Someone was recently extolling the virtues of eating kamote (sweet potato) as a “health food” what with its low glycemic index and possible “windy” side effects notwithstanding… So today I decided to make some kamote chips rather than potato chips and turned out really, really nice. Of course you couldn’t call these “healthy” after a deep fry in a lard/vegetable oil, but they are probably better than most packaged snacks for sale in the grocery…
All you need is mandoline or slicer that can make lots and lots of nearly paper thin slices of kamote in a few minutes. Heat up some vegetable oil or a mixture of vegetable oil and lard in wok or frying pan, and cook the kamote in small batches until just lightly colored and crisp. Drain on paper towels or manila paper and toss with some fine sea salt. That’s it.
Yes, that’s all there is to it. And they are totally addictive. You could easily eat a small bowl full by yourself, but that would only translate to one medium sized whole kamote!
I’m sure there is an ideal frying temperature for these type of chips, but we didn’t bother to measure it with a thermometer, just did it by look and feel.
It’s very humid these days so I wonder if these chips will last more than a couple of days or so before they get soggy. Maybe one has to double fry them to make them really crisp and long-lasting. But I think we will have trouble setting some aside to test if they stay crisp, because everyone in the house is munching on them right now… :)
P.S. We just made another batch of kamote chips, but tried drying the thin slices in the hot sun for an hour first before frying… the results? Disgusting. Don’t try before frying… I think the natural moisture is good and reacts well with the hot fat to yield better results… :)
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Hi MM, amazing how i have been wondering these past weeks how to make this well. Now i see it here. Thanks!!! Kids were craving for the ones they serve at Park Avenue Desserts in Magallanes, and so they each had 2 full servings last night.
I tried a brand of camote chips from the north, which were sweetish, not salty like potato chips. They’re more like thinly sliced and crunchy camotecue, which I prefer. I totally forgot the brand, but if making camote chips, I think I would like to try the sweet kind :) Most probably coated in sugar before going into the oil.
This appears to be the white variety? I prefer the orange or purple kinds, and that would totally make pictures look different too :)
Leave some for me, please;)))
Ah, miss the days when I dug sweet potatoes to be boiled for merienda. The best variety for me was what my Inang called “native”, they’re orange-ish in colour when cooked.
i love camote chips, when i was a kid, i super love the sugary ones the same way that i love gabi ancakes. i once collapsed while on the process of “slicing” the camote thinly. i used a vegetable peeler, and i accidentally peeled a finger… nowadays, plain chips would suffice and i am way more careful…
:)
MM, are the “windy” side effects in full motion right now? The answer my friend is “Blowin in the Wind”. The answer is “Blowin in the Wind”.
MM, will it yield a different result if I use a deep fryer than a wok? How long do you think it will last? I’m thinking I can give this for Christmas. Thanks MM!
Camote? Oh Thoughtful!
My son loves camote too specifically the orange variety and when I do this, I first put the thinly sliced chips in a bowl of iced water for 20 mins then pat dry and fry it in batches.I was told this extra step removes the extra starch and makes the chips crispier.
Have you come across the Philips air fryer? they say it’s deep frying without the oil and uses the rapid air technology but isn’t it the same as a convection oven or the turbo broiler?
I used to buy camote chips from the Eco Store in Serendra, BHS..it’s honey dipped and crispy but very oily. Thanks for sharing another Pinoy favorite(: It looks awesome!
we’ve recently replaced potato with camote for some of our dishes – picadillo, beef or pork nilaga,etc. even croquetas!
your chips look very good, but i’m too lazy to fry these days. MM, have you seen the violet camote (not ube, but real camote).they make very pretty chips. also try frying cassava chips.
Betchay…soaking it in water first really removes the extra starch. The same procedure applies to making french fries. I think that double frying also produces a much crisper product. So, taking the time to soak it first, pat dry with paper towels, double frying is really worth the effort esp. if you intend to give it away at Christmas, Millet. For variety, try the purple ones, Millet, and make some yam chips as well (the orange ones) so you’ll end up with tri-colored sweet potato chips in your gift bags!
