Daigaku Imo (Japanese Honey-Glazed Sweet Potato or Japanese Candied Sweet Potato)!! With a tender inside and honey-glazed slightly crispy skin garnished with black sesame seeds, these Japanese Honey-Glazed Sweet Potatoes are a perfect snack for any day, cheap and very filling.
Discover how to make Daigaku Imo
(Japanese Honey-Glazed Sweet Potato)
Today I am sharing a traditional Japanese-style sweet potato recipe called ‘Daigaku Imo’ (大学芋). Daigaku Imo, also known as Japanese Honey-Glazed Sweet Potato or Japanese Candied Sweet Potato, is a popular snack with all age groups; young and old. So, you can often find it at street stalls, roadside stations (Michi no Eki), supermarkets, or convenience stores.
Daigaku Imo is just one of many Japanese sweet potato dishes. Bite-size pieces of deep-fried sweet potatoes are nicely soft on the inside and a bit crispy on the outside are covered in a honey glaze and then garnished with black sesame seeds making them a delicious snack.
However, they are super easy to make at home with a few ingredients and worth the effort. You’ll find, here, an easy-to-follow recipe with step-by-step instructions, helpful info, and tips. If you don’t like deep frying foods, I have also given some instructions for the non-fried version. I hope you’ll try and enjoy it with your loved ones!! It will be your new favorite.
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Why are they called Daigaku Imo?
In Japanese, “Daigaku” means “University or College” while “Imo” means tuber; taro; potato; and yam. So, “Daigaku Imo” literally translates to “college or university potatoes”. It is said that it got its funny name because it was a popular snack during the early 1900s among university students as a cheap and filling snack. Because of its popularity among students, the snack began to be called ‘Daigaku Imo’.
Sweet Potatoes: A SuperFood
Sweet potatoes are gluten-free, have no saturated fats, and are a great source of healthy starch and fibers, also a rich source of vitamins and minerals.
It is an amazing vegetable that you can prepare in different ways: in fries, chips, mashed potatoes, soup, curry, and even in cakes and desserts.
Beni Haruka
The best type for Daigaku Imo is ‘Beni Haruka’, a Japanese sweet potato (or satsumaimo) variety with purple skin and yellow inside. Beni Haruka is the most popular variety of sweet potato in Japan because of its soft, creamy texture and natural sweetness.
If you can’t find Japanese sweet potatoes, don’t worry, you can substitute the orange variety instead or experiment with different varieties of sweet potatoes.
More sweet potato recipes to try
Japanese Sweet Potato Cake (Suito Poteto) Easy to make simple dessert yet super delicious, one of the best sweet potato recipes.
Japanese Candied Sweet Potato Fries (Imo Kenpi) Imo Kenpi is a popular Japanese-style sweet potato snack. Deep-fried sweet potato sticks are candied with sugar.
Sweet Potato Cake (Gâteau Patate Douce) This delicious recipe is inspired by a traditional sweet potato cake from Reunion Island called Gâteau Patate Douce in French.
Should I peel the sweet potato skin?
Sweet potato skins are edible, so it’s entirely a matter of personal preference. I love the look and texture of Daigaku Imo with the skin, so I don’t peel it fully. If you think peeled sweet potatoes look better and/or don’t like the skin texture, just peel them.
However, If you leave the skin on, it’s important to thoroughly wash the outer skin to remove any dirt, pesticides, or debris because sweet potatoes are tubers and grow in the ground. To wash, place them under running water and scrub them with a brush.
How to Cut?
You can cut them into bite-size pieces by rotating the sweet potatoes while cutting (roll-cutting). Roll cutting or oblique cutting is a technique used to cut long vegetables like carrots where you are looking for pieces that are similar in size so that they cook at the same rate. Another way to prepare sweet potatoes is to cut them into length sticks like french fries. Just feel free to experiment with different ways of cutting to your liking!
Deep-Fried Version
Deep frying is the best method to achieve the perfect texture of Daigaku Imo. This makes the outside of the sweet potatoes nice and crunchy, and the inside soft and creamy.
Microwave Potatoes Before Frying
for Perfect Texture
Before frying, you can use your microwave to par-cook the sweet potatoes. This helps cook the inside a bit so that when you deep-fry them, you won’t risk burning the outside while waiting for the centers to cook. You’ll end up with potatoes that are crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.
Simply, place your cut potatoes into the microwave in an uncovered bowl for 2-3 minutes while you prep your pan for frying. Remove your potatoes from the microwave and pan-fry them until they’re perfectly crisp outside.
No-fried Version
If you don’t like deep frying or fried foods, here are some other cooking methods you can try.
Boiling: Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into evenly sized pieces and then soak them in water for about 5 minutes. Cook them in hot water until fork tender.
