Sweet potatoes are yummy to eat. Plus, they taste delicious without any added sugars. Sweet potatoes are relatively easy to steam. You can mash them, bake them, put them in a stew, or cooking using vapor from boiling water. There are many modes of steaming sweet potatoes: use of a microwave, rice cooker, steamer, etc. Use of steam cuts down on your cooking time while maintaining the nutritional value of the sweet potatoes. Pair up your sweet potatoes with tea or coffee for the perfect morning breakfast.
They contain rich nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, and fiber, which can help you remain healthy as you lose weight too for those who wish to cut on their height. They are functional low-glycemic foods that do not cause an immediate increase in the levels of blood sugar, further aiding maintain weight productively. The abundant water content makes it possible for weight loss.
The health benefits of sweet potatoes are surprisingly overwhelming. Some include: losing weight as we’ve seen above, boosting immunity, helping in digestion, treating asthma and bronchitis, and controlling diabetes. They also help to treat arthritis and stomach ulcers.
How to Steam Sweet Potatoes in a Steamer Basket
- Add 1-2 inches of water into the bottom of your steamer.
- Place unpeeled sweet potatoes into the steamer basket.
- Cover the steamer using a tight-fitting lid and let the water boil.
- Steam the sweet potatoes for 15-20 minutes until they become tender.
- Remove them when they are ready, serve, and eat.
Since you are steaming unpeeled sweet potatoes, ensure you clean them very thoroughly. The jackets of the sweet potatoes usually contain a lot of soil. Some people consume them with their skin, and that is why this is essential. Many don’t know the importance the jackets serve – they are rich in fiber and also enhance their unique flavor. We all know how fiber helps our bodies, right? It helps in managing our levels of blood sugar and cholesterol, among other benefits.
If not this way, there is another way.
- Take a knife and cut off the sweet potato’s ends. Use a peeler to scrape off the outer skin.
- Cut the potato into 3 or 4 big cubes. Maintain similar sizes for even cooking.
- Put a steamer tray in the bottom of a deep pot with about 2 cups of water under it. You may use a rack to raise the steamer tray above the waterline.
- Add your cubed sweet potatoes in the steamer tray.
- Cover the pot using a lid and boil the water over high heat. Afterward, reduce the heat to medium heat and cook the potatoes for 10-20 minutes until they soften. Use a fork or knife to inspect if they have cooked fully.
- Remove them from the heat, allow them to cool a bit then serve.
Steaming Sweet Potatoes in Microwave
- Poke the jacket of the sweet potato (cleaned) about 5-8 times around using a fork or knife. It is essential in letting steam escape to prevent the potato from blowing up in the microwave.
- Wrap the sweet potato using a wet paper towel. It assists in preserving moisture; hence the spud doesn’t dry out.
- Place it on a microwave-proof plate and heat over mid-high heat for 4-6 minutes. Cooking time varies to how large the sweet potato is. If it is a bit hard, microwave for another approximately 3-5 minutes until it softens, flip the sweet potato over so that all sides heat evenly. Check if it is done by pricking using a fork or knife – slides in with ease if ready.
- Please remove it from the microwave, unwrap it, allow cooling for a few minutes, serve, and eat.
Steaming Sweet Potatoes in Rice Cooker
- Put sweet potatoes in the inner pot of the rice cooker.
- Add ½ cup (1-2 inches of water), cover with a lid and let it boil.
- Steam them for 20-30 minutes until thoroughly cooked.
- Remove them; allow cooling for a few minutes and serve.
Facts about Steamed Sweet Potatoes
- For the perfect steamed sweet potatoes, always go for the smaller ones rather than, the larger ones with even, unbruised jackets.
- You can revive your sweet potatoes into something relatively new, i.e., can be mashed like regular potatoes or even made into chips. Grating a steamed sweet spud would be a perfect way to transform it into mashed, cooked sweet potatoes. You can also use them as salads in other foods. What a delicious combination!
- Most people prefer storing their foods in refrigerators. However, for sweet potatoes, it is best storing them at a reasonably low-temperature dark place. Fridges have cold temperatures, which could result in some hardness and loss of taste in the sweet potatoes.
- These potatoes go very well with meats such as ham, pork – some saltiness balancing the sweetness, and fruits such as lemon wedges, oranges, pineapples, etc. They are vibrant, and pairing them with these ingredients makes them even more eye-appealing.
Last thoughts
There is no easy recipe for cooking sweet potatoes. With steaming, you require less or no effort. They are delicious to gobble up at any moment and full of nutritional value to our bodies that is endless.
Firstly, they are of high importance to our eyes and skin. They contain a nutrient – vitamin A which prevents eye dryness and night blindness. For people who love flawless skin, sweet potatoes are here for you. They naturally make your skin glow with nutrients such as vitamin C and vitamin E, which are suitable for the skin. Surprisingly, you can also make a face mask using it.
Secondly, they are suitable for the growth of our bodies, especially for children. Thirdly, they are rich in fiber, which helps digestion. The list goes on and on. Switching from eating loaves as breakfast to sweet potatoes is not that bad after all. Try it out and have miracles happening to your body.
