Mashed Yuca with Cilantro & Lime + Caribbean Curried Black-Eyed Peas with Plantains

Ever heard of Isa Chandra Moskowitz?
Well, you're gonna want to remember her.
After all...
She just happens to be the world's best vegan cook.
Or at least I think so!
Dare to prove me wrong!!
Especially after you try two of her recipes,
Mashed Yuca with Cilantro & Lime
...served with her Caribbean Curried Black-Eyed Peas with Plantains.

Matt and I LOOOOOOOVE indian food.
And my favorite foods just happen to be sweet potatoes and bananas.
Which makes these two recipes, paired together, the perfect dinner.

The first recipe, Mashed Yuca, obviously calls for Yuca.
Yuca root is also known as cassava or manioc.
It also can be spelled "yucca."
It is eaten all over the world, especially in Mexico.
Unfortunately, if your local grocery store is anything like ours...
Yuca can be near impossible to find.

So if you find yourself in a pickle because no store carries Yuca root,
Well, don't stress!
Yuca is very similar to potatoes, except not as starchy.
As a substitute, I used sweet potato--
And it was PERFECT for this recipe!

Both of these recipes can be found in Isa's cookbook:
(Photo courtesy of Clean Green Simple)

So here are the recipes!

Mashed Yuca with Cilantro & Lime

Ingredients:
2 lbs. yuca (or sweet potato), peeled and chopped into 2-in chunks
2 T. freshly squeezed lime
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1-2 t. olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus extra for salting the "yuca water"

Directions:
Place the yuca (or sweet potato) in a pot and cover with water. Add a big pinch of sea salt, cover the pot, and bring to a rolling boil. Lower the heat to a simmer. Keep at a simmer for about 20 minutes, until VERY tender. Turn off the heat. Reserve a cup of the hot water by CAREFULLY scooping it out with a heatproof mug and setting aside. Next, drain the yuca and return to the pot. Add the lime juice, cilantro, oil, and salt. Mash well with a potato masher. (OR: what I did is stuck the drained sweet potatoes in my food processor, and blended.) Stream in the reserved hot water little by little, mashing as you go along. You may need up to 1/2 cup. Mash the yuca until perfectly creamy. Serve immediately.


Caribbean Curried Black-Eyed Peas with Plantains

Ingredients:
1 t. olive oil
1/4 c. finely chopped shallot
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced finely
1/2 to 1 habenero pepper (or jalepeno for less spice), seeded and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. minced fresh ginger
2 bay leaves
1 star anise
2 t. mild curry powder
pinch of ground cinnamon
about 3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. light coconut milk
3/4 c. water
1 (16-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 t. light agave nectar
juice from 1/2 lime (about 1 T.)
2 very ripe plantains, split lengthwise and cut into 1-inch chunks

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to boil. Preheat a tall skillet over medium heat. Saute shallot, red pepper, and habenero (or jalepeno) in oil for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, bay leaves, and star anise, and saute for about 2 minutes more. Add a splash of water and the curry powder, cinnamon, and thyme. Stir for about 30 seconds, just to toast the curry powder a bit. Next, add the salt, coconut milk, water, and beans. Cover and heat through for about 5 minutes. Add the agave and lime. Taste for salt and seasoning. Turn off the heat and let the curry sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Remove thyme, anise, and bay leaves. Meanwhile, steam the plantains over the boiling pot for about 5 minutes. They should appear plump and bright yellow (Chef's note: I steamed ours for longer, just for a different consistency). To assemble: serve the beans over the yuca (or if you don't end up making the yuca, serve on rice). Top with plantains.

...I added grilled corn too for even more. It actually mixed well with the other flavors. Try everything!
And feel free to comment for caloric/nutrition facts!