1 lb yam (peeled and cut like regular fries, washed)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp of each salt and pepper
1/4 cup ground chili peppers (such as "Sambal Oelek" but not the powdered chili peppers)
1/2 large onion
1/2 bulb garlic
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
1 stalk lemon grass, cut in half and bruised
4 lime leaves, bruised
2 pieces of dried galangal root or 1/2 tsp of powdered galangal (optional)
salt + pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Preheat the oven on 375F.
Drain the yam pieces and pat-dry with paper towel. Put into a large bowl, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shake and turn until evenly coated. Spread the yam pieces evenly on a cookie sheet. Bake until done, about 30 minute, turning every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile using food processor, blend together the ground chili peppers, onion and garlic. Add sugar and vegetable stock. Pulse just until mixed. (if not using food processor, dice the onion and garlic. Mix immediately with the chili, sugar and vegetable stock).
On medium heat, heat up the oil. Pour the chili mix, lemon grass and lime leaves and cook until becoming fragrant. Pour the sweet soy sauce and stir a little bit. Cook until the liquid becomes a little bit thicker (about 3 minutes). Add dash of salt and pepper, taste!
Increase the heat to high (about 7 on 0-8 scale) and pour the fries. Stir quickly until the fries become well-coated (about a minute). Lower the heat to medium, gently stir for another 2-3 minutes only to thicken the liquid more and to settle the flavour. Remove from heat. Discard the lemon grass and the lime leaves.
Serve!
