Southwestern Spiced Sweet Potato Fries with Chili-Cilantro Sour Cream

Here is the good news:  Sweet Potatoes are one of the most nutritious vegetables you can eat.  They are packed with dietary fiber, Vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, protein and complex carbohydrates. Not only that, they are low in calories and taste great.  There are many ways to eat a sweet potato. They can be mashed, baked, puréed and roasted.  They are delicious in soups and stews, curries and ragouts.  And, of course, their natural sweetness makes them a perfect addition to desserts – puréed in pie fillings and baked in breads and cakes.

These fries are one of my favorite preparations. The fries are sweet and salty with a fiery kick from the added spices and served with a cooling chili-cilantro sour cream dipping sauce.   They are quick to prepare and healthy to eat, since they are not deep-fried, but roasted in a hot oven.  I’m not sure if they should be called a side dish, snack or meal, but they are guaranteed to be gobbled up faster than you can say “Sweet Potato Fries.”

*This recipe was chosen as the winner in a competition hosted by Food52 and will be published in their upcoming cookbook.  You can find this recipe and many other delicious recipes on their site, and have a chance to cast your votes for favorite recipes.

Southwestern Spiced Sweet Potato Fries

I like to keep the skin on my sweet potatoes adding texture and extra nutrients to this healthy side dish.  Serves 4 -6 as a side dish or snack.

2 large sweet potatoes, cut in large matchsticks/batons approximately 1/4 inch by 2 inch
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chile powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

Chili-Cilantro Sour Cream (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 425 F. (220 C.)
Toss sweet potatoes and olive oil in a large bowl.  Combine salt, cumin, chile powder, paprika, pepper and cayenne in a small bowl.  Add spices to potatoes and toss to coat.  Arrange potatoes in one layer on baking sheet.  Bake in oven on lowest rack 10 minutes. Turn potatoes with a spatula and bake 10 more minutes.  Remove from oven and serve with Chili-Cilantro Sour Cream.

Chili-Cilantro Sour Cream:

1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons sweet chili sauce
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 heaping tablespoon chopped cilantro

Combine all the ingredients except the cilantro in a medium bowl and whisk together. Stir in cilantro.