At the table
Let a small portion cool before eating; the inside may be hotter than the surface.
Contains sesame oil. The dense puree can remain very hot beneath the surface.
Garnishes and cooking fats can vary; check their ingredients if you have dietary restrictions.
GET TO KNOW THE DISH
What goes into it?
Explore some key ingredients below. Preparations may use additional seasonings and ingredients.
Garnishes can include diced hawthorn, rose pieces, red-and-green confectionery strips and osmanthus sugar.
Typical ingredients
Recipes vary by restaurant.
How does it taste?
Sweet
- Chili heat
- Texture
- Smooth puree.
- How it’s made
- Cook, peel and mash sweet potatoes; strain out fibers, then stir-fry with caramelized sugar and sesame oil.
Garnishes can include diced hawthorn, rose pieces, red-and-green confectionery strips and osmanthus sugar.
A CONNECTION TO PLACE
Origin & regional roots
Associated with Henan.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有杞县炒红薯泥吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
Turning a Humble Root into a Banquet Sweet
Qixian’s dish turns a humble staple, recalled as vital in hard times, into a glossy banquet sweet. Cooks strain boiled sweet potatoes, then stir the puree with sugar syrup and sesame oil until persimmon-red; hawthorn, rose and osmanthus sugar may be added. Its smooth texture is summed up as “three no-sticks”: it should cling to neither plate, chopsticks nor mouth.