How To Make Daigaku Imo (Japanese Candied Sweet Potatoes)
These Japanese candied sweet potatoes or daigaku imo offer crispy and moist bites! Enjoy these delicious sweets with a cup of warm tea.
Ingredients
For Deep-Fry Version:
- 1⅕ lbs Japanese sweet potatoes , (2 pieces) (satsumaimo)
- 2 tsp kosher salt, or sea salt, for soaking sweet potatoes
- 2 cups oil, neutral-flavored, vegetable, rice bran, or canola, for deep frying
- 5 tbsp sugar
- 1½ tbsp water
- 1 tbsp mirin, or ½ tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp black sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish
For Steam and Shallow-Fry Version:
- 11 oz Japanese sweet potato, (satsumaimo)
- 3 tbsp oil, neutral-flavored, vegetable, rice bran, or canola
- 5 tbsp sugar
- 1⁄4 tsp soy sauce
- 1⁄4 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp black sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish
Instructions
Deep-Fry Version:
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Carefully wash the sweet potatoes. Don’t peel the skin. Cut the sweet potatoes diagonally while rotating the sweet potato a quarter between cuts.
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Put the sweet potatoes in 8 cups of water and add salt. Soak for 15 minutes to remove starch.
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Add the oil to the medium pot and bring it to 320 degrees F. Meanwhile, dry the sweet potatoes with the kitchen towel.
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When the oil has reached the desired temperature, add ½ of the sweet potatoes into the oil and deep fry. Do not crowd the pot and fry in batches.
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Deep fry for about 10 minutes until golden brown.
- When it's golden brown, insert a wooden skewer to make sure it goes through. Transfer to a wire rack or a paper towel to drain the oil.
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To make candy, combine sugar, water, and mirin in a large frying pan off the heat. Put on the stove and bring it to boil on medium heat.
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Once the mixture is bubbling, add vinegar and soy sauce.
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Reduce the mixture, stirring constantly, until the right consistency. When drawing a line on the pan is possible, add the sweet potatoes.
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Turn off the heat and coat the sweet potatoes with syrup. Sprinkle black sesame seeds.
- Serve on a plate or bowl. Enjoy!
Steam and Shallow-Fry Version:
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Carefully wash the sweet potatoes. Don’t peel the skin.
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Cut the sweet potatoes diagonally while rotating the sweet potato a quarter between cuts.
- Soak sweet potatoes in water for 15 minutes to remove starch.
- Do not heat the frying pan yet. Add sugar, oil, soy sauce and rice vinegar in the pan and combine all together.
- Dry the sweet potatoes completely with paper towel and place in the pan.
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Wrap the frying pan’s lid with a kitchen cloth.
- Cover with the lid and turn on the heat to medium.
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When there's a bubbling sound from the pan, turn the heat to low to medium-low, and set timer for 2 minutes. Open the lid and flip the sweet potatoes every 2 to 3 minutes so that all sides will have a nice golden brown color and get flavored.
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Depending on the size of sweet potatoes, the cooking time varies, cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until an inserted skewer goes through smooth. Transfer to the serving plate or bowl and sprinkle black sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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