Steam: Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into evenly sized pieces and then soak them in cold water for 5 minutes. Place them in a steamer and steam until fork tender.
Microwave: Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into evenly sized pieces and then soak them in cold water for 5 minutes. Place them in a microwavable bowl, add two tablespoons of water and then wrap the bowl tightly. Microwave on high for about 5 minutes and check. Then heat one minute at a time until it’s fork tender. (The time will vary according to the potatoes, and your oven.)
Bake: To bake whole sweet potatoes, pierce the skin in several places with a fork. Cut the sweet potato in half if you use big ones. Bake on a baking sheet at 200°C for about 20 minutes or so until fork-tender. (The time will vary according to the potatoes, and your oven.)
About the Glaze
I used honey, soy sauce, and vinegar to make the syrup. Honey gives the sweet potatoes a sweet, caramelized flavor. You can also light brown sugar or even white sugar instead of honey. Using a bit of soy sauce provides an umami flavor. Both honey and soy sauce give the sweet potatoes a lovely golden color.
However, you can also use similar kinds of syrups to glaze them, just feel free to experiment with the syrups you choose. You can also add toasted sesame seeds for some extra flavor and texture!
Serving Suggestions
They are delicious the day they are prepared. Serve them with green tea; the bitter green tea goes perfectly with the sweetness of Daigaku Imo.
Daigaku Imo (Japanese Honey-Glazed Sweet Potato) Step-by-Step recipe
Prep time 10 min
Cook Time 10 min
Resting Time 10 min
Servings 2
Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes (approx.300g)
Cooking oil for frying, as needed
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp black sesame seeds
Instructions
Although you can use different varieties of sweet potatoes, the best type for Daigaku Imo is ‘Beni Haruka’ because of its soft, creamy texture and sweet flavor.
Thoroughly wash the outer skin to remove any dirt under running water by scrubbing them with a brush. Cut them into chunky, bite-sized pieces by rotating the sweet potatoes while cutting (roll-cutting). I usually don’t peel the skin (sometimes just slightly).
Soak the chopped sweet potatoes in water for about 10 minutes to rinse off some of the starch as it will help to make them more crispy when you fry them.
Place the cut sweet potatoes in a microwave-safe dish partially covered with a lid or wrap and microwave for 3 minutes while you prep your pan for frying. Dry them with a paper towel to remove the extra moisture.
Preheat the oil to about 170°C. Spread the potatoes in a single layer across the bottom of the pan, working in batches if necessary. Fry them until tender and slightly browned. The time will vary. Make sure all surfaces of the pieces get a chance to brown. Turn them in individually, as needed.
To check if the potatoes are done, poke one piece with a chopstick. If it goes through smoothly, they are done. Drain any excess oil on paper towels but do not leave them too long until cool.
While you fry the sweet potatoes, make the sauce. In a saucepan, add the honey, vinegar, and soy sauce. Simmer on low heat for about 30 seconds, stirring continuously. It is important not to cook it on high or the sauce will harden like candy when it cools. Remove the pan from the heat.
Add the sweet potato chunks to the hot syrup and quickly mix them gently.
Sprinkle with the black sesame seeds on top for decoration and extra flavor.
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Daigaku Imo (Japanese Honey-Glazed Sweet Potato)
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes approx.300g
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1 tsp black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Although you can use different varieties of sweet potatoes, the best type for daigaku imo is ‘beni haruka’. This variety of sweet potato is the most popular in Japan because of its soft, creamy texture and sweet flavor.
- Wash the sweet potatoes with clean water and cut them into chunky, bite-sized pieces. I usually don’t peel but you can peel them if you wish.
- Soak the chopped sweet potatoes in water for about 10 minutes to rinse off some of the starch as it will help to make them more crispy when you fry them.
- Place the cut sweet potatoes in a microwave-safe dish partially covered with a lid or wrap and microwave for 3 minutes while you prep your pan for frying. Dry them with a paper towel to remove the extra moisture.
- Preheat the oil to about 170°C/340°F. Spread the potatoes in a single layer across the bottom of the pan, working in batches if necessary. Fry the sweet potatoes until potatoes are tender and slightly browned. The time will vary. Be careful to make sure all surfaces of the potatoes get a chance to brown. Turn them in individually, as needed.
- To check if the potatoes are done, poke one piece with a fork or chopstick. If it goes through smoothly, they are done. Drain any excess oil on paper towels. Do not leave them too long.
- While you fry the sweet potatoes, make the sauce. In a saucepan, add the sugar, honey, and soy sauce. Simmer on low heat for about 30 seconds until the sugar dissolves. It is important not to cook it on high (too quickly) or the sauce will harden like candy when it cools. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Add the sweet potato chunks to the hot syrup and quickly mix them gently.
- Sprinkle with the black sesame seeds on top for decoration and extra flavor.
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