Just in time for your holiday meal planning I’ve got Spicy Glazed Sweet Potato with Sweet Potato Greens. Or are they yam greens? Or does it really matter?
I ask because one of my favorite things to order in Thai restaurants are morning glory greens that are stir-fried and doused in a spicy fish sauce. They’re so savory and addictive. I keep hoping I’ll run across the fresh version at the farmers market someday. If I do I’ll try to recreate that dish here on Sippity Sup.
However, I wonder if I’m waiting for nothing. Maybe the greens I seek are right under my nose.
The flowering vine known as morning glory is a member of the genus Ipomoea. Included in that genus are sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) and water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica). Both of these are common greens eaten the world over (though especially in Asian countries). Sweet potato greens make regular appearances at the Hollywood Farmers Market. Or are they yam greens?
Yams and sweet potatoes are different tubers from different genera (that’s the proper plural for genus I think). Years ago, when orange-fleshed sweet potatoes were introduced in the southern United States, producers and shippers thought they needed to distinguish them from the more traditional, white-fleshed potatoes. So the marketing geniuses settled on the name of a similar tuber known in Africa as nyami (of the Dioscorea genus). The word needed to be Americanized (of course?) and became yam. So, in this country at least, yams are actually sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) and have a moist texture and an orange (or sometimes white) flesh. Although the terms are generally used interchangeably, the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that the label “yam” always be accompanied by “sweet potato” (but not vice versa). This is probably what led to the confusion and has nothing to do with the spicy glazed sweet potatoes on a bed of sweet potato greens recipe I present here. It’s just some factual information I chose to include.
What I’m trying to get at is this. When I was at the Hollywood Farmers Market I saw greens that were labeled yam greens. I picked them up thinking I’d use them for the Thai-spiced morning glory greens (of the Ipomoea family) that I mentioned earlier. However, once I got home I discovered that the yams are not Ipomoea. So I balked, did I have verbally Americanized Dioscorea or governmentally mislabeled Ipomoea? It’s a huge conundrum.
So I took my queues from the season and roasted up some spicy glazed sweet potatoes and served them on a bed of sweet potato greens. I figure if I serve these greens with actual sweet potatoes there’s no denying that they’re sweet potato greens. Or does it really matter? GREG
I’ve never seen sweet potato greens in our markets but we do have morning glories and had no clue they were edible. The things you learn at Sippity Sup.
OK. This sounds terrific, and it really is quite beautiful. The colors are well, so “fall.” I adore sweet potatoes, and Bart loves both sweet potatoes and greens. How’s that for a marriage made in heaven?
I love sweet potatoes! This is such a great way to serve them 🙂
Sweet potato greens… who knew?? I haven’t seen these at the markets in San Diego, but I’ll have to look harder! I’m definitely intrigued.
Definitely going to be making these roasted sweet potatoes to accompany dinner tonight — they look and sound super delicious. Thanks for the great recipe!
I love this! We must be on the same wave length b/c I just did something similar with purple sweet potatoes, lemon & chili powder. I will be on the lookout for sweet potato greens at my FM tomorrow. Not sure I’ve ever had them — are they sweet? Bitter?
Mild. GREG
I was just reading about growing sweet potato greens! Super interesting, especially since I never knew they were edible before. I like how you’ve combined them with the potatoes themselves. Double sweet potato action!
I still don’t understand difference between yam and sweet potato, but sometimes I make a mistake and buy non-orange ones marked Japanese sweet potatoes and then I’m mad because their color does nothing for my dish. I do think greens and sweet potatoes are a natural together (color too).
Greg!! I have so much to high five you for right now. I just finished the recent Table Set episode and was blown away by your “cut the bottom off the pumpkin” idea! It’s Nov. 1st.…so I’ll try it next year! Also, I’ve never tried morning glory greens doused in spicy fish sauce — that needs to change. And this! THIS recipe is lovely. Really intrigued by those sweet potato greens.
When I was in Vietnam last year I had some morning glory greens and they were delicious. I’ve tried to find them all over Atlanta but my Chinese colleague said that they are banned from being grown in many areas because they’re so prolific. Anyway, love your take on spicy sweet potatoes.
Well, this was informative! I had no idea you could eat morning glory greens or sweet potato greens!! I love morning glories, but hubs won’t let me grow any because they are so invasive — maybe if he knows we can eat them!
Great discussion regarding sweet potatoes, greens et al. I’m intrigued by the greens, and I’ll be looking for them. Wonderful photos, BTW. Happy Halloween to you & yours!
Greg, I was intrigued by “served on a bed of sweet potato greens.” Then I saw that it was sweet potatoes being served. I’m pretty set in my ways about my way of preparing sweet potatoes, but I’m going to climb out of my rut for this one because I’m such a fan of greens. How did I miss this in Saveur?
Saveur just served the greens. I added a version of Diane’s potatoes on top. GREG