Baked Sweet Potatoes

Posted by bbleungbb (768 days ago)

I want to prepare plain baked sweet potatoes as lunch substitute. Could anyone please tell me how to do this with a desk-top oven, i.e. at what heat setting, bake for how long and do I need to wrap the potatoes during the course of baking? Thanks.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

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Posted by Claire (767 days ago)

It's really the same as for baking "ordinary" potatoes.

Pre-heat the oven to 190C. Scrub the sweet potato first and then prick the skin. Bake till soft - for a small one, cook for about 30 minutes; a larger one can take up to 60 minutes. You can cook it in foil, no mess to clean up from any escaping moisture, but it's not necessary to actually wrap them.

Don't forget you can also bake a few at home and freeze them wrapped in freezer bags or foil.

And don't forget you can also microwave them.

For a slightly quicker, but perhaps a little less healthy, alternative to baked, make wedges.

Scrub the sweet potato. Take half (for one person if an accompaniment) and cut into wedges. Toss them in about 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp of thyme leaves then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stick them in the oven (btw, place them on foil to avoid a mess) and cook for about 15-20 minutes, I usually turning then once, till lightly browned.

Alternatively, buy some of the ready-baked frozen ones (from Taiwan, a well-known brand very popular in Japan). Defrost in the fridge in the morning and stick in the microwave for a few minutes. Of course this will be more expensive, if that's a concern.

(I am based in Unspecified)

Posted by bbleungbb (767 days ago)

Thanks very much Claire.

You mentioned about microwave. In fact I do have a microwave + browner. Will the 'grill' function of the microwave equivalent to the 'bake' with the conventional oven? Apart from the 'Grill' function key, there are also one-touch keys like:- roast chicken; roast beef; grill meat pieces etc. but no degree selection. Is the baking time more or less the same as the conventional oven? Can I use foil for this kind of microwave oven?

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Claire (766 days ago)

I really don't know if the "grill" will do the job because it might not get hot enough. If you use the grill, you can use foil in the oven.

To microwave the sweet potato, scrub it and prick the skin first. Wrap in a piece of paper towel. And microwave on high for 4 to 6 minutes (depending on size), turning it over once during that time. Add a little extra time if cooking more than one.

(I am based in Unspecified)

Posted by bbleungbb (766 days ago)

Thanks again Claire.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by crj (763 days ago)

Grill is more like a toaster...

(I am based in Beijing)

Posted by etnad (747 days ago)

An alternative to baking sweet potatoes is to wash and peel-off the skin with a peeler, slice 1/4 inches thick (be extra careful) line in a baking tray (dredge with salt or sugar, an option), and bake in a 200 degrees centigrade pre-heated oven for 20-30 minutes depending on how soft or a little crisp you want. Judging on looks, the potatoes are cooked if they pop up blisters on top or until they're golden brown. Easy, no mess of taking out the peel or unwrapping the foil prior to serving or eating.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by onefreespirit (746 days ago)

if you cook them in the micro wave don`t over cook them, they will get hard and inedible, after 5 minutes prick them with a fork to see if they are soft and cooked, if not only cook 2 minutes at a time and recheck, you can combine both conventional and microwave, 5 mins in the mic then in the oven for 15-20 mins unwrapped, this gives a nice crisp skin.

(I am based in Unspecified)

Posted by Molly in China (714 days ago)

I used to have one of those microwaves with a grill at the school I taught at when I first came to China. You can "bake" things, but you pretty much have to experiment with length of times. It can also be difficult to bake "thick" things, like a casserole or something in a pie dish, since there's no heat source from below the lower center tends to cook last while the top is meanwhile burning. I found it best for cookies or things you can turn over, like potatoes

(I am based in Guangzhou)