Japanese Sweet Potatoes to PERFECTION; Bonus recipes - Cake and Caramel

We have some friends who taught us how to make sweet potatoes the very BEST way without adding anything to it and I can not go back to eating them any other way.  Do yourself a favor and try these out - you WON'T be sorry!!!

This can be done with any type of sweet potatoes but the japanese sweet potatoes come out like pound cake 😋  This works best in an Instant Pot but if you only have a steamer pot, that is fine too.

Sweet Potatoes to PERFECTION

4 or more japanese sweet potatoes, or any kind
Instant pot or steamer pot
9x9 square casserole dish

Peel and rinse sweet potatoes.  Place in an instant pot on the rack that comes with the pot.

Add a cup to a cup and a half of water to the pot.  Set it on manual for 16 minutes (assuming these are roughly 3 inches thick.  If they are small or skinny go with 13).

Preheat oven to 375.

When the instant pot is done, carefully remove the potatoes and place them in the casserole dish.  Pour the water from the pot into the dish.  Bake in the oven for an hour.

After an hour the sweet potatoes should be lightly browned.  This is the delicious caramelized outside.  As you allow them to cool the liquid gels up slightly and makes a nice glaze for the potatoes.

Sweet Potato Caramel

You could use more like 2 cups of water, use 1 cup for the baking process and reserve the other cup to make a Sweet Potato Caramel.  Just pour it into a small pot and cook on low until thick.  You can use this on desserts or as a sweetner for a hot beverage.

Sweet Potato Cakes

When you have leftover sweet potatoes, the best way to reheat them is in the air fryer or oven.  Just mash it down into a patty and place it on parchment paper in the air fryer for 8 minutes on 370.  You can flip and toast the other side for a few minutes if you want but it's not necessary.  In the oven, it should take 20 minutes on 400.