWI, so sweet potato flour was added to baked goods to stretch the wheat flour. • In South America, a dye is made combining the juice of red sweet potatoes with lime juice. • Some companies in Taiwan are successfully making a type of fuel from sweet potatoes.