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Japanese candied sweet potato "daigaku imo"

Japanese Candied Sweet Potato (Daigaku Imo)

5 from 1 vote
By Yuto Omura
https://sudachirecipes.com
Daigaku Imo is an irresistible Japanese snack made from fluffy sweet potatoes deep fried and coated in a sweet candy glaze. Perfectly soft on the outside and satisfyingly crisp on the outside, it's a must try recipe for all sweet potato lovers!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course Snacks, Sweets and Desserts
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 4 portions
Calories 199
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Course: Snacks, Sweets and Desserts
Cuisine: Japanese
Servings: 4 portions
Calories: 199

Ingredients 
 

  • 350 g Japanese sweet potato(s) (satsumaimo)
  • water for soaking
  • 1 pinch salt
  • cooking oil for deep frying

Caramel

  • 60 g caster sugar or granulated
  • 1 ½ tbsp mirin
  • ½ tbsp water
  • ½ tsp rice vinegar
  • ½ tsp soy sauce
  • ½ tsp black sesame seeds

Instructions 

  • Wash 350 g Japanese sweet potato(s) and gently rub the skin to remove any dirt. 
    Japanese sweet potato (satsumaimo) on a white background
  • Cut off the ends, cut into 1.5cm (1/2 inch) slices and then cut each round into 3 sticks.
    Japanese sweet potato cut into sticks on a wooden chopping board
  • Place the sweet potato sticks in a bowl of cold water with 1 pinch salt and soak for 5 minutes.
    Pieces of Japanese sweet potato soaking in a glass bowl of water
  • Drain the water and dry the surface of each piece thoroughly with kitchen paper.
    Sticks of Japanese sweet potato drying on kitchen paper
  • Place the sticks of sweet potato in a pot and add cold cooking oil until completely submerged.
    Japanese sweet potato sticks in cold oil
  • Move the pot to the stove and turn on the heat on a medium setting. Cook the sweet potato until golden. (For thick pieces, pierce with a skewer to check it's soft inside.) From beginning to end, this usually takes about 15 minutes.
    Sweet potato frying in oil
  • Once golden, transfer to a wire rack and allow any excess oil to drain off.
    Deep fried Japanese sweet potato on a wire rack
  • Take a thick base saucepan and add 60 g caster sugar, 1 ½ tbsp mirin, ½ tbsp water and ½ tsp rice vinegar. Mix the ingredients together and place on the stove, heat on low.
    Sugar, mirin, water and rice vinegar mixed in a thick base saucepan
  • Keep mixing until the sugar is dissolved, make sure to stop mixing as soon as it starts bubbling. 
    Caramel turning golden in a pan
  • When the caramel turns golden, dip a chopstick in it and submerge it into cold water, if the caramel goes hard then it's ready. (If it doesn't, heat for a little longer and keep testing every 30 seconds or so.)
    Hardened caramel on a chopstick submerged in water
  • Add the ½ tsp soy sauce and ½ tsp black sesame seeds, mix quickly and then add the sweet potato pieces. Turn off the heat.
    Adding soy sauce, black sesame seeds and sweet potato to caramel
  • Coat each piece in caramel and then transfer them to a non-stick surface. (Lightly greased baking paper or a silicone baking mat.) If the caramel starts to harden in the pan, heat on low until it softens again and then turn off the heat again to prevent burning.
    Repeat as many times as necessary until all of your sweet potato sticks are coated, then leave to cool for 5-10 minutes to allow the candy to fully harden.
    Daigaku imo set apart on a silicone baking mat
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Best eaten on the day of cooking.
Cleaning tip: Once you've finished coating the caramel, add hot water straight to the pan and leave it to soak to prevent hard candy sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 47.1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1.7g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.6g | Sodium: 112mg | Fiber: 2.5g