There are different ways for cooking sweet potatoes like baking, frying, boiling or broiling. Explore this article to know the various tips on how to cook sweet potatoes.

How To Cook Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potato is a crop plant whose large, starchy, sweet tasting tuberous roots are eaten. It is similar to the shape of a potato and is white, yellow, orange or brown. Apart from being rich in starch, the sweet potatoes are also rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, sugar, protein, Vitamin A and C, iron and calcium. While choosing sweet potatoes, look for the ones that are smooth and have no bruises and wrinkles. It is best to select orange sweet potatoes or the dry yellow ones. There are different ways to cook them, some being boiling, steaming, frying, baking, broiling, grilling and roasting. They taste delicious cooked either way. Read through the following lines to know the various tips for cooking sweet potatoes.
 
Cooking Sweet Potatoes
 
Baked Sweet Potatoes
  • Wash the sweet potatoes and scrub them thoroughly.
  • Dry them in a paper towel.
  • Puncture the sweet potato with a fork in several places.
  • Wrap the potatoes tightly in aluminum foil.
  • Bake them in a preheated oven for 1 hour at 350 °F.
  • Remove from oven and make a sliver down the middle.
  • Serve hot.
  • You can top the potatoes with butter, brown sugar, marshmallows or cinnamon sugar. 
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
  • Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into chunks.
  • Place them in a baking tray with sliced onions.
  • Drizzle a little olive oil on the potatoes.
  • Bake them at 400 °F for 4 to 60 minutes. 
Boiled Sweet Potatoes
  • You can boil or steam the sweet potatoes in a cooker, either peeled or unpeeled, cut into chunks or not.
  • Depending upon the size of the potatoes or the chunks, the potatoes can take from 5 minutes to 30 minutes to become tender. 
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
  • Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces.
  • Add to boiling water and cook until they turn soft.
  • Mash them in a large bowl and add butter and a little milk.
  • Blend well to form a smooth puree.
  • Add brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves or ginger, as per your taste. 
Microwave Sweet Potatoes
  • Wash the sweet potatoes and pierce them with a fork at few places.
  • Arrange them in a microwave-safe dish.
  • Place the dish in the microwave and cook on high temperature for 4 to 6 minutes.
  • Turn the sweet potatoes in the middle of cooking for even cooking. Check the potatoes by inserting a fork. 
Sweet Potatoes French Fries
  • Wash the sweet potatoes and scrub them thoroughly.
  • Dry them in a towel.
  • Slice them into French fries.
  • Heat cooking oil in a large skillet.
  • Add the sliced sweet potatoes and fry them until golden brown.
  • Fry them longer to turn them crisp.
  • Remove from oil and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
  • Sprinkle salt or powdered sugar and serve hot.
 
Sweet Potato Ginger Tea (Sailboat)
  • Add half cup crushed ginger to 5 cups of water. Bring it to boil.
  • Add 1 cup of sweet potato, cut into small pieces.
  • Simmer and cook until the potatoes are soft.
  • Add sugar to taste.
  • Serve hot.

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