Top 5 Japanese Potato Dishes

The crispy daigaku imo are Japanese deep-fried potatoes coated with a sweet sugar glaze. Glossy and crispy from the outside, the potato chunks stay juicy, tender, and soft on the inside. Since the name of this affordable treat translates to university potatoes, it is believed they first appeared among the student population in the early 1900s, and they are still prepared and sold at numerous student fairs. Prior to serving, they are traditionally sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and enjoyed as a nutritious snack.Expand

Kuri kinton is a traditional meal consisting of mashed sweet potatoes and chestnuts in chestnut syrup and mirin. Literally translated, it means chestnut gold mash, its bright, golden yellow color symbolizing economic prosperity and wealth, which is the reason why kuri kinton is traditionally consumed on New Year. Although the dish is quite sweet, it is not considered a dessert in Japanese cuisine. It is recommended to use Japanese sweet potatoes called satsumaimo instead of regular sweet potatoes, since they are much sweeter than the regular variety. Dried gardenia pods are a welcome addition to the dish, giving it a more intense yellow color.Expand

Sweet roasted potatoes, known as yaki imo in Japanese, are one of the favorite and most comforting winter snacks eaten in the country. Even though different varieties can be employed, yaki imo is usually prepared with traditional Japanese potatoes - large in size and with a dark purple skin and bright yellow center. The potatoes are mainly sold by street vendors who grill them on hot black stones. Originally, street vendors had hand pulled trolleys, but today the majority of them prepares their delicacies on specially designed trucks equipped with traditional stoves and grilling stones. Many Japanese convenience stores also offer yaki imo during the cold winter months. Whether bought at a store or from a street vendor, they are always served with the skin intact, fresh and piping hot, usually in simple brown paper bags. Their dense texture and sweet flavor reminiscent of chestnuts makes them an incredibly satisfying snack and a comforting street food item.Expand

Nikujaga is a Japanese dish consisting of meat (niku) and potatoes (jagaimo) as its main ingredients. Like most dishes in the Japanese cuisine, the meat is added for flavor, rather than substance. The most common type of meat used in nikujaga is thinly sliced beef simmered in soy sauce, sake, and mirin, although pork is more popular in the eastern parts of the country. Nikujaga is Japanese comfort food that is often cooked at home, and it is one of the most popular dishes in the family of Japanese stewed dishes, called nimono. It is said that nikujaga was created by Togo Heihachiro, who studied naval science in Great Britain, where he discovered a variety of European food, including beef stews. Admiral Heihachiro ordered the base's chefs to make him a beef stew, and since wine and butter were scarce, the chefs used soy sauce and sesame oil, creating a dish that was very similar to today's nikujaga.Expand

Japanese potato salad is a traditional salad that's a staple at izakayas (informal bars), but it's also often prepared at home. Although there are many variations and many ingredients can be added to the salad, it's usually made with a combination of half-mashed potatoes, sliced carrots and cucumbers, hard-boiled eggs, and sometimes ham. The salad is seasoned with Japanese kewpie mayonnaise and sometimes rice vinegar. It's often enjoyed as a side dish in bento lunch boxes. Japanese potato salad can be served warm or cold, but what's important is that it should always be both creamy and crunchy. If there are any leftovers, they can be used to make potato salad sandwiches.Expand