The Sweet Potato vs. The Yam

It seems that most people get confused as to what is a sweet potato and what is a yam! In fact, in the United States, most people use both terminologies to refer to a sweet potato, when neither of these two vegetables is related! The sweet potato is found in tropical America and is a part of the Morning Glory family.

The yam is a tuber (a bulb) of a tropical vine found in Central & South America, as well as the West Indies, Africa and Asia.

Varieties There are mainly two varieties of sweet potato. The pale sweet potato has a very thin yellow skin with a bright yellow flesh. This variety is neither sweet nor moist, but more the texture of a white baking potato. The darker skinned sweet potato has a thicker orange skin with a sweet moist flesh.

The true yam is not marketed or grown widely in the United States. Where it is marketed, is usually in Latin American markets. A yam can be as small as a potato and can grow as large as 7 feet and weigh over 120 pounds! The flesh can range in color from off-white to yellow to pink to purple! The skin color can be from off-white to a dark brown.

Season Both the sweet potato and the yam are available fresh from October through March.

How to Select When trying to choose a sweet potato, choose a medium sized variety with smooth unbruised skin.

You will want to choose an unblemished yam with unwrinkled skin.

Storage Store your sweet potatoes in a dry, dark 55 degree F (12 – 13 degrees C) area for approximately a month. Otherwise, use your sweet potato within the week. Never place a sweet potato in the refrigerator.

Store your yam in a cool, dark, dry place up to 2 weeks. Never place your yam in the refrigerator.

Nutritional Qualities Sweet potatoes have high Vitamins A and C.

Yams have higher sugar content.

Wine Pairings Depending on what you are serving with your yams or sweet potatoes and as to how you are preparing it, try a Chardonnay, a Fume Blanc, a French Colombard or a Syrah.

Spices Brown sugar, butter, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, ginger, lemon juice, lemon peel, mace, marjoram, nutmeg, orange juice, orange peel, poppy seed, sage, savory, thyme.

Equivalencies 1 pound fresh = 3 medium = 3 1/2 - 4 cups cooked and chopped

Preparation A sweet potato can be prepared like a potato: baked, boiled, sautéed, steamed, microwaved, or fried.

A yam can be prepared like a sweet potato!

Recipes

African Squash and Yams

6 Servings

1 onion, chopped 2 tablespoons oil 1 pound Hubbard squash, pared and cut into 1-inch pieces 2 yams, or sweet potatoes, pared & cut into 1" pieces 1 cup coconut milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Cook and stir onion in oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Source: Public domain recipes converted from Meal Master format

Orange-Glazed Sweet-Potatoes

4 Servings

1 pound sweet potatoes 3/4 cup orange juice 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/4 tablespoon wheat germ 1 tablespoon margarine 2 tablespoons grated orange peel 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice potatoes about 1/8 inch thick; spread evenly in an 8-inch square dish. Combine orange juice, brown sugar, wheat germ, margarine, orange peel, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover dish with foil or lid. Bake 1 hour, until potatoes are tender.

Source: Public domain recipes converted from Meal Master format

Sweet Potato Pie

8 Servings

1/2 cup softened butter 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup Mashed, cooked sweet potatoes 3 lightly beaten eggs 1/3 cup corn syrup 1/3 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 pie shell, Unbaked

Cream butter and brown sugar in bowl until light and fluffy. Blend in sweet potato and eggs. Add next 4 ingredients; mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake in a 425-degree oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake 35 to 45 minutes longer or until well set.

Source: Public domain recipes converted from Meal Master format

For more information about the difference between sweet potatoes and yams, please go to Home Cooking hosted at About.com. http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/aa112497.htm

Or, try some of Suite 101's other editor's articles! "Cooking With Grandma" by Vaudie E. Harrison http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/cooking_with_grandma/21156

This article was originally published at Suite101.com: http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/cooking_with_the_seasons/82898

Jennifer Wickes may be contacted at http://home.comcast.net/~culinaryjen/Home.html CulinaryJen@comcast.net . Click here to view more of their articles. Jennifer A. Wickes is a freelance food writer, researcher and cookbook reviewer. She has written several eBooks, and has had several articles and recipes in printed publications. She is working on her first cookbook.