Chili Lime Sweet Potatoes

By Taste of Lime

Sweet potatoes are a versatile food you can eat either sweet or savory. They’re incredibly nutritious and provide a host of health benefits, putting them in the category of a superfood. This root vegetable is good on its own but glazed with a brown sugar syrup made with sambal oelek chili paste, lime juice, and a little bit of butter, it’s truly delicious.

I’ve always made my sweet potatoes with brown sugar and butter, but the sambal and lime juice changes the flavor completely. Sambal oelek is a hot chili paste from Indonesia made from red chiles, vinegar, and salt. It’s quite hot, so only a small amount is needed to flavor this dish. But it does impart an unique taste to the brown sugar glaze. You can find sambal in most supermarkets.

Chili Lime Sweet Potatoes

Servings: 5 to 7
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Ingredients

2 pounds sweet potatoes
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon sambal oelek chili paste
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Wash the sweet potatoes and cut into halves, or thirds, depending upon the size. Place unpeeled potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium or medium-low heat (just enough to keep a lively simmer), and partially cover the pan. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender, but not breaking apart. Drain the potatoes and set aside until they are cool enough to handle. Peel and cut into about 1-inch slices. Place in a baking dish.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine brown sugar, chili paste, lime juice, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir just until the sugar dissolves. Immediately remove from heat and add in the butter. Spoon the brown sugar mixture over the sweet potatoes in the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes.

Cool slightly. Serve them right from the baking dish or put them in a serving bowl and pour the remaining chili lime syrup over the potatoes.