This fried sweet potatoes recipe is my vanlife version of the popular Filipino street food snack called camote-cue. When in the Philippines, you’ll see that there is no shortage of street vendors with their small wheeled-cart frying either bananas (banana-cue) or sweet potatoes (camote-cue) with brown sugar and serving them on a barbecue stick, thus the “cue” on their names. I remember looking forward to snacking on either banana-cue or camote-cue right after school when I was young. Since moving into our home on wheels, this sweet fried potatoes recipe has been a staple snack for my husband and I. It’s simple to make, filing and definitely satisfies my sweet-tooth cravings!

Camote-cue is usually deep-fried with brown sugar but as a vanlifer, deep frying is inconvenient. First, I have to think of storing the used oil for future use otherwise it will be thrown away. Second, cleaning up after deep frying is a daunting task so I opted for an easier option of pan-frying. Thirdly, imagine how long it’ll take for my small butane burner to heat up the oil?! Though made differently, this fried sweet potato snack is just as good, if not better, than the camote-cue I grew up eating!

Pro-tips:

To make sure that the sweet potatoes are cooked thoroughly, I first boil them before pan-frying. The amount of boiling time varies on the size of your sweet potatoes. For this recipe, I boiled 2 medium-size potatoes for 12 minutes. The best way to know when it’s done is by piercing with a knife or a fork to check for a softer texture.
Start by heating up your oil on medium-high heat to caramelize the sugar nicely then lower down to medium-low to continue cooking. This helps avoid burning the caramelized sugar as it tastes bitter.
The Filipino version doesn’t have cinnamon but I prefer adding a dash into the granulated sugar. I’ve made a batch where I added way too much cinnamon and that wasn’t good! For me, a dash is a perfect amount!
This is best enjoyed warm, so plan to make it when you are ready to snack-on!
For best caramelization on the sweet potatoes, dip one side first then fry and once you’re ready to flip the sweet potatoes, sprinkle the other side with a heap of sugar on top. Sugar dissolves easily and if you sprinkle it on top earlier than flipping, it will just dissolve and you won’t get the even caramelization later.

Fried Sweet Potatoes

Prep-Time: 20-30 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Equipment: shallow frying pan

Ingredients

2 medium-size sweet potatoes

1/3 c granulated sugar

dash of cinnamon powder

frying oil

Directions

Boil sweet potatoes for about 15 minutes or until tender. The boiling time can vary depending on the size of your sweet potatoes.
Once boiled, peel the skin off and slice in half-inch thickness.
Mix 1/3 cup of granulated sugar and a dash of cinnamon into a plate and place the sweet potato slices on top. Coat the flat surface with sugar evenly.
Place oil in the pan and heat to medium-high heat. Once ready, place the sugared side down touching the oil and fry for 2 minutes or until the sugar is brown and caramelized. To avoid burning the caramel, lower down the temperature and continue cooking.
Before flipping the sweet potatoes, sprinkle heaps of sugar on top and then flip to cook. Once the sugar is brown and caramelized, take the sweet potatoes out of the heat and into a plate!

I like making this fried sweet potatoes recipe for an afternoon pick-me-up snack! The soft texture paired with the crunch from the caramelized sugar hits the spot for me! It’s not only delicious but also filling enough to get me through the afternoon! Tag me when you get the chance to make this awesome snack @sweetsavorylife on Instagram! Cheers!