Hero Veg: Sweet Potato

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The sweet potato is a root crop which originated in the tropical regions of Central and South America. From there it has spread to Europe, Asia and Africa. However, while Christopher Columbus and his European compatriots get most of the credit for introducing New World vegetables to the rest of the world, the sweet potato may be one vegetable that made the journey across the Pacific long before the Spanish discovered it.

Archaeologists have found prehistoric remnants of sweet potato in Polynesia from about 1000 AD. They believe that those ancient samples came from the western coast of South America. In fact, one Polynesian word for sweet potato, “kuumala”, resembles “cumal,” a word for the vegetable in Quechua, a language spoken by Andean natives.

sweetpotatoAs the sweet potato does not grow well in temperate climates, it was little cultivated in Europe, while becoming a staple in Asia and Africa. It is an important crop in its native America, especially in the southern United States, where it is sometimes erroneously called “yam”. Despite its name, the sweet potato is only very distantly related to the potato.

The sweet potato is also known in Australia and New Zealand by its Maori name, kumara. The most popular sweet potato cultivars in Australia are the golden Beauregard and the Murasaki which has red skin and white flesh.

Sweet potatoes can be steamed, boiled, fried and baked and feature in soups and curries. They are not generally eaten raw, but they can be juiced or included in a smoothy. They are rich in vitamins A, C and B6, and manganese. They are also a moderate source of some other B vitamins and potassium.

While sweet potatoes aren’t botanically related to the Pumpkin, its similarity in colour, texture and taste to yellow sweet potatoes, such as the golden Beauregard, allows many of the same recipes to apply to both. As such, the recipes under the entry Hero Veg: Pumpkin can be used for sweet potatoes where indicated.

Sweet Potato also features in the Cooking in Bulk recipes, Orange Vegetable Soup, Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup and Chickpea and Vegetable Stew.

Sweet potato can be combined with other vegetables as seen in the entry Vegetable Medleys from the Pantry. 

It also goes well with chicken such as in the dish Chicken Coconut Curry and can be used as an alternative ingredient in many recipes on this website.

Use ‘Search’ to find all recipes on this website that include sweet potato.

 

Recipes:

Sweet Potato Dip

Mashed Sweet Potato

Fried Sweet Potato

Sweet Potato Fries with Spicy Yoghurt Sauce

Baked Sweet Potato

Sweet Potato Bake

Sweet Potato and Bean Stew

Sweet Potato Satay

Sweet Potato Korma

Sweet Potato with Rice and Red Lentils

Sweet Potato, Apple and Red Lentil Soup

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

 

Sweet Potato Dip

  • 1 cup sweet potato, peeled and chopped
  • 1 portion/tbsp cream cheese
  • 1 tbsp. mayonnaise or natural yoghurt
  • Dried onion, garlic granules and mild curry powder

 

  1. Place chopped sweet potato in a bullet blender cup with a little water and microwave on high until tender (approx. 3 min)
  2. Drain and allow to cool
  3. Liquidise thoroughly with cream cheese, mayonnaise, dried onion, garlic granules and mild curry powder

 

Mashed Sweet Potato

  • 1½ cups sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • Butter or margarine
  • Cinnamon and ginger
  • 1–2 tbsp. natural yoghurt

 

  1. In a small saucepan boil or steam sweet potato until tender
  2. Drain and return to saucepan
  3. Add some butter, cinnamon and ginger
  4. Mash thoroughly
  5. Stir in yoghurt

Variations:

  • substitute pumpkin for some or all of the sweet potato
  • substitute fruit juice for the natural yoghurt

 

Fried Sweet Potato

  • 1½ cups sweet potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Paprika or cinnamon and chives
  • Butter or margarine
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese

 

  1. In a small saucepan sauté chopped onion in melted butter with paprika or cinnamon
  2. Add sweet potato and sauté until tender
  3. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese and chives

 

Sweet Potato Fries with Spicy Yoghurt Sauce

  • 1 small sweet potato
  • Oil spray
  • Garlic granules and cinnamon
  • 1–2 tsp. butter or margarine
  • Dried onion, garlic, ginger and mild curry powder
  • 2 tbsp. natural yoghurt

 

  1. Peel (optional) sweet potato and cut into wedges
  2. Line an oven tray with baking paper and spread wedges on tray
  3. Spray lightly with oil on both sides and sprinkle with garlic granules and cinnamon
  4. Bake in a hot (200° C) toaster oven for 20–30 minutes
  5. Meanwhile make sauce by placing butter in a cup with dried onion, garlic, ginger and mild curry powder
  6. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and stir thoroughly
  7. Stir in yoghurt
  8. Remove fries from oven and let cool for 5 minutes
  9. Meanwhile, microwave sauce for a further 20–30 seconds on high and stir (optional)

 

Baked Sweet Potato

  • 1 small sweet potato, thoroughly washed
  • 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • Chives, parsley and pepper
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. Prepare topping by whipping together mayonnaise, yoghurt, lemon juice, chives, parsley and pepper and allow to come to room temperature
  2. Prick sweet potato all over with a fork
  3. Rub skin with olive oil
  4. Microwave for 5–7 minutes depending on size
  5. Cut down the middle but not all the way down to the bottom and fluff up flesh with a fork
  6. Place topping in the cavity and serve immediately

