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Snacks & sweets · Korean home cooking

Goguma Mattang — Candied Sweet Potatoes

Golden sweet potato chunks in a thin, crisp caramel coating. Roasting cooks the potatoes with little oil; a quick pan glaze gives the familiar Korean snack its shine.

40 min3 servings6 steps
Goguma Mattang — Candied Sweet Potatoes

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

3 servings

Get your ingredients ready
Get your ingredients ready

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 3 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

  • Substitute available

    If Korean or Japanese sweet potatoes is unavailable

    Use instead
    Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes
    Substitute quantity
    2 medium sweet potatoesReference quantity: about 400 g

    Cut into the same 2 cm chunks. They are usually moister, so check softness after 20 minutes and roast longer if needed. Turn gently because the pieces break more easily.

  • Substitute available

    If Neutral cooking oil is unavailable

    Use instead
    Sunflower oil
    Substitute quantity
    1 level eating spoonReference quantity: 15 ml

    Use the same amount in the pan. Choose a plain oil suitable for cooking; do not use butter, which browns and burns sooner.

  • Essential

    Use ordinary granulated white sugar for a clear caramel coat. Honey and syrups make a softer sticky glaze and are not an equal replacement for this crisp coating.

  • Essential

    Add before heating the sugar in step 4. Do not add cold water to hot caramel.

  • Optional

    Leave out the final garnish in step 5 if unavailable or unsuitable. Nuts are not needed.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

  1. Step 1

    Step 1: Heat the oven to 200°C. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes, then cut into even 2 cm bite-size chunks. Rinse briefly to remove surface starch and dry thoroughly. Even sizes help the centers become tender at the same time. Line a baking tray with baking paper; also prepare a second sheet or plate for cooling the coated pieces.

    Heat the oven to 200°C. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes, then cut into even 2 cm bite-size chunks. Rinse briefly to remove surface starch and dry thoroughly. Even sizes help the centers become tender at the same time. Line a baking tray with baking paper; also prepare a second sheet or plate for cooling the coated pieces.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2: Toss the dried sweet potato with 1 level eating spoon cooking oil. Spread in a single layer on the tray, leaving a little space around each piece. Do not pile them up: a crowded tray steams the potatoes instead of lightly browning them.

    Toss the dried sweet potato with 1 level eating spoon cooking oil. Spread in a single layer on the tray, leaving a little space around each piece. Do not pile them up: a crowded tray steams the potatoes instead of lightly browning them.

  3. Step 3

    Step 3: Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once halfway through. Test a large piece with a fork: the center must be soft, and the outside should have a few golden patches. Roast for another 5 minutes if still firm. Without an oven, cook in a wide covered frying pan over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, turning often; uncover for the final 3–5 minutes to brown.

    Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once halfway through. Test a large piece with a fork: the center must be soft, and the outside should have a few golden patches. Roast for another 5 minutes if still firm. Without an oven, cook in a wide covered frying pan over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, turning often; uncover for the final 3–5 minutes to brown.

  4. Step 4

    Step 4: Put 3 level eating spoons white sugar and 1 level eating spoon water in a clean wide frying pan. Heat over medium-low heat until the sugar melts and bubbles. Swirl the pan gently instead of stirring constantly. Watch closely and turn off the heat as soon as the syrup becomes pale honey-gold; dark brown caramel tastes bitter. Hot sugar causes serious burns, so keep hands and water away.

    Put 3 level eating spoons white sugar and 1 level eating spoon water in a clean wide frying pan. Heat over medium-low heat until the sugar melts and bubbles. Swirl the pan gently instead of stirring constantly. Watch closely and turn off the heat as soon as the syrup becomes pale honey-gold; dark brown caramel tastes bitter. Hot sugar causes serious burns, so keep hands and water away.

  5. Step 5

    Step 5: Immediately add the cooked warm sweet potato to the hot caramel and turn gently with a heatproof spatula until each piece has a thin coat. Add the optional ½ small teaspoon sesame seeds. Work quickly, off the heat; if the caramel sets too soon, warm the pan on low for a few seconds rather than cooking the potatoes again.

    Immediately add the cooked warm sweet potato to the hot caramel and turn gently with a heatproof spatula until each piece has a thin coat. Add the optional ½ small teaspoon sesame seeds. Work quickly, off the heat; if the caramel sets too soon, warm the pan on low for a few seconds rather than cooking the potatoes again.

  6. Step 6

    Step 6: Spread the coated pieces apart on the prepared baking paper or lightly oiled plate. Cool for 5–10 minutes, until the coating has set and the centers are comfortable to eat. Do not taste directly from the caramel pan. Serve the pieces separately so the crisp coating does not glue them into one large lump.

    Spread the coated pieces apart on the prepared baking paper or lightly oiled plate. Cool for 5–10 minutes, until the coating has set and the centers are comfortable to eat. Do not taste directly from the caramel pan. Serve the pieces separately so the crisp coating does not glue them into one large lump.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Goguma Mattang — Candied Sweet Potatoes
Goguma Mattang — Candied Sweet Potatoes
Helpful tips

This is a home version using roasted sweet potato instead of a pot of deep-frying oil. The essential mattang finish is a thin caramel coat. Korean or Japanese sweet potatoes have a drier, firmer texture; orange sweet potatoes work but need gentler handling. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon of about 15 ml and a small teaspoon of about 5 ml. Household quantities are approximate; use the same cup and spoons throughout. Packet fractions refer to the labeled packet size, not to an unknown bag. Best on the day it is made. The coating softens in a covered container or refrigerator. If keeping leftovers, refrigerate promptly and use within 2 days; warm gently before serving, understanding that the original crisp sugar coating will not fully return. Always cool the hot caramel before serving, especially to children.