The sweet potato or ‘yam’ is normally an autumn/winter tuber produce that is popular in southern U.S. It is a great source of vitamin A, potassium, B6,vitamin C, riboflavin, folic and pantothenic acid and copper. It is best to cook it fresh, rather than keeping it refrigerated as you might get a different taste. However, if you have to preserve it then do store them in a dark and cool place.
Sweet potato is high on fiber content, abundant in nutrients and also a great source of complex carbohydrates with minimum fat content. It can be used in a variety of dishes – whether sweet or savory – in the form of side dishes in stews and casseroles. Also, it can be incorporated in bakes breads and desserts too! But it tastes best when it is eaten in a roasted form. Read on to know how you can roast sweet potatoes.
Complexity Level: Basic
Time Required: 45-50 minutes
Resources Required:
- 1-2 sweet potatoes
- U-shaped peeler
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Oregano, thyme or basil
- Shallow dish
- Nonstick baking pan
Instructions:
1. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into wedges
It is important to use a U-shaped peeler as opposed the stick-shaped one as it is easier and also safer to use when removing the skin of sweet potatoes. After peeling the sweet potatoes, you should cut them into medium-sized wedges. Sweet potatoes can also be cut in cubes but the wedges give more crispiness to sweet potatoes.
2. Marinate the wedges
The second most important step is to prepare a marinade for the wedges or cubes of sweet potatoes by mixing olive oil with salt, pepper and one herb (either oregano or thyme). After mixing the marinade thoroughly, make sure you dip the pieces and coat them evenly. An even coating assures great flavor and uniform baking too.
3. Preheat the oven and prepare for baking
It would now be important for you to preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius for around 5 minutes. In the meantime, take the nonstick baking pan and spray a little oil onto it as this is important for getting a great color on sweet potato wedges. Next, arrange each of the wedges in a spaced-out manner without overcrowding the dish too much as it will lead to the wedges coming out wet and soggy.
4. Bake the wedges/cubes
The last step is to bake the sweet potato pieces for 35-40 minutes at 200 degrees celsius. However, do not forget to keep tossing the pieces over for the first 15 minutes or so in order to get an uniform golden color and a crunchier texture too.
Frequently Asked Questions:
When should I add cinnamon sugar, brown sugar, coconut etc to give the sweet potatoes a sweet touch?
All the above should be added five minutes before the baking time is over as overcooking might tend to over-caramelize the sugar and make it bitter.
Quick Tips:
1. Using olive oil in place of butter or any other vegetable oil would make your baked sweet potatoes healthier.
2. A dash of lemon on savory baked sweet potatoes can add an extra zing to your taste buds.
Things To Watch Out For:
When cutting and chopping sweet potato, you must immediately coat the pieces in the marinate or it may start to oxidize, much like a potato.
