Japanese Sweet Potato Recipe

Time1h 10m

Serves2

Make Japanese Sweet Potato Recipe in just 1h 10m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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1
Preheat and wash
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Scrub the sweet potatoes under cold running water to remove dirt. Pat dry with a towel.
2
Pierce and oil
Prick each sweet potato several times with a fork (6–8 times) to allow steam to escape. Lightly rub the skins with a teaspoon of oil or leave dry if preferred to get a drier skin.
3
Roast
Place sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or parchment. Roast in the preheated oven for 45–60 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the insides are very tender when pierced with a knife and the skins are slightly wrinkled. Smaller potatoes may take ~45 minutes; larger up to 60 minutes.

4
Split and scoop
Remove potatoes from oven and let cool for 5 minutes until they are cool enough to handle. Slice each potato lengthwise down the center. Using a spoon, scoop or push the flesh slightly toward the center to create a small well for butter and toppings.
5
Season and mash (optional)
If you prefer mashed-style sweet potato: scoop flesh into a bowl and add butter, granulated sugar, honey, milk or cream, and sea salt. Mash with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth but still a little textured. Taste and adjust sugar or salt. Spoon mashed mixture back into the skins or serve in a bowl.
6
Butter finish (skin-serve)
If serving whole: divide butter evenly among the split potatoes so it melts into the hot flesh. Sprinkle the teaspoon of sugar evenly over the two potatoes, then drizzle the honey and scatter a pinch of salt over each. If you wish, briefly return to the warm oven (2–3 minutes) to melt and caramelize the sugar/butter mixture slightly.
7
Garnish and serve
Finish with optional toasted sesame seeds and/or chopped nuts. For a savory-spicy twist, sprinkle a light dusting (about 1/8–1/4 tsp) of shichimi togarashi. Serve warm.