This Filipino kamote recipe for merienda is the easiest sweet potato snack served on skewers! Caramelized with brown sugar and deep fried for a total of seven minutes, this sugary treat is the perfect mid-day snack!
Sweet potato and brown sugar? Yes, please! This kamote recipe for merienda, or sweet potato recipe for a light meal or snack is the absolute sweet treat!
Deep fried with brown sugar and then served warm on bamboo skewers, it’ll be hard to stop eating at just one!
A popular street food item in the Philippines and a fun budget-friendly snack to share with anyone!
This post will go over everything you need to know to create this kamote recipe for merienda.
Recipe difficulty: Too easy…enough said!
So, how to cook kamote cue? It’s a lot easier than it sounds! Literally these sweet potato pieces fry in just seven minutes in oil and brown sugar. The trick is not to have the sugar overcook, otherwise these caramelized potato circles will start to taste burnt! Not good!
Sam’s Pro Tips for this Filipino Kamote Recipe for Merienda
Make Sure the Oil is Hot
We love our deep-fried snacks like our Perfectly Sweet and Crispy Filipino Turon Recipe | Fried Banana Rolls or our 3-Ingredient Filipino Banana Cue Recipe for Your Afternoon Snack!
To get these treats crispy and caramelized each time, the oil needs to be hot.
Use a high-smoke point oil, like canola oil, for even frying. Make sure you don’t overstuff your pan otherwise the temperature of the oil will drop.
A quick check if the oil is hot enough is to spritz some water on the oil, if it sizzles its ready!
Don’t Worry if the Kamote Circles are Uneven
You’ll find that it’s hard to cut the sweet potato into even slices due to the shape of the potato. That’s ok!
Honestly, it’s the uneven cut that makes the kamote que look visually appealing when serving on the bamboo skewers.
The most important concept is to make sure the circles are at least 1-1½ inches thick, as anything cut thinner will slide off the skewer!
Cook the Sweet Potato Until Browned and Softened
This kamote que recipe only fries for 7 minutes! That’s it!
Once the sweet potato, or kamote, is browned and looks softened transfer to a wire rack. Don’t wait!
The reason why is the brown sugar can burn super-fast. My trick is to consistently spoon the oil and sugar on top of the sweet potato so that it cooks evenly.
Also, caramelizing ONLY half of the sugar in the oil before the sweet potatoes are added makes it easier to spoon over the kamote without getting hard sugar pieces by adding everything at once.
Cool the Kamote on a Wire Rack
Similar to my Hot and Crispy Fried Smelt Fish Perfect with Vinegar Recipe, after frying the sweet potato, transport to a wire rack to cool and to remove excess oil.
This procedure works so much better than transferring to a plate or dabbing with a paper towel, as it keeps this kamote que recipe crispy and full of the brown sugar flavor.
My little trick is to put a baking pan underneath the wire rack in case there is any excess oil!
Key Ingredients – Filipino Kamote Recipe for Merienda
Below are some key and optional ingredients for this recipe:
- Sweet potatoes: Two large, sweet potatoes gave me 10 skewers with 3 large kamote circles on each. You can use Asian sweet potato or any other type of sweet potato with this kamote recipe for merienda.
- Canola oil: Canola oil is our choice for a high-smoke point oil and is fairly cheap. Make sure the oil comes up to at least half the height of the pan depending on what size pan is used.
- Brown sugar: 2 cups of brown sugar will be used to create that caramel brown color on the outside. This is definitely a popular kamote recipe for snacks any day of the week! Make sure to read the Tips section above on achieving the caramelized texture without overcooking.
Optional
- Cinnamon: Adding a dash of cinnamon to these sweet potato skewers really takes it to the next level! Just a pinch is needed to sprinkle over this kamote que when warm.
- Sea salt: Balance the sweetness in this kamote que recipe by sprinkling some sea salt on top of the sweet potato after caramelized. You’ll get a nice sweet and salty delicacy!
More Variations to this Filipino Kamote Recipe for Merienda
There are a few ways you can variate this kamote recipe for merienda. Here’s how:
- Change the cut of the sweet potato: Instead of cutting the sweet potato in large circles, cut the sweet potato vertically in large strips. Now you have a kamote fries recipe! For a fun serving idea, serve the kamote fries in paper cones or even a large baking tray for guests to pick at!
- Do you have other fried recipes? Yes! Besides this camote cue recipe, we have other delicious fried recipes to use with the oil. To complete your merienda (snack time), check out our 3-Ingredient Filipino Banana Cue Recipe for Your Afternoon Snack or even our Filipino Fried Chicken Recipe with Lemon and Fish Sauce for the ultimate comfort food!
- What can I pair with this dish? Filipino camote cue recipe is the perfect sweet midday snack, but for more of a savory treat look no further than our Filipino Pork Barbecue Skewer Recipe Perfectly Glazed or 11-Minute Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe! Either would be perfect as a light meal during the day or a fun treat for guests.
Interested in Filipino cuisine, but don’t know where to begin? Download our Top 5 Crazy-Cheap Ingredients You Need for Filipino Cooking and Where to Find It from my free resource library!
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Filipino Kamote Recipe for Merienda | Sweet Potato Cue
Equipment
- 1 pack of bamboo skewers
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes sliced in 1-1½ inch thick circles
- 2 cups brown sugar
- canola oil
- sea salt optional
- cinnamon optional
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, fill the pan halfway with oil and heat. Once the oil is hot, put 1 cup of brown sugar in the oil. Make sure the oil submerges the sweet potato depending on what size pan is used.
- Once the sugar looks melted in the pan and is floating, place the sliced sweet potato in the frying pan. As the sweet potatoes fry, consistently spoon the oil and sugar over the kamote until browned. Fry for 7 minutes.
- Add the remaining 1 cup of brown sugar to the pan at the halfway mark (around 4 minutes). Continue to spoon the oil and sugar over the sweet potatoes until browned. Don't fry more than 7 minutes in total.
- Transfer the sweet potatoes to a wire rack to cool. (Optional -Sprinkle cinnamon and sea salt over the sweet potatoes if using.) Carefully put the bamboo skewer through the kamote. Serve warm. Don't leave the sweet potato on the wire rack for too long as it may start to stick and become difficult to skewer.
Notes
- The serving size will depend on the amount of sweet potatoes. For my measurements in this recipe, I had 2 large sweet potatoes that yielded 3 sweet potato slices per skewer for a total of 10 skewers.
- Watch the sweet potatoes carefully when frying! The reason why is the brown sugar can burn super-fast. Do this recipe in batches if the kamote slices are too much for one pan. For example, if only one sweet potato cut into circles will fit in the pan, then melt a 1/2 cup of brown sugar before frying, then add the remaining 1/2 cup as it fries. Repeat for the second sweet potato.
- When transferring to the wire rack, the kamote will continue to slightly cook and darken as it cools. Refer to Sam’s Pro Tips for this Filipino Kamote Recipe for Merienda for further details.
- Enjoy this treat warm! Reheat in a toaster oven to prevent sogginess. Be sure to remove the skewer stick to be safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is camote cue in English?
Camote cue is a sweet potato skewer or barbecued sweet potato.
What is sweet potato called in Philippines?
Sweet potato cue can be called camote cue, kamote que or even camote que, as alternate spellings or references.
What is a typical Filipino merienda?
A typical Filipino merienda can be a light late afternoon or early afternoon snack. Favorites include either banana cue, kamote cue, pork barbecue, turon, and other light snacks.
This post was all about how to create this kamote recipe for merienda.
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