Minatamis na Kamote, Filipino Sweet Potato in Ginger Syrup
Minatamis na kamote is the plainest kind of Filipino sweet: sweet potato simmered in syrup until it turns glossy and soft, eaten warm from the pot or cold from the refrigerator. The traditional syrup is muscovado or slab sugar; here blended dates do that work, sweetened further by the sweet potato itself, so the dish keeps its caramel character without any added sugar. Ginger and pandan give it fragrance, and the sweet potato's own starch thickens the syrup as it cooks. It costs almost nothing and keeps for days.
Ingredients
- 2 Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
- 5 Medjool dates, pitted, blended smooth with 2 cups (475 ml) water
- 1 tbsp Ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 Pandan leaf, knotted
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds, toasted
Method
- Blend the dates with 2 cups (475 ml) water into a thin syrup and pour it into a pot with the sliced ginger and knotted pandan leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer for 3 minutes so the ginger and pandan scent the syrup. Dates give the deep caramel sweetness that muscovado or panocha sugar usually would, with the fiber left in.
- Add the sweet potato chunks and simmer gently, uncovered, for 15 to 18 minutes, until they are fork-tender. Keep the simmer low so the pieces cook through without breaking apart into the syrup.
- As the sweet potatoes soften, some of their starch leaches into the liquid and thickens it on its own, so there is no need for any cornstarch. Let the syrup reduce until it is glossy and lightly clings to the chunks.
- Pull out the pandan leaf. Serve warm or chilled, spooned into bowls with a little of the syrup, and scatter toasted sesame over the top for a nutty finish.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 200 calories, 3 g protein, 5 g fiber, 25 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
