Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes

拔絲番薯

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — finished dish

Total time: 40 min
Difficulty: Advanced
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Fried sweet potato chunks receive a thin caramel shell with a soft centre.

01

Ingredients

Main ingredients

500 g sweet potatoes

Caramel

100 g sugar
30 ml water

Frying oil

700 ml cooking oil

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — ingredients

02

Tools

kitchen knife
cutting board
mixing bowl
measuring spoons
measuring jug
deep heavy pot
long-handled skimmer
frying thermometer
wok
spatula
serving plate

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — tools

03

Steps

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — Wash and peel sweet potatoes

Step 1

Wash and peel sweet potatoes

Wash and peel sweet potatoes.

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — Cut into even two-centimetre chunks

Step 2

Cut into even two-centimetre chunks

Cut into even two-centimetre chunks.

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — Dry surfaces thoroughly with clean kitchen paper

Step 3

Dry surfaces thoroughly with clean kitchen paper

Dry surfaces thoroughly with clean kitchen paper.

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — Grease the serving plate with a little frying oil

Step 4

Grease the serving plate with a little frying oil

Grease the serving plate with a little frying oil.

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — Fill pot no more than halfway with oil; heat to 160°C

Step 5

Fill pot no more than halfway with oil; heat to 160°C

Fill pot no more than halfway with oil; heat to 160°C.

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — Fry sweet potato in two batches, six to eight minutes each until tender

Step 6

Fry sweet potato in two batches, six to eight minutes each until tender

Fry sweet potato in two batches, six to eight minutes each until tender.

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — Lift out and drain; cut one piece to check the centre is cooked

Step 7

Lift out and drain; cut one piece to check the centre is cooked

Lift out and drain; cut one piece to check the centre is cooked.

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — Put sugar and 30 ml water in a clean wok over medium-low heat

Step 8

Put sugar and 30 ml water in a clean wok over medium-low heat

Put sugar and 30 ml water in a clean wok over medium-low heat.

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — Cook to pale amber, swirling gently; never touch or taste hot caramel

Step 9

Cook to pale amber, swirling gently; never touch or taste hot caramel

Cook to pale amber, swirling gently; never touch or taste hot caramel.

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — Turn off heat immediately; add cooked potato and toss quickly to coat thinly

Step 10

Turn off heat immediately; add cooked potato and toss quickly to coat thinly

Turn off heat immediately; add cooked potato and toss quickly to coat thinly.

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — Transfer to oiled plate and separate pieces with spatula, never bare hands

Step 11

Transfer to oiled plate and separate pieces with spatula, never bare hands

Transfer to oiled plate and separate pieces with spatula, never bare hands.

Caramel Coated Sweet Potatoes — Let caramel cool until safe to eat; serve while the thin shell stays crisp

Step 12

Let caramel cool until safe to eat; serve while the thin shell stays crisp

Let caramel cool until safe to eat; serve while the thin shell stays crisp.

Common mistakes

Wet potato splatters in oil; dark brown caramel tastes bitter.

Tips

Remove pale amber caramel from heat; residual heat darkens it. Oil and caramel cause severe burns; keep children away and never add water to hot oil or caramel.