Sweet Potato Roti (flatbread)

I've been putting this recipe off for years and have only just gotten around to making it. It has a relatively short prep time, including pressure steaming the sweet potato (not the garnet yam, but the Japanese sweet potato with white flesh). The original recipe ratio comes from Lathi's Kitchen blog. The flatbread tasted a little doughy because I dredged the dough balls in some flour before rolling it out. It helped the dough from sticking to the silicone mat and rolling pin. The ground cumin adds much flavor to what would taste really bland otherwise. Lathi's recipe calls for 1.5 cups of wheat flour, I used half that amount including what I used to dust the dough with before rolling out. It could very well be due to the fact that it's been raining and indoor humidity is higher than normal.

TheFoodening Blog - Sweet Potato Roti / Flatbread

Ingredients

1 medium sweet potato, steamed and mashed
up to 1 c all purpose unbleached wheat flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cumin (optional)

Directions

If you have a Ninja Foodi, peel and cut the sweet potato into chunks. Use the crisper rack instead of the elevated stainless steel rack. Add 1 cup of water to the pot and add the sweet potato to the rack. Pressure cook on high for 6 minutes, then quick release.

I think this is how I ended up with a lower-moisture mashed sweet potato than if I were to use a slower, more traditional stove method of steaming a root vegetable.

In a food processor, pulse the cooked sweet potato until a paste forms. Gradually add the flour, about 1/4 cup at a time. Pulse until a soft and slightly sticky dough forms.

Use a dough cutter and split the dough ball into 3/4" to 1" chunks. Roll dough bits into balls.

On a lightly floured silicone mat, roll out dough balls to 5" wide and thin pancakes.

Heat a cast iron skillet or nonstick skillet over medium heat. You can add a neutral or high heat oil (such as coconut oil) to the pan if you are concerned about the first couple of roti sticking to the pan. The use of oil is optional.

This cooks quickly, so as soon as one side puffs up. Turn the roti over with a spatula and fry the other side.

TheFoodening Blog - Sweet potato roti cooking in a nonstick skillet

Simple Israeli Couscous Salad

This is essentially the same as the Peruvian Quinoa Salad recipe, except it uses a box of Israeli couscous (from Trader Joe's) instead. This dish can be served warm or cold. The processed grain does come from Israel, according to Wikipedia. It is hard wheat flour that has been shaped into tiny balls or pearls and toasted in the oven.

Israeli couscous salad

Ingredients

Serves 4.

1 1/2 c Israeli couscous
14.5 oz organic tomatoes, diced
1 3/4 c organic chicken broth or water
2 organic bell peppers, diced
1 tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter
sea salt, to taste

Directions

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil on medium-high heat and toast the couscous until it is lightly browned. This step can be skipped. It merely adds some color to the otherwise creamy white couscous.

2. Add water or broth to the couscous and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

3. Add tomatoes and their juice, if any, and the bell peppers. Stir to combine. Remove from heat and serve warm.