Hey there, foodies! Ready to dive into the world of Japanese desserts? Today I’m going to share with you a recipe for Candied Sweet Potatoes, or as they say in Japan, ‘Daigaku Imo’. This snack is a hit among university students (Fun fact: ‘Daigaku’ translates to ‘university’) and it’s been around since the early 20th century, starting around the Tokyo University area. Whipping up a sweet glaze and drizzling it over warm, soft sweet potatoes – it’s a combo that has won hearts all over Japan.

Now, let’s make it. But first, a quick tip: always go for sweet potatoes that have a firm and dense texture. My top picks are Japanese sweet potatoes or Jewel sweet potatoes. They can handle the steam and the fry, and their sweetness just sings when paired with the glaze.

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes (Japanese or Jewel variety are my go-to)
• Brown sugar
• Water
• Mirin
• Rice vinegar
• Soy sauce
• Sesame seeds for that extra crunch

Recipe

1. Kick things off by slicing and steaming your sweet potatoes.
2. Then, fry those steamed potatoes until they’re crispy and golden.
3. Set those aside and get started on the glaze. You’ll need to combine brown sugar, water, mirin, rice vinegar, and soy sauce.
4. Once the glaze is ready, pour it over the fried potatoes, give it a good mix, and garnish with sesame seeds.

Don’t have mirin at hand? No worries. You can substitute it with dry sherry or sweet marsala wine, or even use a mixture of sugar dissolved in white wine or vinegar.

These Candied Sweet Potatoes are great on their own, but try them with a cup of hot green tea or a light dessert wine and thank me later.

Get ready to experience the taste of Japanese street food with each bite of your homemade Candied Sweet Potatoes or Daigaku Imo. Happy cooking!

Daigoku Imu (Candied Sweet Potatoes)

Ingredients

1. 2 large sweet potatoes
2. 1/2 cup brown sugar
3. 2- 3 tbsp water
4. 2 tbsp mirin
5. 2 tsp rice vinegar
6. 1 tbsp soy sauce
7. Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

1. Slice your sweet potatoes and place them in water.
2. Steam your sweet potatoes using a food steamer for 10-15 minutes or until fork goes through when you pierce the potatoes.
3. Heat up a pot of oil (tip: use a wooden chopstick to determine when the oil was ready. When it bubbles when you dip the stick in, the oil is ready). Once your sweet potatoes are steamed, fry them in the oil for about 5 minutes or until crispy.
4. In a separate pot, combine the brown sugar, water, mirin, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Allow sugar to dissolve.
5. Once all the potatoes are fried, pour the glaze onto them and mix well. Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Here is a video on how I made this yummy dessert!