Potatoes may be considered a traditional side dish with various meat-based side recipes and other major entrees, but they can become quite monotonous after a while. If you’re weary of the same old potato sides, it’s time to try some delectable yams.
You can make a wonderful side dish quickly and efficiently with yams on your stovetop, regardless of the recipe you choose to explore. If you’re not sure how to start, this article will guide you through the right steps to take in order to obtain delicious results.
Yams Nutrition Facts
Tips for Cooking Yams on the Stove
Below are some really helpful tips that have been compiled to help you navigate your way through the process of cooking yams on the stovetop:
What are yams? – Essentially, yams are tuberous (rooty components of a climbing vine) plants with bark-like skin and orange flesh that is native to African and Asian regions. As a result, they tend to resemble sweet potatoes but these are, in truth, two different food items.
Yams versus potatoes – Despite the fact that they resemble and are sold similarly, yams and potatoes are two distinct root vegetables. Yams have a cylinder form, thicker and darker rough skin, and whiter meat than potatoes.
Sweet potatoes cannot grow as large as yams. Yams also have a higher carbohydrate content than sweet potatoes. As a result, when they’re cooked, they’ll need additional butter in the recipe. Also, yams tend to have a higher calorie content than sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes have a darker orange color, smoother skin, and a tubular shape with tapered ends. If you’re not from Africa, Asia, South America, or Oceania, you’re essentially buying sweet potatoes rather than yams.
Where to find yams – In case you see a “yam” in your local supermarket, it’s almost certainly a sweet potato. If you must buy actual yams, they typically can be found in specialty stores or foreign marketplaces.
Other ways to cook yams – Aside from the stovetop method of cooking yams, there are a number of other options to try for delicious results:
- Microwaving: To cook yams in the microwave, simply combine all of the ingredients needed in your recipe; do this in a medium microwave-safe bowl. To avoid splatters in your microwave, cover the bowl with a paper towel. (Do not use plastic wrap to close the container.) Microwave the yams on high for 1 minute, then remove, mix, and microwave for 1 minute at a time until thoroughly heated.
- Oven-baking: To bake yams, just combine all of the ingredients in a 1 to a 2-quart baking dish that you have sprayed with a nonstick cooking spray. Heat up your oven to 350°F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
- Slow cooking in a crockpot: To make yams in a crockpot, combine all of the ingredients in a small 2-quart crockpot that you should have coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cook the yams for 4 to 6 hours on a low setting.
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Cooking Time for Yams on the Stove
Find out the ideal cooking time for yams on the stovetop by looking through the timing guideline in the table below:
| Cooking procedure | Cooking time |
| Boiling yams on the stovetop | 10 to 15 minutes for moderately soft yams; 20 to 25 minutes for very tender results |
Boiled Yams (2 to 4 Servings)
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 g) of yams
- Water
- Dash salt
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- You’ll need 1 pound (450 g) of yams for this recipe. 2 medium yams are usually equal to 1 pound (450 g). Scrub them lightly with a clean produce brush; do this while running them under cold water. Remove the skin from the yams by rinsing them with cool water and peeling them with a vegetable peeler.
If you don’t have a vegetable peeler, you can also peel the skin off with a paring knife.
- After peeling the yams, clip away the ends as well as any present woody portions with a sharp knife. Next, cut the yams into bite-sized cubes, aiming for ½ to 1-inch cubes.
Make sure the yams are around the same size, no matter how big or little you chop them so that all the cubes can cook at the same time and speed.
- Fill a medium-sized pot with water halfway. The yams may normally be cooked in a 2-quart pot. Place the pot of water on the burner with a pinch of salt in it. Heat up the water at a high temperature for around 5 to 7 minutes, or until it reaches a full boil.
- Place the yam cubes in the pot once the water has reached a boil. Cover the pot with the lid after putting in the yam cubes.
- Cook the yams until they are soft on the outside but still firm in the center when pierced with a knife or fork. This entire process should take between 10 and 15 minutes.
Ideally, you should cook the yams for about 20 to 25 minutes if you want them to be very tender.
- Take the pot off the heat when the yams are as soft as you desire. Place a strainer in the sink and dump the yams into it in order to completely drain the water.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the boiling yams with 1 tablespoon of butter, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Toss the yams in the butter and salt until they are completely covered.
You can season the yams with whichever seasonings, herbs, or spices you want. Cinnamon is a popular choice, but you might prefer some spicy spices to balance out the yams’ natural sweetness. Cayenne pepper, paprika, and chili powder are all excellent spices to choose from.
- Transfer the yams to a dish or tray once they’ve been coated with butter and salt. Serve with roasted chicken, beef, pork chops, or delicate fish as a main dish.
This is definitely a recipe to try, and you can be guaranteed delicious flavors in your end results. If you’d like to see more ideas for cooking yams on the stovetop, then check out this video recipe.