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Ratalyacha kees (Grated Sweet Potato ) is a traditional Maharashtrian recipe prepared mainly during fasting. This is a gluten-free, no onion no garlic recipe, beginner-friendly, upvas / vrat recipe.
Ratala in English means Sweet Potato and kees means grated. Hence ratalyacha kees means “grated sweet potato stir fry”
This recipe is sweet and spicy. The sweetness naturally comes with the potato and spiciness from the green chilles that are added to it.
Sweet potato is a root vegetable rich in vitamin A. It is low in calories and believe it or not it’s actually recommended for diabetic patients as well.
There are various ways in which you can consume sweet potato.
You can make ratalyacha sheera ie sweet pudding, ratalyache kaap ie cut thin slices and roast them on a skillet using spices of your choice, roast on flame or make vegetable by cooking the sweet potato in a pressure cooker.
In my home, we make this recipe using ghee along with roasted crushed peanut powder and some spices and herbs. To make it vegan, instead of ghee use oil instead.
This ratalyacha kees is also consumed during upvas / vrat / fasting.
Apart from these ratalycha kees, dishes like sabudana khichadi, sabudana thalipeeth, ratalyachi bhaji (sweet potato sabji), farali pattice are also regular at our house.
Sabudana Thalipeeth
Farali pattice
Ratalaychi Bhaji – Sweet Potato Stir Fry
Upvas Recipe
No Onion Garlic Recipes
Maharashtrian Recipes
Breakfast Recipes
Beginner-Friendly Recipes
Food FAQ’s
Let’s see how to make Ratalyacha Kees in traditional Maharashtrian style in your home kitchen.

Serves: 3 Persons
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Cooking level: Easy
Taste: Sweet and Spicy
- 1/2 kg Ratala (Sweet Potato)
- 2 tablespoon Ghee (To make it vegan, instead of ghee use oil instead)
- 2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 3 Green chillies
- 1 teaspoon Sugar (Optional)
- 1/2 cup Roasted peanut powder
- Salt to taste
- Scrub sweet potato and wash thoroughly to remove the dirt on the potato.
- Peel the skin and grate it. I personally do not transfer the grated potatoes into the water but if you want to you may transfer the grated potato into clean water to that potato does not oxidize.
- Now in a deep pan/kadhai heat ghee/oil (for vegan method) and add cumin seeds.
- Once the cumin seeds starts to sizzle, add finely chopped green chillies and mix well.
- Now add the grated sweet potato / ratala and mix well.
- You may also check out: Sabudana Thalipeeth, Farali pattice, Ratalaychi Bhaji – Sweet Potato Stir Fry, Upvas Recipe, No Onion Garlic Recipes, Maharashtrian Recipes, Breakfast Recipes, Beginner-Friendly Recipes
- In case you have kept the grated potato in water, then make sure to squeeze all excess water from ratala/potato otherwise the kees might turn soggy.
- Add salt and sugar, mix well and cover pan with a lid.
- After 5 minutes, when ratala is half done add roasted peanut powder and mix well.
- Check for seasoning at this time.
- Cover the pan with lid and cook for 15-20 minutes, stir occasionally in between.
- Once the kees get nice steam and the grated potato is tender they will look transparent and glazy.
- You may at this time add finely cut coriander leaves and scraped coconut if you want. I generally don’t like it hence I avoid it.
- Ratalyacha kees is ready.
- Serve it hot.