Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 1130 g sweet potatoes, washed
Tahini Butter and Toppings
- 90 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 57 g tahini, well-stirred
- 35 ml lime juice
- 30 ml soy sauce
- 5 ml sesame oil
- 1 garlic, finely grated
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 18 g sesame seeds
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 428 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 50 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 622 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 39 mg
- Potassium
- 864 mg
- Calcium
- 129 mg
- Iron
- 2.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 84 mg
- Phosphorus
- 234 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1726 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 6 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.40 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.18 mg
- Niacin
- 2.3 mg
- Folate
- 42 mcg
- Water
- 189 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Fill a medium pot with 5cm (2 inches) of water and bring to a boil (100°C/212°F) over high heat.
Place the sweet potatoes in a steamer basket inside the pot, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Steam for 35-40 minutes until a skewer slides easily through the center.
In a small bowl, whisk the softened butter, tahini, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Place sesame seeds in a small pan over medium heat and toast for 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant.
Remove potatoes with tongs and place on a platter. Once cool enough to touch, slice each potato in half lengthwise.
Sprinkle the cut sides with salt, spread the tahini butter over the surface, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your butter is truly at room temperature for the smoothest, most emulsified tahini butter. Cold butter will result in a grainy texture.
- Don't over-stir the tahini butter once combined; over-agitation can sometimes cause it to become oily.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning of the tahini butter *before* spreading it on the potatoes. The balance of lime, soy sauce, salt, and pepper is key.
- For an even more intense flavor, you can roast the sweet potatoes instead of steaming them. This will caramelize their natural sugars and add a smoky depth.
- Toast the sesame seeds just before serving to ensure maximum crunch and fragrance.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store butter and potatoes separately if possible for best texture.
Reheating: Reheat potatoes in a steamer or microwave until warm before adding butter.
Troubleshooting
Potatoes are firm or crunchy in the center
Cause: Insufficient steaming time or water boiled dry
Fix: Return to steamer for another 5-10 minutes.
Prevention: Ensure the pot has enough water and use a tight-fitting lid.
Tahini butter is lumpy
Cause: Butter was too cold when mixing
Fix: Briefly warm the bowl over the steaming pot for 10 seconds and whisk again.
Prevention: Ensure butter is fully softened to room temperature before whisking.
Cultural Context
Sweet potatoes are a staple carbohydrate in many cultures worldwide, from the Americas where they originated to Asia and Africa. This recipe offers a modern fusion twist, combining the earthy sweetness of the root vegetable with the rich, nutty flavors of tahini, a paste common in Middle Eastern cuisine, and the bright zest of lime, often found in Latin American and Southeast Asian dishes.
