Ba-si-di-gua: sweet potato dessert

Ingredients:

• 6 and 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 600 g)
• 1 cup of sugar
• Special equipment: deep fat thermometer

Preparation:

1. In a 5-quart cauldron or medium saucepan with two handles, heat 6 cups of vegetable oil to 150°C.
2. Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 2-cm (1/8-inch) pieces (see Note). Roast until tender, 8–10 minutes (check by inserting a toothpick into the sweet potato). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Do not discard the oil.
3. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C) and fry the sweet potatoes again until crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the same paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with a pinch of coarse salt.
4. In a large skillet, combine the sugar with the remaining 1/4 cup vegetable oil until slightly moistened. Cook over medium-high heat until the caramel turns amber, 5–6 minutes. The mixture will appear separated; this is normal.
5. Turn off the heat, add the roasted sweet potatoes to the pan, and toss thoroughly to coat. Carefully transfer the sweet potatoes to a serving platter. Dip a metal spoon or wooden chopstick into the hot caramel and quickly shake it over the sweet potatoes to create long strands of sugar. Serve immediately.
   
   Note
   
   To cut the sweet potato so that as much caramel as possible sticks to the surface: cut it in half lengthwise, cut off a 2-cm piece diagonally, then rotate the potato about 90 degrees and cut off another 2-cm piece diagonally. Continue cutting the entire sweet potato this way.