Our Food Editor Ntwenhle Gcabashe shows you how to impress with these simple sweet potato dishes.
1. Sweet Potato & Chives Pancake
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves: 2
- ½ cup sweet potato, cooked and mashed
- ½ cup fresh chives, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup self-raising flour, sifted
- 2 tablespoons castor sugar
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1½ cup (375ml) milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 tablespoons butter
- Sour cream, for serving
- Fresh watercress leaves, for serving
- Cherry tomatoes, for serving
- Avocado slices, for serving
- Pomegranate seeds, for serving
- Mix sweet potato and chives in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add flour, sugar, cheese, milk and egg. Mix to form a thick batter.
- Heat butter in a frying pan. Spoon and spread batter. Cook for 4–5 minutes on each side.
- Serve with sour cream, watercress leaves, cherry tomatoes, avocado slices and pomegranate seeds.
2. Sweet Potato Stuffed With Mince
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, halved and baked
- 2 cups minced meat
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) oil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 cup bacon, chopped
- ½ cup (125ml) tomato passata
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
- Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
- Sweet chilli sauce, for serving
- Heat oil and fry garlic and bacon until fragrant.
- Add minced meat, and fry for 8–10 minutes or until browned.
- Add tomato passata, and season with salt and pepper. Place on top of sweet potato halves. Sprinkle with cheese.
- Serve with coriander and chilli sauce.
SEE ALSO: 7 chicken recipes to enjoy with your family
3. Sweet Potato & Chicken Bake
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 2–3
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, thinly sliced
- 4 boneless chicken breasts, chopped
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) oil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 medium leek, chopped
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed
- 1 cup (250ml) cream
- 1 cup (250ml) milk
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- Fresh chives, for serving
Preheat oven to 180˚C.
- Heat oil and fry garlic until fragrant.
- Add leek, chicken and sweet corn. Cook for 14–15 minutes or until cooked through.
- Add cream and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture into oven dish. Top with sweet potato slices. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes. Sprinkle chives and serve.
4. Sweet Potato Crisps
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 4–5 minutes
Serves: 2–3
- 3 large sweet potatoes, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Oil, for frying
- Pepper, for serving
- Mix sweet potatoes and cayenne pepper in a bowl.
- Heat oil in a pan. Fry sweet potatoes for 4–5 minutes or until golden.
- Sprinkle with pepper, and serve immediately.
SEE ALSO: 3 tropical pawpaw dishes
5. Double Layer Cake
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Serves: 10
- 1 cup sweet potato, cooked and mashed
- 1½ cup self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch ground cinnamon
- Pinch salt
- 1 cup castor sugar
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 3 eggs, beaten
- ½ cup (125ml) milk
Frosting
- 1 cup (250ml) fresh cream, whipped
- 4 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted
- Icing sugar, for dusting
- Fresh cherries, for serving
- Preheat oven to 180˚C.
- Sift flour, bicarbonate, cloves, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
- Add sugar, nuts and sweet potato. Mix well.
- In a jug, whisk eggs and milk. Pour over sweet potato mixture, and mix well. Spoon into a lightly greased baking tin. Bake for 50–55 minutes, and set aside to cool down.
- Cut cake into two layers.
- For frosting, mix cream and sugar until smooth. Spread on each layer of cake, and place back together.
- Dust with icing sugar and serve with fresh cherries
