Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the purple yams and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until they are soft and tender. Drain the water, peel the purple yams and mash them.
Are yams better baked or boiled?
Boiling may actually retain most of the antioxidant power of sweet potatoes, compared to roasting and steaming. … Baking can also cause an 80% drop in vitamin A levels, twice as much as boiling. Therefore, from a nutritional standpoint, boiling rather than baking should be recommended for cooking sweet potato.
Can you overcook yams?
The yams are done when you can pierce them easily with a knife. Avoid overcooking the yams because they will spend time cooking in the oven.
What is the healthiest way to cook yams?
Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods such as baking or frying. Up to 92% of the nutrient can be retained by limiting the cook time, such as boiling in a pot with a tightly covered lid for 20 minutes.
Can you overcook sweet potatoes in the oven?
You can bake or boil your sweet potatoes for sweet potato casserole. … If you’re boiling, make sure to cut your sweet potatoes into equal-size pieces so they cook at the same rate. (Another hot tip if you’re boiling your sweet potatoes: Don’t overcook them! They tend to absorb water, which could make the filling watery.)
Does steaming sweet potatoes remove nutrients?
The best ways to improve the bioavailability of beta-carotene is to steam or bake the sweet potatoes. … Boiling sweet potatoes is not recommended, as it can destroy many of the healthy compounds in this food. If you want to cook sweet potatoes quickly, steaming is the better option.