Sweet potato is a highly nutritious food. It is rich in low digesting carbs, and essential nutrition that makes it a healthy super food. Though there are several ways to cook it, microwave is one of the simplest, and quickest means to eat it. With this method, you can enjoy this delicious food in endless varieties with a different taste every single time.
Can I Microwave a Sweet Potato?
Health experts believe the best way to cook any food is the one in which the cooking time is less. Such method helps in preserving maximum nutrition in the food. Microwave is one such easy cooking solution.
With this procedure, you can cook your sweet potatoes in just 5-7 minutes. Whether it is boiling, steaming or frying, it results in loss of some nutrients. However, when you bake it in a microwave, then it conserves far more nutrients such as folate, vitamin C, and vitamins A in it. To get the maximum benefits from microwaving method, you need to learn the right procedure to perform it.
How much time does it need to ensure safe cooking in microwave?
In general, a large-sized sweet potato takes near about 10 minutes to cook a single sweet potato in a microwave. If you are cooking several sweet potatoes, then add 5 more minutes of baking time for each additional sweet potato.
Instructions to bake a sweet potato in a Microwave
- Start by cleaning your sweet potato in fresh running water. Pat them dry.
- Do not peel the skin of sweet potato, as there contains the maximum nutrition. As we are eating it with the skin, it makes it important to clean its skin thoroughly.
- Pierce its skin, or poke small holes into it using a fork. Make 6 to 8 cuts throughout the area. It is very important for two reasons:
- It ensures uniform, and quick cooking of a sweet potato, and
- Sweet potato gets heated quickly in a microwave. The steam that is produced gets collected below its skin, and in its flesh. If you do not make any holes in its skin to let the steam escape from it, then it can cause your potato to even explode in the microwave.
- Once you have made holes, you will now need to wrap it for cooking. To do this, you will take a full-size paper napkin. Make it wet by applying a little water. Now remove the excess water from it. Keep the napkin flat on the microwavable plate. Now keep the sweet potato in the middle of the napkin and cover it from all sides. This damp napkin will create a steaming effect during microwaving the potato, keeps it moist, and also prevents it from getting shrink.
Note: Don’t use metal foil, or aluminum foil to microwave it as it can lead to spark. It is a fire hazard for you as well as your microwave.
- Now keep the microwave plate in the microwave. Choose the cooking time. It depends on the sweet potato size. Medium to large-sized potatoes takes anywhere between 8-10 minutes to get completely cooked.
- If you like its skin a little crispy, then bake your potatoes for 5 to 6 minutes. Now unwrap them and transfer them to a baking dish sheet. Bake it in a pre-heated oven to around 400 °F for another twenty minutes.
- When your sweet potatoes are properly cooked, as you want them to be, then remove it from the microwave. Be very careful while doing this task, as both the plate, as well as the potato will be hot. Check how well it is cooked by sticking a knife in its center. If it is soft inside, then it indicates that it has cooked properly, else you need one more minute for the cooking. A properly cooked potato will look fluffy inside, and moist outside.
- Let your potatoes cool. Discard the paper napkin. Your sweet potato is ready to be served.
- If you want to eat it later, then wrap it in aluminum foil. It will preserve the warmth of your sweet potato for a longer time. Do it as soon as it comes out of the microwave. This will help you preserve as much heat as possible.
Also read: Can You Reheat Baked Potatoes?
Conclusion
Several people are anxious about the safety of using microwave oven. As per the World Health Organization, when sweet potato is prepared as per the manufacturer’s instructions, then microwave is not just safe, but also retains nutrient in it.