Padma Lakshmi

American cookbook author, actress, model, television host and executive producer Padma Lakshmi is a food lover and a friend of Lidia Bastianich. She invited Lidia to her birthplace in Chennai, India. In a Chennai marketplace, Padma explains to Lidia why flowers are an important part of Indian culture.

Sweet Potatoes and Lima Beans

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes
• 1 pound frozen lima beans
• 1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 dried whole red chili
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon or lime juice
• ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Boil sweet potatoes, in enough water to just cover them, until tender, about 25 minutes.
2. At the same time, in another saucepan, boil the lima beans in just enough water to cover them, about 15-20 minutes.
3. Peel and dice the potatoes once they are cool enough to touch. Drain the lima beans.
4. In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat.
5. Add the mustard seeds; when they pop and start to crackle out of the pan, add the cumin, red chili, onion, garlic and ginger. Stir well and mix.
6. Let the onion turn golden brown; then add the reserved lima beans and stir.
7. Add the sweet potatoes.
8. Mix all the ingredients well, sauté for just a few minutes more to mingle tastes evenly. Salt to taste. Add lemon juice and stir.
9. Garnish by sprinkling cilantro over the top.
10. Serve warm.