The sweet potato is a versatile and nutritious root vegetable that has a history stretching back thousands of years. It originated in South America and spread across the world through a combination of human migration and trade.
A sample of sweet potato was radiocarbon-dated on the Cook Islands to 1210-1400 CE proving sweet potatoes were grown long before Western explorers ever touched any of their shores.
Polynesian seafarers are thought to have traveled to the Americas and brought the sweet potato vines back with them from their voyages. The use of vine cuttings is common practice in Polynesian agriculture, allowing farmers to quickly establish new crops without having to wait for seeds to germinate. This propagation method also ensured that the plants were genetically identical, making it far easier to maintain desirable traits such as flavor, size, and yield.
Over time, the sweet potato became an important crop in Polynesian agriculture, and it played a significant role in the diets of the people from this region.
The collision between the old and new world quickly propelled the sweet potato onto the world stage. Spain introduced the Philippines to sweet potatoes by the 1570s via their trade routes to Manila. In 1594 the sweet potato was given to Fujian, China, in response to a series of crop failures. The Portuguese presented Okinawa, Japan, with the sweet potato in the early 1600s, where they became a bulwark in stopping total famine when rice harvests failed. The first record of sweet potatoes in Europe comes from England’s Elinor Fettiplace’s Receipt Book in 1604.
The sweet potato has been spread across the world by a combination of human migration, trade, and cultural exchange. Today it is grown and enjoyed worldwide, and it remains a principal food in many cultures, serving as an important source of nutrition and sustenance.
Sweet Potato Chili with Kidney Beans
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and diced
- 2 cans kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp. red chili powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the two tbsp oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes. Then add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.2 tbsp. oil, 1 large onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the sweet potatoes, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika to the pan. Stir well to combine.2 large sweet potatoes, 2 cans kidney beans, 1 can diced tomatoes, 2 cups vegetable broth, 2 tbsp. red chili powder, 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1 tsp. dried oregano, ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- Cover the saucepan and let the chili simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Sprinkle the chili with salt and crushed black pepper to taste.Salt and black pepper to taste
- Serve the chili with your favorite toppings.
