As a child, the melody of a passing ice cream truck was always exciting. As an adult in Japan, however, the closest I get to that feeling is hearing the mantra-like hawking of a kei truck lumbering through my neighbor with yaki-imo (baked sweet potatoes) roasting in the back.
You can eat yaki-imo as is for a delicious treat, but with a little effort, you can turn these morsels into a fun and easy introduction to the world of wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets).
Alongside the wider availability of refined sugar in the Edo Period (1603-1868), there came a craze for ²â¨°ì²¹²Ô. These stiff jellies were usually made with adzuki beans and agar, though various versions including sweet potato imo-²â¨°ì²¹²Ô exist. With the simple addition of a few spices, this traditional Japanese treat can be transported to the Thanksgiving table ¡ª perfect if you¡¯re already sick of pumpkin but haven¡¯t yet had your fill of spice.
While ²â¨°ì²¹²Ô is usually set quite solid with kanten agar, there is something to be said for using it more sparingly for a softer finished product. While it may not slice perfectly, leftovers are spreadable and can be repurposed as a fun toast topping or filling for other dishes, such as dorayaki castella sandwiches. Pair it with your favorite black tea.
A note: This recipe begins with raw potatoes, but if you have a roasted one, skip ahead to step 3.
Serves 8-12
Cook time: 20 minutes plus cooling time
Ingredients:
- 200 grams sweet potatoes
- 10 milliliters rice vinegar
- 250 milliliters water
- 2 grams kanten (agar) powder
- 100 grams white sugar
- 5 grams cinnamon powder
- 2.5 grams ginger powder
- 2.5 grams nutmeg powder
Directions:
1. Peel and roughly chop your sweet potato, then place it in a large bowl and cover with water and vinegar. Let this sit for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Drain your sweet potato from the water. Place it covered into a microwave at 1,000 watts, then cook for around five minutes. Once your potatoes are softened, mash or blend them.
3. In a 1-liter saucepan, mix 250 milliliters of water with your kanten powder, sugar, all spices and the mashed or blended sweet potato, mixing until mostly smooth.
4. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for four minutes while stirring constantly so it doesn¡¯t stick or burn.
5. Pour the mixture into a 500-ml square-sided mold. Let it cool on the countertop, then refrigerate for at least an hour. When set, slice or cube as a light dessert or snack with afternoon tea.
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