Melting Sweet Potatoes - The Original Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the original sweet potato? ›

In Central America, domesticated sweet potatoes were present at least 5,000 years ago, with the origin of I. batatas possibly between the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico and the mouth of the Orinoco River in Venezuela. The cultigen was most likely spread by local people to the Caribbean and South America by 2500 BCE.

Boniato is a sweet potato with dry, white flesh and a nutty flavor. It is popular in Caribbean cooking and can be used in sweet and savory dishes.

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.

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: The main secrets to achieving that incredible crispy texture, is to soak the cut sweet potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This helps remove the starch from the sweet potatoes so they´re not limp & soggy.

The most versatile and sweetest variation of sweet potatoes is the Beauregard. Throughout the United States, you will see this species stacked high in the grocery stores during the holiday season. Beauregard's have a bit of a stringy texture, but they stay soft: this is what makes them so popular.

Boniatos are known for having rougher, bumpier skin than the average sweet potato. Rather than coppery orange, boniato skin is lighter, ranging from light brown to a dusty rose or even a slightly brownish-purple. Not just skin deep, the flesh of a boniato is also different in color, texture, and in taste.

The two most common white-fleshed sweet potatoes are Boniato, also called batata, or Cuban sweet potato, and the Japanese sweet potato, also called the satsuma-imo. The big difference between the two is the skin color: Japanese sweet potatoes have a pinkish brown skin and the outer skin of a boniato is light tan.

Boniato in Hispanic cultures is called sweet potato in Jamaica. Yucca in Hispanic cultures is cassava in Jamaica. Other examples of these produce are white yam, yellow yam, Dasheen, baboo, jicama… I could go on and on.

Slow-roasting the sweet potatoes activates endogenous enzymes that bring out their natural sweetness.

Bake, don't boil

Baking sweet potatoes caramelizes their natural sugars, especially when done whole. It intensifies their flavor and creates a richer taste compared to boiling, which can result in a watered-down, bland flavor.

Is it better to boil or bake sweet potatoes? ›

Baking can also cause an 80% drop in vitamin A levels, twice as much as boiling. Therefore, from a nutritional standpoint, boiling rather than baking should be recommended for cooking sweet potato.

The reason they are hard in the middle is cook them longer or on a higher temperature. Soaking will not help soften your sweet potato unless you are putting the potato and water in a pot on the stove and cooking it. If your sweet potato is still hard it's not cooked enough.

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.

Once potatoes are clean, pat them dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Pierce the sweet potato with a fork or sharp knife in several places, about about 6 times. This will allow steam to escape from the potatoes while they bake. Place your clean (and jabbed) sweet potatoes on the prepped baking sheet.

Sweet potato is thought to be native to tropical South America where it has been used as a food source for more than 5000 years. The natives called the plant batatas. This word eventually became patata in Spanish, patae in French and potato in English.

Sweet Potatoes and Health

Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are richest in beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes with purple flesh are richer in anthocyanins. Beta-carotene and anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant “phyto” chemicals that give vegetables their bright colors.

There are five main types of sweet potato that are commonly consumed today—Garnet, Hannah, Japanese, Jewel, and Purple Stoke. While all are delicious, each variety has its own distinct flavor and texture that lends itself to a variety of cooking applications.

The most common varieties in the U.S. are the Beauregard (the most widely grown cultivar), the jewel, and the garnet (also sometimes known as red yams).