Guest post by Ceri Jones - Courgette Sweet Aaloo

I love the take of this healthy, quick and inventive recipe by my friend Ceri, who is a natural chef in London - her recipes can be found on her blog Natural Kitchen Adventures which focuses on whole foods, paleo and gluten-free recipes, since 2011.Ceri Jones made her passion for wholesome food her living by training as a Natural Chef in California, she now works as a natural chef, food writer and whole foods cooking instructor. Through her blog she explores new ingredients, cuisines and recipes, one kitchen adventure at a time.You can connect with Ceri via her blog (naturakitchenadventures.com), facebook , twitter or instagram (@ cerikitchen)Thanks Ceri for your post! Courgette Aloo (with sweet potatoes) When Sumayya asked me if I wanted to do a guest post for her on my interpretation of Pakistani cuisine I decided that this would be a fantastic chance for me to cook a courgette aloo recipe.I only recently tried courgette aloo. Having previously only been familiar with sag aloo (spinach and potato) or aloo gobi (potato and cauliflower) I thought it sounded rather interesting. I always enjoy the side dishes when eating out at Indian restaurants, and since I’m not a huge rice eater a veggie packed side dish to go with a main curry dish is usually preferable for me.I instantly loved courgette aloo, and even after the first spoonsful I knew it was a dish I wanted to learn how to make myself. This desire also served as a legitimate reason to add mustard seeds to my ever-increasing spice cabinet supplies.Yes, I first tried this dish in a British South Asian restaurant. Yes, I’m aware that the intricacies of authentic Pakistani cuisine and the general blanket of Indian cuisine we eat here in the UK aren’t at all the same thing. But exactly how they are different? To be honest I wish I knew exactly how to answer this question, but I don’t. We are lucky that Sumayya does, and spends much time, passion and energy educating us through her work. I do however know why authenticity and nationality are important. Ask me if Wales is in England. Go on…I’ve used sweet potatoes in my courgette aloo, not because I’m against the classic white potato aloo, but because I prefer them, and I think they bring my own personal twist on this recipe. I also think that sweet potatoes offer a nutritional bonus to the dish – beta carotene and Vitamin C for a start. Though perhaps Sumayya can tell me if the use of sweet potato stops this from being an aloo?? (ANSWER: Ceri, in Urdu a sweet potato is called Shakarkandi!, but I quite like the word sweet Aaloo :))When I researched aloo recipes there was much discrepancy over ingredients – particularly spices and aromatics, as well as method. I decided that a basic combination of mustard seeds, cumin and turmeric would suit my tastes, and that since garlic, ginger and onions all offer therapeutic benefits they were going in too. Whether I did this in the correct order or with authenticity is perhaps a conversation for another day. I served the aloo with some grilled turmeric chicken wings – inspired by a recent recipe on Yummy Supper Blog  that had caught my eye. This was one anti-inflammatory power punch dinner. Ingredients (serves 2 generously)1 Tbs ghee (homemade from organic butter)1 small onion, finely diced1 clove garlic, minced1 Inch chunk root ginger, minced½ tsp mustard seeds¼ tsp ground cumin¼ tsp ground turmeric¼ tsp sea salt, plus extra to taste.300g cubed courgettes (2 medium)200g peeled & cubed sweet potatoes (1 medium)A sprinkling of chopped fresh coriander leaves Method

1. Heat the ghee in a pan (large frying or saucepan, one that has a lid), add the onion and sauté for a three minutes, until it begins to soften. Next add the garlic and ginger, and cook for a minute, before you add the spices - mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric & also the salt. Allow the spices to fry for 30 seconds or so before you add the courgette, sweet potatoes, and a couple of tablespoons of water. Add a lid and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potato and courgettes are cooked through. Stir regularly to ensure the vegetables don’t stick or burn.
2. When ready, stir through the fresh coriander and serve.