Daigaku Imo-A Delicious Japanese Sweet Potato Treat
My favorite sweet potato dish
My mother is simply crazy about sweet potatoes. In fact, she used to have a basket of baked steamed sweet potatoes lying on the kitchen counter at least twice a week for many years so it's not surprising that's it's become one of my family's favorite things to eat. In Japanese cuisine, we use the sweet potato for a variety of dishes ranging from simple baked potatoes ( a typical vendor food during fall ) to using them in pies. But my favorite sweet potato dish is something called Daigaku Imo.
A great alternative to yams as a side dish
Daigaku Imo is a deep-fried sweet potato dish that's very popular in Japan. It's sweet and slightly savory which makes it appealing to people of all ages. Although they are usually eaten as a snack, they also make a great alternative to the typical side dish of yams for special occasions such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. These are also perfect on the buffet table because they taste good even when cold. For best results, just make sure you get the excess starch out by placing them in water for at least 5 minutes before cooking to ensure that they turn out crispy. Although the original recipe does not call for cinnamon, I think it works and makes it taste even better.
Cook Time
Prep Time: 20
Total Time: 40
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- Vegetable Oil for deep frying
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Instructions
- Cut the sweet potatoes into matchstick sizes.
- Put the potato sticks into a bowl of water and leave it for 5 minutes. Take the potatoes out and dry well with a paper towel.
- Heat the oil on medium high or to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
- Put the potato sticks into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Drain the potatoes on a paper towel.
- Finish cooking the rest of the potatoes.
- Combine sugar, water, soy sauce and vinegar into a saucepan and cook on medium heat stirring constantly for about 3 minutes.
- Put the potatoes into a big bowl. Pour the sauce over the potatoes and shake to evenly coat.
- Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and cinnamon if desired.
- Best served hot.
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