Purple Frites

The Ingredients (for 4 to 6 servings):

• 675 g (or 1½ lb) of Okinawan sweet potatoes
• 40 g (or 3 tablespoons) of unsalted butter
• 8 g (or 1 tablespoon) of pure garlic powder
• 12 g (or ½ tablespoon) of salt
• 4 g (or ½ tablespoon) of freshly ground black pepper
• 0.5 g (or ⅛ teaspoon) of Cayenne pepper

The Method:

1. Turn the oven on and heat it to 220°C (or 425°F).
2. Wash the potatoes and slice them lengthwise into strips approximately 1 cm (or ⅜ in) wide.
   
3. Melt the butter and toss the potato slices in it until all of them are lightly coated.
4. Mix together the garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and Cayenne.
5. Sprinkle the spices over the potatoes and toss them again to season them evenly.
6. Place the potatoes into a shallow baking pan large enough to hold them in a single layer.
   
7. Place into the oven, bake for 15 minutes then turn them with a large spatula or tongs. 
8. Bake for a further 10 minutes, then turn the oven off.
9. Allow the frites to cool down with the oven for 10 more minutes before serving.

Even the baby loves them!

Purple Frites with lamb chop, mustard, and salad

The Story:

Although white potatoes have a high glycemic index, sweet potatoes in general, and especially the purple Okinawan sweet potato have a medium to low glycemic index (see this post on the CRway website for more information). This variety is plentiful in Hawai'i, where it was introduced as a crop and grows well. And it doesn't have the overpowering sweetness of a yam or some other varieties of sweet potato.