Coconut Mashed Potatoes
Photo: Carolina Ayala / Contributor
Given that potatoes originated in Peru, it is no surprise that the story of mashed potatoes can be traced back to the early days of the Inca civilization over 4000 years ago. However, the silky, fluffy and creamy version we are used to eating these days was perfected by the French in the 1800s. I first encountered them in a restaurant in Canada in the early eighties and still remember the wonderous mouthfeel of those buttery mashed potatoes. A few decades later after experimenting with different iterations, my favorite remains sweet potatoes mashed with Idaho or golden yellow potatoes topped off with a wild variety of savory flavors. With one caveat, they must always have a tadka, a pop or a tempering of spices first. An age-old Indian technique, the pop could be applied to anything from soup to rice. You could also top mashed potatoes off with roasted vegetables, toasted nuts, seeds, cheese and herbs.
Here is a mashed potato recipe using the vibrant Japanese purple yam combined with the Idaho potatoes. The beauty of these potatoes is that they hold on to their brilliant purple color despite long cooking.