Okinawan sweet potato fries

Okinawan sweet potatoes look and taste like the white sweet potatoes, but are purple on the inside and when roasted they turn a dark pinkish purple. Since they are supposed to have originated in Japan, I decided to roast them with a Japanese spice blend, of chilies, orange peel, Japanese pepper, ginger and seaweed. It is not spicy but has a great citrus accent because of the orange peel. Makes a great substitute for shoe string fries.

The Japanese eat the Okinawan sweet potato boiled or in tempura. There are some beautiful looking desserts made with it highlighting the gorgeous purple color. In the U.S., Melissa's produce grows these potatoes and they are available in many supermarkets all over.

Raw Okinawan Sweet Potato

Roasted Okinawan Sweet Potato

1lb Okinawan sweet potato
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Japanese chili pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 
2. Peel the sweet potato and cut into sticks of 1/4 inch thickness and about 2 inches in length. 
3. Toss the potatoes with canola oil, salt and the chili pepper and lay it out in a single layer in a baking sheet.
4. Roast for 20 minutes, turning halfway. The potatoes should be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Overcooking can make them too crisp and hard to eat.

Serves 3- 4