Melting Sweet Potatoes - The Original Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do you need to soak sweet potatoes before cooking? ›

Some recipes for homemade sweet potato fries ask you to soak the fries before cooking. The theory is that soaking draws out starch from inside the potatoes, helping them crisp up.

Baking Soda – boiling the potatoes in baking soda draws out the starch and allows the outside to get brown and crispy. Sweet Potatoes – yams work fine too. Extra Virgin Olive Oil – gets infused with rosemary and garlic and is the key to getting that crispy exterior.

Enslaved Africans used the words nyami, nyam or enyame, and over time that name was shortened to the term yam. Whole yams were roasted outdoors over fire for meals, and eventually pies were cooked for enslavers.

How to tell if sweet potatoes have gone bad. If your sweet potato is soft in spots, smells rotten, or oozes a mysterious liquid, that potato should be discarded. Another sign that sweet potatoes have taken a turn for the worse is if they start growing stalky purplish sprouts.

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

There is not much difference between boiling sweet potatoes with the skins on versus peeling them, but you will get a boost of fiber and potassium if you keep the skin on. The skin also adds a subtle texture to each bite. If you're looking for a smoother mash, peel the potatoes first before boiling.

No, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh (when cooked), and a sweet flavor.

On the Hawaiian Islands, the earliest archaeological record of sweet potatoes (Hawaiian: ʻuala) is circa 1300 AD, where traces were found on traditional farmlands of Kohala, Hawaii. Sweet potato was likely introduced to the islands at a later point, after initial Polynesian settlers had arrived.

Some of the most notable crops that were brought by enslaved people from West African nations include okra, rice, yams, black-eyed peas, and kidney and lima beans. These starch staples were central to African diets, and provided nourishment during the brutally long passage to North America.

If you have diabetes, you can eat sweet potatoes daily — as long as you factor the vegetable's carbohydrate count into your meal planning. “Sweet potatoes are a source of carbohydrates, which raise blood sugars,” says White.

What happens to your body when you eat sweet potatoes every day? ›

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

Eating potassium-rich sweet potatoes helps promote a healthy heart. Higher potassium intake allows you to excrete more sodium lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk for heart disease according to the American Heart Association.

Types of Potatoes to Soak

"Sweet potatoes can also be peeled and stored in water for up to 24 hours."

Don't Rinse Sweet Potatoes

Wait to wash your sweet potatoes until you are ready to use them. The moisture could cause them to rot and lead to mold. If you'd like, use a dry cloth to brush off any dirt before storing, especially if it will dirty up your shelf or cabinet.

If the potato is still firm when squeezed, that means it needs to cook more. Baked sweet potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat for 2 minutes in the microwave, at 400°F in the air fryer for 5 minutes, or at 400°F in the oven for 10 minutes.

The easiest way to prepare sweet potato chips is by using a mandoline slicer. This handy kitchen tool will help you create paper-thin slices, which are best for getting crispy chips. If you slice the potatoes too thickly, they won't crisp up.