I was furloughed from my job today. It was nothing personal, of course; at least 90% of my colleagues were given a leave of absence as a cost cutting measure in the midst of the pandemic. I'm sure this is a familiar process to workers both in an out of the country as the systems we've always taken for granted cease to function in their usual capacity. With respect to this, I don't feel as if I've been singled out as having a particularly expendable role (though, let's be real...) but it still gives me cause to reflect on the work I do, and whether it really makes a difference to anything perceptible whatsoever.
Let's think about it; without wanting to give away too many of the specifics of my day-to-day work, I help to maintain the smooth running of the supply chain for the health & beauty department of a store with a fair few branches across the UK. If I make a mistake with something, it could potentially result in a few customers not being able to pick up their favourite exfoliating face mask, or... um, what do people buy from skincare departments? Seriously, there is some weird shit we sell, like time-bending yeasted clay or whatever else people use to promote an aura of youthful complexion. Anywhoo, long story short, if I click type 72 instead of 58 into a tiny little box and press "OK", then Mary in Coventry might not be able to get hold of the crystallised seaweed scrubs she likes to use every other morning (also, just as a gentle disclaimer; I don't work for Goop).
It's not as if Coventry Mary isn't important, it's just that I can't exactly perceive whether or not she's been able to maintain an intact skincare regime and what that means to her. Perhaps, and especially in times such as these, being able to preserve a small segment of routine is something she can do to get by. That's the best I can do for anyone; try to ensure that products are available to be bought for a fairly significant price. Beyond that, there isn't really anything else that my actions can lead to in terms of their directly human effects. It's a very binary sense of achievement, and I often come away from the working day feeling unsure of my own contribution. I'm sure in the very specific world of beauty and skincare it's an important one to maintain, and I don't want to seem patronising to anyone who does positively operate in that setting, but spending so much time on something that doesn't give me any visibility can be draining even if it casts a wider net than I necessarily perceive it to.
That's part of where this blog sprung from, it's a platform for expression and a place where I can set the parameters of what I want to achieve from it. This can be a little bit overawing sometimes, and each post I write represents about 4-6 (at least) hours of work which I have to vaguely hope will reach someone. Much of the time, I'll spend the those hours and have to blindly trust that it will reach someone and that person will derive some interest from it; I don't really have particularly ambitious goals, you see. But, in contrast to 50 people nationwide not being able to get their hands on some pearled titanium pollen (yes, I'm having a great time making up fake(?) skincare products), assuming that I've reached that one mysterious person is usually satisfaction enough to me. Occasionally, someone will give me some lovely feedback and it sends my heart immediately into overdrive. That's not to say it isn't difficult sometimes sending these little culinary capsules into the floating ether, but it's rewarding enough to patch over the more challenging aspects.
If you've read previous posts here, you'll also know that an express purpose of this endeavour is to continually remind everyone of my love for the blog Smitten Kitchen. In spite of this, I haven't yet written about any of her recipes with the exception of these blondies which went off-the-rails in protracted process of distraction and became a different beast entirely to their original incarnation. I'm happy to report that today I bring you bona fide, and very lightly adapted recipe from SK herself; Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpeas with Yoghurt, which was adapted from a recipe from the cookbook Gjelina Cooks by Travis Lett.
The recipe stipulates that you can use either sweet potatoes or yams in this preparation; I'm not sure where to find yams in the UK, let alone during a global pandemic (anyone else find themselves using this phrase way more casually than they would have every anticipated?), but I've been able to get sweet potatoes with relative ease during this time of uncertain supply. Honestly, I'm not sure what the difference between a yam and a sweet potato is, so anyone who does know, feel free to give me the rundown.
The individual characteristics of this dish are so elemental, yet meet on the plate with an incredible synergy (I'm sure you've been hearing that word a lot if you've been working at home). There is something about roasting that really encourages the sweet potato to blossom, and the sharp coating stops it from becoming at all cloying. You may think that the coating is far too scant for how much potato you have, but I promise that, somehow, it is just the right amount. The chickpeas, taking their cue from the Earthen realm, anchor the dish with a mild smokiness and the acerbic tang of the citrus spiked yoghurt binds everything together pretty perfectly.
So, there are a few divergences from the original recipe I want to talk about before getting into it. SK uses canned chickpeas, I used ones from dried as that's what I had around; I'm going to say that you can use whichever are easiest for you. Additionally, I used vegetable oil for the roasting instead of olive oil (again, due to availability), but used olive oil for the yoghurt dressing - I'd probably recommend olive oil for the roasting too, but you do you! Lastly, I very much overestimated just how much juice was in one lime, so I only got about 1/2 of how much I needed and, actually, I thought this was fine. I probably could have done with a little more of a citrus zing, but this amount would be perfect for if you wanted a more subtle, sour kick.
Smitten Kitchen's Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas with Yoghurt
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
3 large sweet potatoes, cut into segments of 4-6 dependent on size
1-2 tbsp of honey
1 tbsp of crushed red pepper flakes
425g of canned chickpeas, or 210g dried chickpeas
4 tbsp of olive oil
1/2 tsp of smoked paprika
125g of Greek yoghurt
2-4 tbsp of fresh lime juice
2 spring onions, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees (gas) or 200 degrees (fan assisted)
Mix together 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of honey and the crushed red pepper flakes until combined. Taste the mixture, and if you would prefer it a little sweeter then add the extra tsp of honey (or just half). When the mixture is tuned to your liking, toss it into the sweet potatoes until combined and let them sit for 5-10 minutes.
Toss the chickpeas with 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1/4 of a tsp of smoked paprika and salt to taste.
Line two baking trays with foil. Spread the sweet potatoes out on one sheet and the chickpeas out on another. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 tsp of smoked paprika over the chickpeas.
Roast the sweet potato for 30 minutes, before removing from the oven and turning the segments over and roasting for a further 10 minutes. Roast the chickpeas for 20 minutes, rolling them around lightly once or twice during cooking to ensure that they cook evenly.
While everything is in the oven whisk together the yoghurt, 2 tbsp of lime juice and season with a dash of salt and pepper. Taste the dressing and adjust if you think it needs the extra 2 tbsp of lime juice.
Arrange the sweet potatoes on plates or in large bowls and drizzle some of the yoghurt mixture. Add the chickpeas before sprinkling over the spring onions and some extra red pepper flakes if you wish.
Notes & Adjustments
If you don't have red pepper flakes then I would suggest substituting this for 1 tsp of crushed chillis with an additional 1/2 a tsp of mild chilli powder or cayenne pepper.
Golden syrup works in place of honey, however due to the viscosity you will have to mix this harder for it to combine with the oil. As it is a little sweeter, 2 tbsp may be too much, so make sure you taste before you add any more.
You could experiment with the spice blends used on the chickpeas if you like. I imagine a pinch of cumin wouldn't go amiss. I think preserving the earthy characteristic they bring to the dish is important though, so don't spice them too heavily.
Instead of yoghurt, you could use sour cream. This is a little less tangy, but might be good if you want to heighten the citrus flavour. Creme fraiche could work too.
If you want this to be vegan, simply use a vegan yoghurt.
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