Method
- Wash sweet potato leaves; remove tough stems.
- Heat oil in a heavy pot. Cook onion 4 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger and chilies; stir 60 seconds.
- Add sweet potato leaves; toss until just wilted.
- Pour coconut milk. Add salt and pepper. Simmer 8 minutes.
- Stir in lime juice. Serve with rice.
Common questions
Can Midar be made ahead?
Midar is best made and eaten the same day, but the components can be prepped earlier — chop and measure the ingredients up to a day ahead, refrigerated separately. Final cooking takes about 18 minutes.
Is Midar spicy?
Midar as written is mild to mildly warming — the heat comes from aromatics rather than chili. Add fresh sliced chili or chili oil at the end if you'd like to push it spicier.
Is Midar vegetarian or gluten-free?
Midar is suitable for vegetarian (and vegan if dairy is omitted) diets.
How hard is Midar to make at home?
Midar is approachable for a home cook with basic stove skills — total time about 33 minutes, no special technique required.
Can Midar be scaled up or down?
This recipe is written for 4 servings. To scale, multiply each ingredient proportionally; the cooking times stay the same up to about double the volume. Beyond that, expect to cook in batches because of pan size and heat distribution.
Cultural Note
Midar is the Timorese highland sweet-potato-leaves dish — cooked when the gardens are in season. The dish reflects Timor's farm-to-pot cooking; almost no Timorese garden lacks sweet potato vines.
