Sweet potatoes are a wonderful sweet alternative to French fries. Sweet potatoes are also more nutritious than regular potatoes. While sweet potatoes and potatoes are similar in calories and carbohydrates, sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and others. Sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index, so they do not raise blood sugar levels. All of this suggests that sweet potatoes are worth trying.
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet potatoes (900 g)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (28.3 g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (14.3 g) salt
- 1 tablespoon (14.3 g) pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.4 g) sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.4 g) cinnamon
Preparation
3 to 6 servings
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Preparation
Step 1. Peel the sweet potato
Attach the blade of a sharp knife or vegetable cutter to the top of the sweet potato and slide it along the entire length, applying slight pressure to remove the peel. Continue peeling the sweet potatoes until they are all skinless. Repeat the same for the remaining two sweet potatoes.
Step 2. Use a sharp knife to cut the ends of the sweet potato
Don't cut too much. It is sufficient to cut 1/2 or 1 ¼ centimeter from both sides of the sweet potato. If you do this, your fries will not have small, sharp ends that quickly burn out during frying and spoil the taste, which is very important.
Step 3. Cut the sweet potato in half
Use a sharp knife to cut the sweet potato exactly in the middle.
Step 4. Cut the halves into quarters
Use a sharp knife to cut accurately.
Step 5. Cut the quarters into equal pieces
Each piece should be about half a centimeter thick and half a centimeter wide. The length will be different, it depends on personal preferences. Usually the best length is between 7 and a half to 10 centimeters. Whichever you choose, try to make these pieces the same size.
Note that you can use a grooved knife to make a grooved sweet potato. You can also use a knife to cut the sweet potatoes into flat discs, like chips
Method 2 of 3: Roast in the oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius
Prepare baking paper or a baking sheet, sprinkle with vegetable spray oil, and prepare foil to cover the sweet potato.
Step 2. Pour the sweet potato pieces into a deep bowl and pour over the oil
Stir the sweet potato slices with your hands or with a large wooden or plastic spoon. Stir until you are sure all the sweet potatoes are in the oil.
Step 3. Sprinkle sugar on top
If you are on a diet, you can do without it, but sugar adds sweetness to the sweet potato. Sugar also caramelizes the sweet potato.
Step 4. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika and cinnamon
Salt and pepper are standard seasonings, but you can skip the cinnamon and paprika if you don't like the flavor. Try to sprinkle the sweet potatoes evenly so that everything mixes easily and quickly.
Step 5. Stir in sugar, spices and sweet potato pieces
You can do it with your hands, but all the seasonings in the oil will stick to your hands. Better to use a plastic or wooden spoon to keep the spices in the dish. While you are stirring, make sure that all the pieces are rolled in the seasoning.
Step 6. Arrange the sweet potato pieces in a row one at a time on the cooked baking sheet
If the slices are on top of each other, they will not cook properly, so if you have a lot of slices, it is better to use an extra baking sheet.
Step 7. Fry the sweet potatoes in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes
After about 15 minutes, the top of the sweet potato will begin to golden. Remove the baking sheet and use a flat spoon to turn the sweet potatoes over and return to the oven for another 5-15 minutes.
Step 8. Remove the baking sheet when the sweet potatoes are well done
Try one of the pieces by breaking it. Everything should be ready inside. You can taste one piece to determine if it's done, but remember to refrigerate it to avoid scalding.
Step 9. Let the sweet potato cool for 5 to 15 minutes
Serve hot as a side dish or appetizer.
Method 3 of 3: Deep frying
Step 1. Boil water in a 5 liter saucepan
Heat water over medium heat.
Step 2. Pour the sweet potatoes into boiling water
Place the lid on the pot and let it simmer for 10 minutes before taking out. Blot the sweet potato with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Step 3. Fill the 5 liter frypot with oil
Leave only 6 to 7 centimeters of free space between the top of the oil and the top of the frypot. Heat the oil to 150 degrees Celsius.
Step 4. Pour the sweet potato into the hot oil
Cook the slices for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they are well done.
Step 5. Take out the sweet potatoes with a special spoon
Leave the sweet potato on a few layers of paper towels. The paper towel absorbs the oil and dries the sweet potatoes. Let the pieces cool for at least 10 minutes, but do not leave them for more than two hours.
Step 6. Repeat the frying and drying process with the rest of the sweet potatoes
Do not fry more than a handful of sweet potatoes at a time.
Step 7. Preheat the oil to 80 degrees before serving it to the table
At this point, the sweet potato should be completely cool so that it can be fried again. Even if the sweet potato is not completely cold, you should still fry it again before serving to make it delicious.
Step 8. Toss a handful of sweet potatoes into the butter
Fry it for just one minute to make it puffy. Continue toasting the sweet potatoes until you are all overcooking.
Step 9. Remove the sweet potato from the butter with a special spoon
Leave on a paper towel to dry.
Step 10. Stir the sugar, salt, pepper and cinnamon in a separate bowl
Stir well.
Step 11. Put the sweet potato in there
Stir the sweet potatoes gently so that they are all covered in seasoning.
Step 12. Remove the sweet potatoes and place on a plate
Serve sweet potatoes as a side dish or appetizer.