Before I begin my post for today, I would like to express my intense gratitude for the support I have received from all of you. I cannot say enough how much this blog means to me and how much joy it has brought to my life. I have made friends who are very dear to me and I have been able to express myself in a way that I love. If I could get paid for this I would do it forever! With that in mind, I would like to specifically thank those of you who nominated me for the Foodbuzz awards. Tokyo Terrace was in the top 5 for two categories (chosen from over 3,500 total nominations): “Best New Blog” and “What blogger would you most like to make you a cocktail?” I am flattered beyond expression to be included with the bloggers listed below:
Best New Blog:
1. The Cookbook Chronicles
2. Culinerapy
3. Eat, Live, Travel, Write
4. Lick My Spoon
5. Tokyo Terrace
What blogger would you most want to make you a cocktail?
1. Carrots ‘n Cake
2. Choosy Beggars
3. Honey Nut Lo
4. Sippity Sup
5. Tokyo Terrace
To vote on the final winners, click here.
OK, on to today’s post…
Confession time: I LOVE anything involving crunchiness and dip. I could sit down and easily polish off an entire bag of potato chips with a nice, creamy onion dip. Or a platter of carrots with dill dip. Oh- and tortilla chips with guacamole. Seriously, it’s dangerous how much I love the combination of crispy, crunchy vehicles that carry dips that are cool, creamy, spicy, chunky…all of the above! When I was little, my parents used to joke with me saying, “Would you like some french fries with your ketchup?” It’s been a lifelong obsession.
I started making my own potato chips last year. Since eating an entire bag of greasy potato chips is not exactly healthy, I started making healthy potato chips. Instead of using the traditional russet potato, I use sweet potatoes. I adore the flavor of sweet potatoes and their versatility. They can be paired with sweet, spicy, or savory dips and are even delicious on their own.
For this recipe, I have included the recipe to make sweet potato chips in the oven along with a miso dipping sauce. The chips are sprinkled with a slightly spicy and smoky combination of spices which pair perfectly with the miso. Since miso can be a little overwhelming when used in such a concentrated manner, it is helpful to manage the amount of dip (and chips) you end up eating. By adding some ingredients to balance the dip, it becomes a lovely sweet dip and creates a unique use for miso.
Sweet Potato Chips
Makes 4 servings
2 large sweet potatoes, thinly sliced (yellow or white flesh are both great)
3 tablespoons Vegetable oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
Preheat the oven to 400 425 degrees F.
In a large bowl, add the sliced potatoes and the vegetable oil. Toss to coat. Spread the potatoes on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until golden brown and crispy, about 10 minutes (time will vary depending on how thing you have cut the potatoes, so keep a close eye on them). *(Note: I have been getting feedback that the chips are turning out a bit soggy. To prevent this, if you have a wire rack to place in the backing sheet, use that. If not, try flipping the chips half way through baking so they crisp evenly on both sides. I would also recommend doing a test run before doing the whole batch. Ovens are all different (and mine is not a full-sized oven) so times/temps may vary. Experiment a bit! Lastly, the thickness of the chips is what will determine how crunchy they turn out. The thinner they are, the crunchier. Use a mandoline if you have one, otherwise just use a very sharp knife to make a thin cut. Don’t go too thin because the chips will just burn!
Combine the salt, pepper, cayenne, cumin and paprika in a small bowl. When the chips are done cooking in the oven, place them on a rack to cool. When they are cool, sprinkle with the spice mixture.
Miso Dipping Sauce
Makes 4 servings
1/3 cup miso paste
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon toasted, crushed sesame seeds
Combine the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Done! Dip away!
