As you can see from the set of pictures I took, I served the slow cooker lechon I made the other day with a delicious side of ensaladang talbos ng kamote. ‘Cause you know, there’s nothing like teaming up a fatty slab of pork belly with a nutritious sweet potato leaves and tomato salad for a long, healthy life. 😂
Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants,  kamote tops are, indeed, one of the best superfoods you can incorporate in your diet. Unfortunately some of these nutrients can be lost from improper or over cooking of the vegetable. To preserve most of their health benefits, I prefer to steam the leaves until just wilted instead of blanching in boiling water. The leaves are then briefly plunged in iced water to stop the cooking process and maintain crispness. The salad is generously doused in a simple vinaigrette dressing made with vinegar, garlic, oil, salt, pepper and a touch of sugar to balance the acidity. Nutritious as it is delicious, ensalada makes the perfect side dish for fried fish, grilled meats and of course, crunchy chunks of lechon. Enjoy!
- 1 large bundle of kamote leaves
- 1 large Roma tomato, diced
- 2 shallots, peeled and sliced thinly
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- Pick the leaves from the stems. Discard any tough parts of steams. Under cold, running water, wash and drain well. Steam kamote leaves for about 1 to 2 minutes or until just wilted. Alternatively, in a pot over medium heat, bring about 2 cups of water to a boil. Briefly dip leaves in the boiling water for about 10 to 20 seconds or until just wilted. Quickly plunge leaves in iced water for about 30 to 40 seconds or until cold. Drain well.
- In a bowl, combine kamote leaves, tomatoes and shallots.
- In small bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, fish sauce, oil, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for about 10 to 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Drizzle dressing over salad and gently toss to combine.
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Barby says
July 6, 2018 at 8:58 pmHi! I feel I freeze the blanched camote tops and reheat when I will eat it, will the texture still be ok or mushy?
Lalaine says
July 6, 2018 at 9:03 pmHi BARBY,
I’ve never tried freezing camote tops before so I really don’t know. I am assuming though that there will be a change in texture from the freezing and thawing.
kathy says
May 30, 2016 at 3:11 ammy favorite side dish for any grilled or fried fish:)
extra rice please…