Naturally sweet and oh-so-crispy bits of fried sweet potatoes in the form of shoestrings are an exciting addition to any sandwich, wrap, or taco. Plus, after they’re fried, they can also be seasoned and turned into a stand-alone snack. No matter if you are vegan, vegetarian, or meat-loving, these fixings are loved by all.
Be on the lookout for a 1/8-inch matchstick blade attachment on a mandolin slicer (pictured down below), available online or any kitchen supply store. Matchsticks and shoestrings are both 1/8″ in width, the only difference being their lengths … matchsticks are short and shoestrings are long. The key to super successful shoestring fried sweet potatoes is to very briefly (1 minute) drop the yams into boiling water. Doing this gives them an initial cook on the exteriors. Then when you fry, the exteriors will get crispier as the interiors become tender.
A mandolin slicer allows for easy and safe slicing to make matchsticks. It comes with a nifty blade guard – be sure to use it!
Ingredients
• sweet potatoes
• canola oil
Instructions
- Bring to boil, a medium pot of water. Add a dash of salt. Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes.
- Using a matchstick slicer or a mandolin slicer (both pictured above), slice the sweet potatoes lengthwise.
- Drop the matchstick sweet potatoes into already-boiling water for just a minute, then transfer onto paper towels to dry. You don’t want them really wet when you fry.
- In a cast iron skillet fill canola oil to 3/4-inch deep and heat to frying temperature. Use one piece of sweet potato in the oil as a test – when it starts to sizzle the oil is ready.
- Fry the the sweet potatoes in batches until slightly browned on the edges. Be sure not to fill the pat too crowded. As each batch is done, transfer the fried sweet potatoes onto paper towels to blot.
Try these on pita with my Black-eyed Pea Dip with Roasted Garlic
Fried shoestring green plantains
Really, you could do this with any type of root vegetable … yucca, yautia, or potatoes. However, this works amazingly with green plantains, especially because they’re not so firm. I admit, you have to put in a little work when cutting sweet potatoes into shoestrings, and that does make it a little dangerous as your fingers get closer to the blades. With plantains … once they’re peeled, they glide with ease over the mandolin blades. Also, keep in mind that there is no need to precook the plantains in boiling water. Just drop them directly in the hot oil.
The same technique is used for green plantains, except there is no need for a brief boil. Just drop them directly into the hot canola oil.
