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With this foolproof recipe, you can make Baked Japanese Sweet Potatoes (Yaki Imo) that are perfectly tender, fluffy, and sweet! Enjoy them warm and fresh out of the oven as a natural snack or add them to other dishes. Here, I share my best tips for baking Yaki Imo low and slow for an ideal texture and flavor. Yaki Imo (çŒăè) or Baked Japanese Sweet Potatoes is the classic Japanese autumn and winter street snack that evokes nostalgic memories, one that always takes me back to my childhood. While making yaki imo at home is as easy as popping them into the oven, there are a few methods to bake the sweet potatoes to the ideal texture and flavor. So today, Iâm here to share my best tips on making yaki imo at home. My Memories of Yaki Imo in JapanTraditionally, yaki imo were sold by small trucks equipped with a stone roasting pot called Ishiyaki Imo (çłçŒăè), literally stone-roasted-potato. The vendors would drive through neighborhoods, with speakers blasting out their calls, âIshiyaaaakiimo⊠Oimo! (Stone-roasted potatoesâŠpotatoes!)â Slow-roasted to perfection over a hot stone, these sweet potatoes are in its purest form. The first thing Iâd do was to open the newspaper parcel and let the wisp of steam and sweet warm aroma of the sweet potatoes envelope my face before I took the first bite. Thereâs no added salt or butter â only its best natural taste. The skin is cooked until crisp and light browned on the edges and the inside is creamy with a slightly caramelized deliciousness. Unfortunately, the old-school yaki imo trucks are getting fewer and fewer these days. However, I still have fond memories of the delicious sweet potatoes I had growing up. Type of Sweet Potatoes for Yaki ImoThis sounds obvious â we only use Japanese sweet potatoes called satsumaimo (ăă€ăŸăă, ă”ăăă€ăą) for yaki imo. They have a distinct red-toned purple skin and off-white interior that turns yellow after cooking. When compared to the orange sweet potatoes or purple sweet potatoes/ purple yams, satsumaimo variety tends to be smaller and slender in size. They are also a lot sweeter with a chestnut-like flavor. When cooked right, they are incredibly tender and fluffy. You can learn more about Japanese sweet potatoes on my pantry page. Where to Buy Japanese Sweet PotatoesI usually buy satsumaimo from my local Japanese grocery store or farmersâ market, but you can certainly find them at local Asian grocery stores and major grocery stores in the US such as Whole Foods, Trader Joeâs, or local co-ops. How to Choose the Best Japanese Sweet PotatoesChoose the ones with smooth skin and feel heavy when you hold them. If they are elongated and have a lot of roots, they have too much fiber and are not delicious. You might find some sweet potatoes that have sticky liquid coming out of the cut end or got solidified on the skin. They are good and sweet, so grab them! How to Store (and Ripen) Sweet PotatoesThey will keep up to a month when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place. Let them ripen for at least 1 to 2 weeks after you bring them home. How to Bake Japanese Sweet Potatoes in the OvenNot many of us have a hot stone oven at home, so the easiest way is to cook satsumaimo in the oven (or toaster oven). đ 5 Important Tips To Remember
Choose Foil-Wrapped or Bare (Naked)Letâs talk about these two choices â foil-wrapped vs. bare. Both methods will give you delicious yaki imo, but when the sweet potatoes are cooked, they are slightly different in texture and flavors. My recommendation is to make them both ways at once first and decide what you like for the future. The baked sweet potato wrapped in foil (left) vs. bare (right)The image above shows the cross-section of the two baked sweet potatoes: wrapped in foil and bare. Itâs obvious how different they look, but letâs check out the texture and taste. Foil-wrapped (Left)
Bare (Right)
Everyone has their own preference, and itâs good to find out what you like. I personally like the one with foil-wrapped. Bake at Low TemperatureThe secret for delicious yaki imo is to keep the internal temperature of the sweet potatoes at 150-167ÂșF (65-75°C) for a long time so that the enzymes will be activated and starch will be easily decomposed to the sugars (maltose). For this reason, I like to use a slightly lower oven temperature and take time to cook the sweet potatoes. Differences between Baking and RoastingAs some sources titled their yaki imo recipes Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes, I wanted to briefly talk about the differences between baking and roasting. Both baking and roasting apply the dry heat method to cook the food. While the two terms seem to be used interchangeably, there are some differences between them. One of the main differences is the temperature. Baking uses a temperature of 375°F (190ÂșC) or lower while roasting requires a higher oven temperature of above 400°F (200ÂșC). Because of the higher heat, roasting results in shorter cook times and makes the outside of the food crispy. As I cook my sweet potatoes in an oven in a lower heat at 325ÂșF (163ÂșC), I use Baked Japanese Sweet Potatoes in my recipe title. How to Enjoy Yaki ImoTypically in Japan, we enjoy yaki imo as it is. It makes a hearty yet healthy snack, but you can still serve it as a side as a part of a meal. We eat the skin of Japanese sweet potatoes. Thatâs why itâs important to scrub and wash the sweet potatoes well before you bake them. Of course, you can peel it before you eat, but donât forget that the skin has plenty of nutrients! If you wrap the sweet potatoes in foil, itâs much easier to eat compared to no-wrapped sweet potatoes. Oh, you must eat them while they are hot! How to Store Yaki ImoOnce you have finished baking, let them cool completely. You can store the sweet potatoes in the fridge for 3 days and in the freezer for a month. My puppy Miso loves Japanese sweet potatoes, so I pack one snack portion in individual small containers and keep them in the freezer. To use, you can defrost in the fridge overnight or at room temperature before eating. More Japanese Sweet Potato Recipes
Sign up for the free Just One Cookbook newsletter delivered to your inbox! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates. With this foolproof recipe, you can make Baked Japanese Sweet Potatoes (Yaki Imo) that are perfectly tender, fluffy, and sweet! Enjoy them warm and fresh out of the oven as a natural snack or add them to other dishes. Here, I share my best tips for baking Yaki Imo low and slow for an ideal texture and flavor. Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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Calories: 258 kcal · Carbohydrates: 60 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 1 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g · Sodium: 165 mg · Potassium: 1011 mg · Fiber: 9 g · Sugar: 13 g · Vitamin A: 42561 IU · Vitamin C: 7 mg · Calcium: 90 mg · Iron: 2 mg Course: Snack Cuisine: Japanese Keyword: sweet potato ©JustOneCookbook.com Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any website or social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here. If you made this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #justonecookbook! We love to see your creations on Instagram @justonecookbook! Editorâs Note: This post was originally published on November 12, 2021. It has been republished on November 9, 2022. How do I microwave a sweet potato in the microwave?Microwave in wrap for 5 to 7 minutes on High. For more than one sweet potatOH!, cook 5 minutes per sweet potatOH! Cooking times may vary. Carefully remove from microwave.
What is the best way to microwave sweet potatoes?Step 1Wash sweet potato thoroughly, pat dry, and pierce 3-4 times with a fork. Place potato on microwave-safe plate and microwave 5 minutes, turning halfway through. Step 2If your potato isn't fork tender after 5 minutes, continue microwaving in 30 second increments.
What is the best way to eat Japanese sweet potato?Typically in Japan, we enjoy yaki imo as it is. It makes a hearty yet healthy snack, but you can still serve it as a side as a part of a meal. We eat the skin of Japanese sweet potatoes.
Is it better to microwave or bake a sweet potato?Cooking takes less time in the microwave than in a standard or convection oven, but some people find the texture of the oven baked potato preferable to the microwaved potato. The microwave tends to cause some skin shriveling, and the punctures allow moisture to escape from the potato.
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