Yam Pad Thai

This is one of those really strange recipes I find myself drawn to for its unique blend of ingredients. I love the surprise "fusion" recipes bring and incorporate them into my menus as much as possible.  Yam Pad Thai takes this lowly tuber into brand new territory.  Although not all of my family is in love with this dish, I have had non-Yam eaters call the day after trying it at my home and ask for the recipe.  

The title was originally Warm Sweet Potato Salad.  I much prefer yams and quickly substituted them.  Then my friend in Seattle renamed it Yam Pad Thai after making it for her family - a title much more descriptive of how it tastes - and the name stuck.  I have often been asked the difference between a Sweet Potato and  a Yam.  My standard answer is that the Sweet Potato is a lighter colour, less sweet, dryer and usually smaller.  The Yam is a deep orange, moister, sweeter, can grow quite large and when roasted, the natural juices caramelize. 

Turns out I was wrong.  It came to my attention recently that the Sweet Potato has varieties that are also a dark orange and can be quite similar.  In fact most stores are selling just Sweet Potatoes.  They label the light ones correctly and the dark orange ones Yams.   It looks like I've been fooled all these years.  For this salad, just make sure you pick the luscious dark orange ones.

These are actually both sweet potatos!

I have served this warm or at room temperature, and have eaten leftovers cold the next day.  I think my preference is slightly warm - not hot.  There is something wonderful about the aroma of warm food and if it's not too hot you can taste the unique blend of flavors better. A really large Yam is about 2 pounds - so how many you have to buy really depends on the size. 

I have only had one problem making this and that's over cooking the yams.  I keep thinking if I roast them a bit longer they will crisp up like Yam Fries.  What usually happens is they get too soft and are mushy when mixed in with the other ingredients.  So err on the side of just done.  I used to prefer julienning them instead of cubing because I like the final look of the salad better, but have shifted recently. I just don't like cutting the hard raw yams, and my local Whole Foods often has them available already cubed into the perfect size.   

Enjoy!

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YAM PAD THAI

Ingredients - 

2 lbs.                  Deep orange Yams, cubed or julienned

1T                      Oil

1/2 tsp each       Salt and pepper

1                        Small red pepper, cut crosswise and then sliced

1/2 C                 Fresh bean sprouts

1/2 C                 Green onion, sliced

2 T                     Chopped peanuts

Dressing -

1/3 C                  Peanut butter, I have used both plain and chunky

2 T                      Lime Juice 

2 T                      Mayo (or Vegannaise instead for dairy free)

1 tsp                   Chipotle hot sauce **see note

1 tsp                   Sugar

1 tsp                   Minced gingerroot

1/2 tsp.               Minced Garlic

**Note – Some of my family doesn't like it too hot so I substitute chipotle salsa for the hot sauce which is more like tabasco.

Instructions - 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the yams with oil, salt and pepper.  Spray a piece of foil with Pam, add yams and roast for until just done (approximately 40 minutes depending on the size you cut them).  Try not to overcook as they will mush when blending with the other ingredients.  Let cool 5 min.

Wisk the dressing ingredients. Toss yams, red pepper, bean sprouts and green onion with dressing. Sprinkle with peanuts.  Serve warm or at room temperature.