Savoury and Sultry Saharan Sweet Potatoes

From Shabbat

They're already sweet enough; don't add sugar! - by Bryan Gordon

I didn't just pull this one out of my ass, like the tabbouleh one: I remember eating sweet potatoes served in approximately this way with peanuts and I kind of replicated it in a very haphazard, typically Bryanesque way.

A note on sweet potatoes and "yams": There's a controversy in the United States today about what to call them. Some argue for distinctions based on culinary grounds, others on botanical grounds. The fact of the matter is that sweet potatoes and yams are not even remotely similar. Everything you buy in the States that says either "sweet potatoes" or "yams" is definitely not a yam, but a sweet potato, unless you go to the African market and buy a gigantic, 2-foot-long monstrosity. And if you do, you better not cook it, because like cassava/manioc, unless you know how to cook it properly you will become very sick.

I call for 2 large pale sweet potatoes in the recipe. These are the kind that are starchy, white on the inside, and don't taste as sweet. I also call for 2 large dark sweet potatoes. These are the kind that are stringy, orange on the inside, and taste quite sweet, the kind you make into candied "yams" or Thanksgiving sweet potatoes with marshmallows if you're into that neo-colonial stuff. Both of them are sweet potatoes. But the grocery store will probably call the second kind "yams." Just so you know.

water for steaming
2 large pale sweet potatoes (about 2 to 3 lbs)
2 large dark sweet potatoes (about 2 to 3 lbs)
1 large shallot (or 2 small/regular-sized)
2 large roma tomatoes
1 c Spanish peanuts (salted or unsalted, according to taste)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp sesame oil
4 minced garlic cloves (or 2 tbsp from a jar)

Clean sweet potatoes thoroughly and slice 1/4 inch thick. Put in large steam pot over boiling water.

Peel shallots, slice into pieces that are smaller than a bite but larger than the holes in the steam pot. Add to potatoes.

Clean tomatoes and slice into bite-size pieces. Add to potatoes. Add peanuts.

Steam for 30 minutes, adding water as necessary, then stir. DO NOT stir too often, or you will pulverise the pale sweet potatoes and they will fall into the water and burn onto your pot!

Continue to steam until all of the sweet potatoes are soft enough to eat. Do not cook any longer than that. Remove to a separate dish, stir in oils and garlic. Serve warm.

Serves 5 as a main dish, 10 as a vegetable dish, 15 as a small side dish.