Sweet Potatoes with Milk (Patates ak let)
Sweet potatoes with Milk recipe, a comfort meal that is sure to win the heart of many. It is milky, sweet, and delicious.
This recipe is one of the common and delicious comfort food from Haiti typically served at suppertime, but it can be eaten whenever you want. It is a budget-friendly recipe, does not cost much to prepare, and satisfying.
Sweet Potatoes with Milk or Patates Douces avec du Lait is one of the many foods I love as a child growing up in the Caribbean. I almost forgot about it until my dear mother mentioned it the other day. As I told her that I was tired of eating the same type of foods for dinner or even for breakfast, she mentioned why not eat some Patates Douce avec du Lait. Of course, she did not say it like that! But more so like, “mange patat ak lèt!” – Creole translation. And that’s what she said!
The ingredients you will need to make the recipe
- Batatas, Patates or red skinned sweet potatoes
- Hot milk (use evaporated milk mixed with water or whole milk in carton or gallon)
- Ground Ginger
- Ground Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Sugar
- Vanilla Extract: this is optional
This dish is usually made with the red-skinned sweet potatoes called batatas found in West Indian and Latin supermarkets. It can also be found in regular supermarkets promoting selling international foods. If you cannot find the red-skinned sweet potatoes, you can prepare the dish with the sweet yam or the traditional sweet potatoes found in a supermarket.
How to make the recipe
The Sweet Potatoes with Milk recipe is made with no effort. Peel the potatoes, cut into cubes, either cook them in the milk or separately in water. I prefer to partially cook my sweet potatoes in water and add them to my already prepared milk. By prepared dairy, I mean milk that has been boiled with nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon stick and slightly sweetened with sugar. So simple, right! This is comfort food for the cold weather and practically all season when craving something sweet and comforting.
Some of the benefits of patates
- help with vitamin A deficiency
- a great source of fiber
- contains Vitamins A, B6, C and potassium
- full of antioxidants that may help reduce the risk of cancer
- have anti-inflammatory properties
- boost digestion and an immune booster
You can read more about Patates here. When mixed with milk you can imagine all the health benefits that your immune system is benefiting from.
Tips and Notes
- If you can find fresh milk, it is a special treat
- Use boiled milk, the dish will taste even better and will be a bit creamier
- Use evaporated milk mixed with water or whole milk sold in carton, bottle or gallon.
- The taste will not be the same if you use yellow sweet potatoes. The two types of potatoes are the not the same. The texture is slightly different.
- Cut the potatoes into bite size.
- Do not substitute the milk for heavy cream or half and half.
- This is mostly served at breakfast time or supper time in Haiti.
- It is best served hot or warm
- Sprinkle a little bit of ground nutmeg or ground cinnamon for that extra aromatic flavor and taste.
- Use a vegetable peeler or a knife to remove the skin.
I hope you enjoy it!
Sweet Potatoes with Milk
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 – 2 medium size Sweet Potatoes red skinned sweet potatoes preferably called batatas
- Milk
- Dash of Ginger
- 1 small Cinnamon Stick
- Dash of Nutmeg
- Sugar to taste
- Vanilla extract optional – use a small amount
Instructions
- Peel and cut potatoes into cubes.
- In a medium size saucepan, add potatoes with water and let cook only halfway through on low heat
- In another saucepan, add milk and bring to a boil. Add ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add vanilla extract if using. Add sugar and sweetened to taste.
- Drain water from potatoes once they are halfway cooked. Add potatoes to milk and let cook for an additional 5 minutes until the potatoes cubes are fully cooked and all flavors have blended. Remove from heat and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
Corn Allergy:
Always choose ingredients without corn or corn derivatives.
I thought only Puerto Rico did this! Hola prima!
Hi, cuz! We love it too in Haiti!
Hi Gemma, this looks great. Do you drink the milk, or just eat the potatoes?
Hi Vickie. You can drink both milk and sweet potatoes. Don’t sweeten the milk too much as the sweet potatoes have their own natural sweetener.
Hi, this sounds delicious! l did have a few questions for you:
– about how big should the cubes be?
– approximately how long do l leave the potatoes in the water?
Thanks!
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie! The cubes should be normal size, about 1 to 2 inches – or bite size. You could cook them halfway. The remaining cooking time should be in the milk. It is a great supper dish. Thanks for your question. 🙂