Load up on These Starchy Delights: 6 Ways to Use Sweet Potatoes

They may look uninteresting and unshapely, but sweet potatoes or shakarkandi as they are popularly known in India are packed with nutrition. This humble and versatile starchy superfood can be used in more ways than just one. It is not only tasty but is super healthy too. According to the book Healing Foods by DK Publishing, a single sweet potato contains more than a day’s worth of beta-carotene and nearly all your daily vitamin C requirements. It is rich in antioxidants that help combat free radicals in the body, benefit skin health, and support the immune system.You can easily spot street vendors selling steamed shakarkandi tossed in chaat masala and lime juice at every corner and they taste heavenly. This chaat makes for a popular snack in North India. Packed with a slight sweet and sour flavour, this super food can charm you with its simplicity. You can roast, grill, bake, steam and fry sweet potatoes and prepare them the way you like. If you haven’t got your batch yet, you must pick this healthy vegetable on your next visit to the grocery store. We tell you some interesting ways to use this starchy delight and add it to your daily diet.1. Sweet Potato ChaatIndians have a special love affair with street chaat. No wonder, we have found ways to add the ‘chatpata’ flavour to our foods too. Shakarkandi ki chaat is a popular snack in Delhi and can be easily made at home. A quick snack to make; all you need to do is steam sweet potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Toss them with some lime juice, chaat masala, sonth chutney and some chilies if you like. The tangy and sweet flavour will leave your taste  buds tingling. Here’s the recipe.
 _{Indians have a special love affair with street chaats​}2. Sweet Potato TikkiDon’t pick up samosas with your evening cup of tea; make nutritious and tasty sweet potato tikkis instead!  These crisp tikkis will be the perfect accompaniment with your tea on a rainy day. Serve them crisp with coriander chutney. Go ahead and use this easy recipe.
 _{Don’t pick up samosas for your evening cup of tea; make sweet potato tikkis instead​}3. Sweet Potato SaladToss your favourite vegetables along with sweet potatoes and give your salad a sweet twist. We are sure that the addition of sweet potatoes and your favourite seasonings will spruce up your salad and make it more exciting. This healthy mix will surely leave you wanting more. 
 _{Toss your favourite vegetables along with sweet potatoes​}4. Sweet Potato SoupHow about turning this sweet delight into a creamy soup, maybe with an addition of cashew nuts and pineapple to delight your senses? A rich soup that can be enjoyed any time of the day, it is the perfect meal to prepare when you're too lazy to cook. Here’s the recipe.
 _{How about cooking this delight into a creamy soup, maybe with an addition of cashew nuts}5. Sweet Potato FriesWho doesn’t love French fries? But, how about giving them a new twist? Sweet potato fries are the next best thing to grab if you are planning to lose weight. Make some baked sweet potato fries to create a healthy yet tasty snack. 
 _{Who doesn’t love French fries; but who wouldn’t love a twist to these fries​}6. Mashed Sweet PotatoAccording to the book Healing Foods, here's a quick recipe to make mashed sweet potatoes that you can enjoy as a side with grilled meat. Peel and cut the sweet potato into small chunks. Boil it for 30 minutes or until soft, mash with butter and serve. Add some brown sugar, cinnamon or nutmeg for extra flavour.
 _{Add brown sugar, cinnamon or nutmeg for that extra flavour in the mash}Sweet potatoes are surely the unsung heroes of the culinary world and need more appreciation for being so versatile and tasty.