It seems that most people get confused as to what is a sweet potato
and what is a yam! In fact, in the United States, most people use
both terminologies to refer to a sweet potato, when neither of these
two vegetables is related!
The sweet potato is found in tropical America and is a part of the
Morning Glory family.
The yam is a tuber (a bulb) of a tropical vine found in Central &
South America, as well as the West Indies, Africa and Asia.
Varieties There are mainly two varieties of sweet potato. The pale
sweet potato has a very thin yellow skin with a bright yellow flesh.
This variety is neither sweet nor moist, but more the texture of a
white baking potato. The darker skinned sweet potato has a thicker
orange skin with a sweet moist flesh.
The true yam is not marketed or grown widely in the United States.
Where it is marketed, is usually in Latin American markets. A yam can
be as small as a potato and can grow as large as 7 feet and weigh
over 120 pounds! The flesh can range in color from off-white to
yellow to pink to purple! The skin color can be from off-white to a
dark brown.
Season: Both the sweet potato and the yam are available fresh from October through March.
How to Select: When trying to choose a sweet potato, choose a medium sized variety
with smooth unbruised skin.
You will want to choose an unblemished yam with unwrinkled skin.
Storage: Store your sweet potatoes in a dry, dark 55 degree F (12 - 13
degrees C) area for approximately a month. Otherwise, use your sweet
potato within the week. Never place a sweet potato in the
refrigerator.
Store your yam in a cool, dark, dry place up to 2 weeks. Never place
your yam in the refrigerator.
Nutritional Qualities:
Sweet potatoes have high Vitamins A and C.
Yams have higher sugar content.
Wine Pairings:
Depending on what you are serving with your yams or sweet potatoes
and as to how you are preparing it, try a Chardonnay, a Fume Blanc, a
French Colombard or a Syrah.
Spices:
Brown sugar, butter, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin,
ginger, lemon juice, lemon peel, mace, marjoram, nutmeg, orange
juice, orange peel, poppy seed, sage, savory, thyme.
Equivalencies:
1 pound fresh = 3 medium = 3 ½ - 4 cups cooked and chopped
Preparation:
A sweet potato can be prepared like a potato: baked, boiled, sautéed,
steamed, microwaved, or fried.
A yam can be prepared like a sweet potato!
African Squash and Yams
6 Servings
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1 pound Hubbard squash, pared and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 yams, or sweet potatoes, pared & cut into 1" pieces
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Cook and stir onion in oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until
tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat.
Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Simmer, uncovered, stirring
occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer.
Source: Public domain recipes converted from Meal Master format
Orange-Glazed Sweet Potatoes
4 Servings
1-pound sweet potatoes
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4-tablespoon wheat germ
1-tablespoon margarine
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice potatoes about 1/8 inch thick; spread
evenly in an 8-inch square dish. Combine orange juice, brown sugar,
wheat germ, margarine, orange peel, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover dish
with foil or lid. Bake 1 hour, until potatoes are tender.
Source: Public domain recipes converted from Meal Master format
Sweet Potato Pie
8 Servings
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup Mashed, cooked sweet potatoes
3 lightly beaten eggs
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pie shell, unbaked
Cream butter and brown sugar in bowl until light and fluffy. Blend in
sweet potato and eggs. Add next 4 ingredients; mix well. Pour into
pie shell. Bake in a 425-degree oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to
325 degrees and bake 35 to 45 minutes longer or until well set.
Source: Public domain recipes converted from Meal Master format
This article was originally published at Suite 101.
Copyright 2001 Jennifer Wickes
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