MM…have you seen the taste test they did on TV about the baked and fried potato chips of known and unknown brands? You would think that the known brand would win hands down…wrong! A Cape Cod brand of BAKED potato chips was preferred by CI . It had the properties of what a potato chip is supposed to be only it is baked! I haven’t seen that brand over at regular grocery chain stores. I will check it out over at Whole Foods sometime this week.
@ Millet, Croquettes, that’s one delicious dish Marketman hasn’t regaled us with yet. Mother did it with mashed potato and the usual dip in the beaten eggs and then a roll in the bread crumbs. The object of recycling was always something we have seen before that we did not want to see again in the same form, usually flaked cheap fish or shrimps.
In Brazil they have a similar dish shaped into half moons but made out of choux paste. Filled with shrimps but otherwise same final treatment before frying though they turn out absolutely greasy, hence even more delicious.
Lee, your comment wasn’t lost on me…”windy”… :-)..hmm, I was just munching on a bag of plain banana chips..is that also “windy”?
Wow, we, Filipinos, are very resourceful. innovative and ingenious. Thank God we have you stirring our mind to do fo things and further improve our lives.
I’ve never tried kamote chips but just looking at your pictures make my mouth water. Besides, I love ALL kinds of chips, so I’m sure I’d love these too!
It’s funny though how an effort to be healthy (low GI) is offset by the deep frying in lard. hehe
I will choose sweet potato fries over regular French fries anytime. This seems to be the food fad here now. Sooner or later, the restaurants here would probably offer Camote Ques and claim that as something innovative. If only they knew………. (-:
Wonderful! Thanks MM. This is a good paleo snack before and after my 20 miler.
Footloose, “croquettes” or similar style preparation, here. :)
Thanks, MM! I always thought they needed to be dehydrated first before frying. Your preparation is similar to making durian chips. Young durian slices, deep-fried … Some are baked after frying. A warning re the ‘windy’ effect is always appreciated, it gives one time to run for cover … hahaha!
timely post–i have some camote hanging around the house.
i remember back in the day when we would cut up camote, fry these, and sprinkle them with sugar. ;-)
@Marketman, completely blanked out on that post and it was even my favourite version. Must have been the caipirinhas. I tell you, alcohol takes its toll.
For sweet potato lovers, a savory version…and no deep frying:
https://www.justasdelish.com/roasted-sweet-potato-stacks/?utm_source=scribol.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=scribol.com
MM… shoe- string cut style also works, especially with
big camotes, piled high like a teepee spinkled with a little salt
Or a mix of sugar and a hint of cinnamon powder…
Eileen C, yes, I have done that with a mandoline as well… :)
Trader Joe’s sells multicolored potatoe chips in big bags, it also included some taro and cassava chips.
Kamote is one of the things I do not eat knowingly, but purple or orange kamote chips fried to a crisp and salted to perfection MAY be something I will put in my mouth. Uyab will need to get me a bain-whatever (what do you call that again, that Japanese mandoline?) soon, since she loves kamote.
PITS – Durian chips! I love these, but usually buy my stash at MBK during trips. Never thought they use unripe ones. The things I learn everyday!
One of the things my mom used to make when we were kids: a corned beef “terrine”. It’s alternating layers of corned beef (sauteed in a but of oil), shoe-string style kamote and/or potatoes, and sauteed white onions. Needless to say, I don’t get the shoe-string layer when I see kamote peels in the garbage can =P
I used to dislike kamote as a kid. I’d always take the banana cue over the kamote cue. But, I’ve discovered its virtues here in the States of all places, rather than the Philippines. I’ve routinely replaced potatoes with kamote in such quintissential Pinoy comfort foods as menudo, afritada, bulalo, etc, and I found it to be a great substitute with a sweetish twist to the dishes. And gram per gram, it’s considered the best of all veggies in terms of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and others according to Men’s Journal, who would’ve known. For those involved in trying to combat malnutrition, look into this very inexpensive commodity rather than going fancy
good day! i would like to ask the recipe for the camote chips. thank you.