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4 slices of boiled yam in a plate.
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4.50 from 4 votes

How to Cook Yam (African Yam)

Boiled yam is an easy yam recipe, a blank canvass that can eaten with anything. Boiled yam can be eaten as breakfast with egg sauce, fried stew, garden egg stew or egg stew.
You can also use boiled yam to make pounded yam and yam porridge. Pounded yam is eaten with Nigerian soups like Egusi soup, efo riro and other Nigerian vegetable soup. The following how-to instructions would guide you to cooking boiled yam perfectly.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: African, Nigerian
Keyword: boiled yam, Fried yam, how to cook yam, yam recipe
Author: Ajoke
Cost: £4

Equipment

  • Knife and Saucepan

Ingredients

  • 1 tuber of puna white Yam about 1.5kg
  • Salt start with about about 2 tsp (optional)
  • Water
  • sugar to taste optional

Instructions

  • Cut yam tuber into 1-inch sizes round slices. Using a sharp knife, slice into one side of the yam one at a time about 3 cm deep and peel around the circumference
  • Depending on the circumference of the yam, you may want to cut into halves for easier cooking. It fits better in the pan when done this way.
  • Rinse yam clean thoroughly and place in a large saucepan
  • Add enough water to cover the yam and add salt and sugar if using
  • Place on medium heat and cook till yam is soft. Yam is cooked if a fork goes through it easily.
  • Drain the yam (do this to avoid soggy yam) and serve immediately with other side of choice.

Video

Notes

  • Eat boiled yam the same day and warm. Do not keep it in the fridge as it drys out.
  • Store peeled and washed yam slices in the freezer for up to 3 months
  • store unpeeled yam tuber in a cool place for up to 7 days, keep longer if it is dry yam.
  • Yam is seasonal and they can be a bit dry if it's not in season. In a case like this, soak it in water overnight before boiling.
  • Don't add salt to the yam if you would be serving it as pounded yam.