 

Sweet Potato Bake

  • 1½ cups sweet potato
  • ¼ cup red capsicum, sliced
  • 4–6 cherry tomatoes
  • Rosemary, garlic granules and pepper
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. Peel (optional) and cube the sweet potato
  2. Pierce the cherry tomatoes
  3. Place both in a microwave proof pie dish with sliced capsicum
  4. Sprinkle with herbs and spices, and toss in a little olive oil
  5. Microwave on high for 3–4 minutes
  6. Stir and let stand for 1–2 minutes

Variation: substitute pumpkin for some or all of the sweet potato

 

Sweet Potato and Bean Stew

  • ¾ cup sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • 1 x 125gm can four-bean mix, drained
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • ¼ cup red capsicum, chopped
  • Garlic, paprika or chilli and basil
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan sauté onion with garlic and paprika
  2. Add capsicum and sauté
  3. Add beans and sauté to heat through
  4. Add ¾ cup boiling water with stock powder, tomato paste and basil
  5. Simmer beans for 10 minutes
  6. Add sweet potato and simmer for 10 minutes, adding a little more water if necessary
  7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)

Variation: add ½ cup chopped spinach leaves during Step 6 at about the 5-minute mark

 

Sweet Potato Satay

  • 1½ cups sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 x 165ml can light coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp. peanut butter
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. lime or lemon juice
  • Chilli, mild curry powder and coriander
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Place peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice, curry powder and coriander in a bullet blender cup and blend thoroughly
  2. In a small saucepan sauté onion with chilli
  3. Add sweet potato and sauté to heat through
  4. Add sauce, cover and simmer gently until sweet potato is tender (15–20 minutes) adding a little water if required

Variation: for a low-fat option, thoroughly blend 2 tbsp. almond meal with 2/3 cup water in a bullet blender and substitute for the coconut milk

 

Sweet Potato Korma

  • 1 cup sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • ¼ cup red capsicum, chopped
  • ¼ cup frozen peas (or 1 x 125gm can chickpeas, drained)
  • 1 x 165ml can light coconut milk
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Garlic, mild curry powder, pepper and ginger
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onions with garlic and spices
  2. Add capsicum and peas and sauté
  3. Add sweet potato and sauté to heat through
  4. Add coconut milk with tomato paste and stock powder
  5. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water as required
  6. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt (optional)

Variations:

  • substitute pumpkin for some or all of the sweet potato
  • substitute 1 tbsp. red lentils for frozen peas and add at Step 4
  • for a low-fat option, thoroughly blend 2 tbsp. almond meal with 2/3 cup water in a bullet blender and substitute for the coconut milk

 

Sweet Potato with Rice and Red Lentils

  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tbsp. rice
  • 2 tbsp. red lentils
  • ¾ cup sweet potato, peeled and diced
  • Mild curry powder
  • Canola oil

 

  1. Sauté onion with curry powder
  2. Add chopped sweet potato and sauté
  3. Add rice and lentils and stir until translucent
  4. Add ¾ cup boiling water
  5. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally

Variation: substitute pumpkin for some or all of the sweet potato

 

Sweet Potato, Apple and Red Lentil Soup

  • 1½ cups sweet potato, chopped
  • ¼ Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tbsp. red lentils
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Cinnamon, ginger and mild curry powder
  • Canola oil
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)

 

  1. In a small saucepan sauté onion with spices
  2. Add sweet potato and apple and sauté
  3. Add 1 cup boiling water with stock powder
  4. Bring to the boil and stir in lentils
  5. Simmer covered for 20–25 minutes until vegetables are very soft, adding a little water if necessary
  6. Allow to cool, empty saucepan into large cup of a bullet blender and liquidise
  7. Return to saucepan with an additional ¼ cup water and gently reheat
  8. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt (optional)

Variations:

  • substitute 1 small potato, peeled and chopped, for the apple and reduce sweet potato to 1 cup
  • substitute ½ cup chopped carrot or pumpkin for the apple
  • substitute 1 cup liquid chicken stock for the water and stock powder

 

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

  • 1½ cups sweet potato, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 x 165ml can light coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp. red lentils (optional)
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Mild curry powder, ginger and coriander
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan sauté onion with spices
  2. Add sweet potato and sauté
  3. Add coconut milk with the stock powder
  4. Gently bring to the boil and stir in lentils (optional)
  5. Gently simmer covered for 20–30 minutes until sweet potato is very soft, adding a little water if necessary
  6. Allow to cool, empty saucepan into large cup of a bullet blender and liquidise
  7. Return to saucepan with an additional ¼ cup water and gently reheat
  8. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt (optional)

Variations:

  • substitute ¼ Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped for ½ cup sweet potato and add at Step 2
  • for a low-fat option, thoroughly blend 2 tbsp. almond meal with 2/3 cup water in a bullet blender and substitute for the coconut milk
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