Crispy Sweet Potato Chips
过年馋嘴小零食 红薯脆片 玉兰片 · pan chinese cuisine
The author tasted this snack years ago, asked around for the rough recipe, and failed to recreate it until a flash of inspiration finally made it work this year. The result is shatteringly crisp — exactly the flavor remembered. The key is using low-starch, non-mealy sweet potatoes with more moisture.
Kwame BoatengGhanaian-American guy learning to recreate my mom's groundnut soup and jollof without calling her every time. Currently obsessed with getting smoky flavor on a stovetop.Nutrition & allergens
No supported allergens detected from surveyed ingredients.
Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.
Per serving (4 servings)
- Energy (kcal)
- 1506.2(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
- Protein (g)
- 18.4(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
- Fat (g)
- 2.5(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
- Carbs (g)
- 352.8(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
- Sodium (mg)
- 826.9(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.
gan shu （ hong xin ）［ shan yu 、 hong shu ］甘薯（红心）［山芋、红薯］
88.18 oz — use a moist, low-starch variety, not a mealy one
White- glutinous rice powder白糯米粉
44.09 oz
to taste
baking soda小苏打
0.18 oz
Techniques you'll use
- Steaming ↗
Cook with moist vapor for tender, clean-tasting results.
- Deep-frying ↗
Cook food fully submerged in hot oil for crisp crust and moist interior.
Steps
Boil a pot of sweet potatoes. Choose a variety that is moist and juicy rather than high in starch. Alternatively, peel, slice, and steam them instead.
✅ Done when: The sweet potatoes are fully cooked and tender all the way through.
- 2
Step 2
Once cooked, peel the sweet potatoes and mash them with a spatula until no lumps remain.
✅ Done when: The mash is completely smooth with no visible pieces or lumps.
- 3
Step 3
Add white sugar to the mashed sweet potato. If the sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, use less sugar — adjust to taste. Too much sugar will make the pieces stick together during frying.
✅ Done when: The sugar is fully mixed in and the mash tastes pleasantly sweet but not overly so.
- 4
Step 4
Add the glutinous rice flour. Sweet potato starch was tested, but the fried result was slightly hard; glutinous rice flour gives a crisper result.
✅ Done when: The flour is incorporated evenly into the sweet potato mash.
- 5
Step 5
Add just a little baking soda — it makes the chips lighter and crisper.
✅ Done when: The baking soda is evenly distributed through the mixture.
- 6
Step 6
Knead into a dough, slightly softer than noodle dough. Sweet potato varieties differ, so adjust the amount of flour as needed. Shape it so it holds its form.
✅ Done when: The dough holds together and keeps its shape when formed.
- 7
Step 7
Shape the dough into logs, like rice cake (nian gao) sticks.
✅ Done when: The dough is formed into even, uniform logs that hold their shape.
Steam the logs (or boil them). Steam for about 20 minutes. On the first attempt they were boiled for 20 minutes, but boiling loses much of the sweetness. The logs puff up while steaming, so leave adequate space between them.
✅ Done when: After about 20 minutes the logs are cooked through and have puffed up.
- 9
Step 9
Sun-dry the steamed logs for 1 to 2 days until they are completely hard.
✅ Done when: The logs feel completely hard and dry to the touch.
- 10
Step 10
Cut into thin slices and sun-dry for about 3 more days, until mostly dried.
✅ Done when: The slices are dry and no longer soft or moist.
Check the oil temperature, then drop in a small handful of slices to deep-fry. Start with high heat; once the slices float, reduce to low heat.
✅ Done when: The slices puff up and float to the surface of the oil.
- 12
Step 12
Fry to the point shown, then drain the oil and let the chips cool before eating.
✅ Done when: The chips are golden and crisp, and have cooled enough to eat.