Rugiyya Dhatha's Sweet Potato Curry

Rugiyya Dhatha is my paternal uncle's wife ( aka aunt), she is a wonderful cook and a hardworking stay-at-home mum. She was in Male City recently and stayed with us during her stay here.  I told her I loved her sweet potato curry which she served for lunch when we went to her place in Kulhudhufushi.  

There are various kinds of sweet potatoes I used a a reddish-skinned one with white flesh. The orange ones are too sweet and tend to go mushy but you can use them if you don't have any.

Recipe:  Sweet Potato Curry

275g  peeled, cubed  sweet potatoes
1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
2 big onions or 3 medium-sized ones, sliced
10 black peppercorns
2-3 sprigs of curry leaves
3" pandan leaf, cut into large pieces
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp Maldivian roasted  curry powder (homemade or shop bought)
1/2 tsp  cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
6-8 green cardamon  pods
2" piece  cinnamon
600 ml water
3 tsp dried coconut powder ( Or use 60 ml packed coconut milk)
1/4  scotch bonnet ( or a few green chillies slit in half length wise, about 3)
100g thinly sliced smoked tuna fish( optional)
oil
salt
1/4 lime or cheek of a lime

Sweet potato tends to discolour, so place it in a bowl filled with water and a little lime juice.

Prepare your curry paste by placing grated coconut, a small handful of onion, say half of one onion ( if big), 10 curry leaves, peppercorns, 1 clove of garlic, turmeric,  curry powder, the seeds of the cardamon pods and little bit off the cinnamon( not the whole thing)   into a wok or frying pan and roasting them over medium heat, stirring or tossing occasionally till they release the aroma and the coconut starts to get toasted.

 Remove, cool and place in blender with about 5 tbsp water and blend to a smooth paste with a tiny pinch of salt.

Spoon the paste into a small bowl, remove 1/4 cup of the paste and place in the blender again along with another small handful of onion ( the next half of 1 onion) the remaining garlic clove, cumin seeds, grated ginger and pulse to a smooth paste.

Take a small pot ( saucepan of casserole), heat about 2-3 tbsp oil and fry the remaining onions, till golden, remove to a plate and set aside. Pour 500ml water into the same pot( add 600 ml if using packed coconut milk), and mix in the first batch of curry paste you prepared into the water. Add pandan leaves, cinnamon stick, scotch bonnet ( roughly chopped), smoked tuna and sweet potato.

Place the pot over medium heat, cook half covered for about 10 minutes, and add the second batch of curry paste you prepared to cook a further 5 minutes. Mix the coconut powder with the remaining 100 ml of water and stir this into the curry( if using packed coconut milk, stir it in, no need to use water). Taste adjust salt. Stir in the previously fried onions. Cook for 2 minutes. If you like a thinner gravy add a little more water.  Squeeze in lime juice and switch off. Serve with rice and a salad. Enjoy!!