Shakarkand Ki Kheer (Sweet Potato Pudding)

Kheer is one such pudding, which is fairly easy and quick to prepare.

After barbecue, I kept white variety of sweet potatoes wrapped in aluminium foil on the leftover hot coals. In an hour they were ready to be cooked with milk and sugar.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium shakarkand (white sweet potatoes)
• 2 cups warm full cream milk
• 2 green cardamoms crushed
• ½ cup Sugar (modify the quantity according to taste)
• 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• ¼ tsp green cardamom (elaichi) powder
• A pinch of Saffron (kesar)
• 1 tbsp Rose water
• 1 tsp chironji
• Almonds and cashew nuts finely chopped

Method:

• Bake, boil or microwave sweet potato till soft. Peel off the skin and mash.
• Heat ghee in heavy bottom pan; add first crushed green cardamoms, when it starts changing its color, add mashed sweet potatoes and fry on medium heat till it is pink in color.
• Add warm milk and allow it to boil. Stir in chopped almonds and cashew nuts. Keep on stirring till the mixture becomes thick.
• Turn off the heat and add cardamom powder, rose water and saffron.
• Garnish with cardamom powder, nuts and saffron strings.
• Serve chilled.

Do You Know?

• Despite its name, the sweet potato is not related to the potato.
• Potatoes are members of the Solanaceae family, which also includes tomatoes, red peppers, and eggplant, while sweet potatoes belong to the morning-glory family (Convolvulaceae).
• Potato is a tuber or thickened stem while the sweet potato is a storage root.