SWEET YAMS IN GINGER-STICK CURRY
YAMS
- 4 quarts salted water in a 6-quart pot
- 2 large Garnet or Jewel yams (about 1¾ pounds), peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into ¼-inch-thick half-rounds
- Cold-pressed vegetable oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into paper-thin matchsticks
- 4 large garlic cloves, sliced paper-thin
- 1 jalapeño, sliced very thin (for milder flavor, seed the chile)
- 2 whole scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths
- 2 large shallots, thin sliced
- Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
- ½ light-packed cup fresh Thai, holy, or regular fresh basil leaves, coarse chopped
- Juice of 1 lime, or more to taste
Instructions:
Make no mistake: this is a creation for ginger and chile lovers.
- Bring the salted water to a boil.
- Once the water is bubbling fiercely, drop in the yams and cook them at a hard bubble for 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain in a colander and turn into a serving dish. Set the pot back on the stove.
- Generously film the pot with the oil. Set it over medium-high heat and add the ginger, garlic, jalapeño, scallions, shallots, and generous sprinklings of salt and pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring often. Then cover the pot tightly, reduce the heat to medium low, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the ginger has softened.
- Stir in the basil and cook, uncovered, for no more than 30 seconds. You want it to release its fragrance and soften a little, but still stay bright green. Spoon the curry sauce over the yams. Taste them for seasoning, then squeeze the lime juice over the finished dish.