The two tubers are different in taste , texture , appearance , and origin , and used for different sweetheart .
Many people in the United States use the terms “ sweet potato ” and “ yam ” interchangeably . Both are genus Tuber but the similarities finish there ; yams and sweet murphy are not the same vegetables . What is sold as “ yam ” in American market stores , include the one you ’d employ to makecandied yam plant , are orange odoriferous potatoes .
Learn about what makes a yam different from a sweet potato .
Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are often sold as yams in grocery stores, but the two are different vegetables. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES / ATLASSTUDIO.
Yam vs. Sweet Potato
How Are Yams and Sweet Potatoes Different?
Besides being botanically different , yams and sweet-smelling potatoes have several other differences .
Origin
Sweet potatoes are native to Central and South America , while yam are native to Asia and Africa , the latter of which farm most of the humanity ’s supplying . “ One of the main differences is the bloodline , ” says Shayn Prapaisilp of Global Foods Market in Kirkwood , Missouri . “ Sweet Irish potato are a new cosmos food , so Central and South America . True yam have their origin in Africa , and they are found mostly and consume in West Africa and parts of East Asia . ”
Taste
Sweet potatoes are , well , fresh . True yams taste wholly dissimilar than sweet Irish potato — they have a more neutral , earthy spirit , are close to a russet potato , and are toxic if run through raw . “ When cooked , African yam are stiff and taste like a dryer dense potato , ” says Sola Ajao , pass chef and owner of Destiny African Market in Randolph , Massachusetts . “ African yam plant offer a unique penchant that is not sugary . ”
Texture
Sweet murphy have a gentle to firm grain with a creamy interior . yam are normally starchy and dry with a rough , jolting outer skin — it ’s often compared to tree bark . “ The skin of African yams have a very harsh texture , ” Ajao say . “ Once the inside is cooked , it softens but still maintain its figure . ”
Appearance
Dark - pare , orangeness - flesh sweet-smelling white potato vine are most coarse in the United States , but you ’ll also find smorgasbord with white or purple physique . Yams typically have browned or black skin with white flesh . angelical potatoes typically weigh less than a pound , while true yam are often much larger — they count up to 100 pounds and grow to over 6 feet in distance .
Thepurple yam plant Ubeis another case of starchy tuber in the yam menage . It has empurpled flesh and dark skin . aboriginal to Southeast Asia , it is pop in Filipino cooking .
Buying and Storing Yams and Sweet Potatoes
If you ’re shopping for dependable yams , your good bet is to head to a specialty grocery store or international grocery , particularly African and Asian grocery stores . When purchase yams or sweet potato , look for ones that are firm to the touch , and avoid any with blemishes or dark spots . “ The best indicator of a good yam is how it feels , ” Ajao says . “ When it is stalwart and toilsome to the touch , you have yourself a great yam plant . ”
Since yam have such a thick , barque - like skin , they will generally keep much longer than other fresh green groceries . But to maintain their impudence , Ajao recommends storing yams in a cool , juiceless environment out of direct light .
How to Cook with Yams
Since they do n’t have the sugary - sugared flavour of sweetened murphy , true yam should n’t be candied . alternatively , Prapaisilp recommends treat them like a conventional potato , such as a russet spud , versus a sweet potato . “A yam is almost like a russet potato , so it ’s much harder and will take a little bit more cooking time versus sweet Solanum tuberosum , which are creamy , ” he says .
Ajao recommendsfrying , boiling , orroastingyams , or using them in several traditional African recipes , include varieties of the iconic mantrap fufu . “ In Africa , there are many fun and delicious ways to prepare yam , such as pounded yam ( a nuanced fufu variant ) , yam plant porridge ( a heartwarming goody ) , and yam flour ( amala ) , the foundation for another variety show of fufu , ” she articulate .
How to Cook with Sweet Potatoes
gratifying potatoesare good for much more than just sugarcoat yam plant . Baking is one of the most democratic methods for cooking scented potatoes , but they ’re also easy to moil , electrocute , or pressure cook . assay a classicSweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping , simpleSweet Potato Brownies , or take them in a piquant guidance withSpicy Scalloped Sweet Potatoes .
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