Soetpatats

Everyone has a favourite ‘patat resep’ in South Africa! Soetpatats (or sweet potatoes as they are called in English) are a staple in the Saffa household and for two very good reasons: they are highly nutritious and they are absolutely delicious too! With so many ways to make soetpatats, there seems to be a sweet potato recipe out there for everyone.

Some South Africans have fond memories of their ouma making oven roasted sweet potatoes the traditional Afrikaans way; loaded with sugar and cinnamon. Some have even tasted the American version which is also loaded with sugar and covered in a soft and delectable marshmallow topping. Others remember sweet potatoes done their mother’s way, with smoked paprika, cumin, and fennel. Then there’s even those that haul out their air fryer to whip up a batch of “healthier alternative” sweet potato crispy chips. There’s no right or wrong way to make sweet potatoes as they taste amazing every time!

With so many ways to make sweet potatoes, it’s always good to have a firm favourite South African sweet potato recipe or two up your sleeve. Whether you like your sweet potatoes savoury or sweet, we have just the recipe to share with you.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VT-ntw-B_U

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp-A8NMAaKY

 

Sweet potato recipe

Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Chips)

When it comes to finding a South African sweet potato recipe that’s a crowd pleaser, this one is it! Sweet potato chips are considered the healthier alternative to regular slap chips.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nxs88wcmBc

 

What you need to serve two:

• 2 large sweet potatoes (leave the skin on, but wash and scrub the potatoes).
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
• 1 and ½ tablespoons of red wine vinegar.
• 1 teaspoon of salt to taste.
• 1 teaspoon of Oregano.
• 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper.

 

What to do:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a baking or oven tray with foil.
• With the skin on, cut the sweet potatoes into thick slices and then cut each slice into a chip. Pay attention to the thickness, the thicker the chip, the less crispy it will turn out.
• In a bowl, mix the extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar together.
• Add the sweet potato chips to the bowl with the mixture and stir to ensure that all of the chips are well coated in the olive oil and vinegar mixture.
• Sprinkle your salt, oregano and pepper into the mixture and mix well once more to ensure that the potato chips are well coated.
• Spread the sweet potato chips onto the oven tray so that they form a single layer. They should not be lying on top of each other because they won’t be able to crisp up if they are.
• Bake the chips in the oven for around 15 to 20 minutes – until tender. It’s a good idea to let them cool for a few minutes as they can become a little crispier on cooling.

You can serve these as a side dish or as a snack with tomato sauce and mustard, or you could make your own tomato and chilli salsa for a bit of extra spiciness.

 

Ouma’s Sweet Potato with a Marshmallow Crust

For those who like the sweeter things in life, an old sweet potato with marshmallow crust recipe will do the trick for you. Here’s our favourite!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAmdGBgSxIo

 

What you need to serve eight:

• 5 sweet potatoes peeled and cut into cubes.
• 1 packet of marshmallows.
• 1/3 of a cup of sugar (brown sugar works best).
• ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
• ¼ teaspoon of ground allspice.

 

What to do:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
• Place your cubed sweet potatoes into a large pot, cover with water and boil them for around 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them as you want them just cooked, not overcooked.
• Once the soetpatats are cooked, move them onto a baking tray or oven dish and bake them for around 5 more minutes. Doing this dries the excess water out of the potato cubes so that your dish doesn’t turn out watery.
• Place the baked sweet potatoes into a bowl and mash them until they are smooth in texture.
• Add the ¼ teaspoon of allspice, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1/3 cup of brown sugar to the mashed potatoes and continue mashing until the sugar has dissolved and the seasoning is well mixed into the potatoes.
• Spoon the mashed sweet potatoes into a greased casserole dish and spread evenly.
• Layer the marshmallows on top evenly and then pop the dish into the oven for around 10 to 15 minutes. Bake until the marshmallows just start to brown and then switch the oven onto grill mode for 1 minute, so that the marshmallow crust can crisp up a bit.
• Serve this hot for the best hmm-hmm-hmm enjoyment.

Now that you know how to whip up a soetpatat delight, let’s talk “business” regarding your emigration.

 

Financial Advice When Emigrating From South Africa

If and when the time comes to emigrate from South Africa, financial matters are bound to play on your mind. You might wonder what the tax implications are if you work in another country or what the terms “financial emigration” and “tax emigration” actually mean. It’s also natural to worry about the funds that you have accumulated in your SA retirement annuity. How are you going to organize foreign currency before your move? All of these financial issues can be easily managed by our team of highly skilled and experienced consultants at FinGlobal. At FinGlobal, we offer professional advice and guidance on the emigration process and would like nothing more than to make the entire experience as enjoyable as a scoop of ouma’s marshmallow crust soetpatats for you. Get in touch with us so that we can streamline and simplify your financial and tax emigration from South Africa. Need more advice? Give us a call or send us an email today.