Okinawan Sweet Potatoes
Giant and mis-shapen potato from my garden
Noguni Sokan was the purser on a merchant ship plying the waters between China and Japan. One voyage home to Okinawa in 1605 he brought with him samples of a tuber the Chinese called barbarian potatoes and presented them to officials in the local prefecture. The barbarian potatoes thrived in the Okinawan climate where other varieties often perished, quickly becoming a primary staple of the area.
The potato grew in popularity throughout Japan, where it was often called Ryukyu sweet potato, from the Japanese name for the island chain containing Okinawa. When famine swept across much of the country in 1733, it was this sweet potato that helped many communities survive. In recognition of his contribution, Noguni Sokan and his descendants were granted status as samurai. Unfortunately Noguni Sokan was long dead by then and wasn't able to chop potatoes with his razor-sharp samurai sword.
My personal theory is that Sokan first brought his potatoes to Okinawa because he was mesmerized by the colors, light white on the outside with a purple flesh that only gets deeper as it cooks. Samurai status was an unintended, though entirely welcome, side effect for the clan. Check out this color:
Besides being easy on the eyes, Okinawan sweet potatoes have a firm, smooth texture and relatively sweet taste that holds up well to mashing, baking, steaming, boiling and frying. Not that you need additional reasons to love this spud, but sweet potatoes are high in vitamins A and C, beta carotene, iron, calcium and fiber, all with a low glycemic index. The one thing they can't do (anymore) is turn you into a samurai.
Related:
→ Sweet Potato and Haupia Pie, a winnah!
→ What is the Difference Between a Sweetpotato and a Yam?, Department of Horticultural Science, NCSU
→ Sweet potato nutritional information
→ Sweet potato basics at the Star-Bulletin
→ A mini-bio of Noguni Sokan, from purser to samurai!
There's still time to enter your name in my raffle to win the new cookbook by Iron Chef Morimoto. Do it, you won't regret it!
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I think it is so cool that you are growing these! Way to go!
I'm a fan of all potatoes and a fan of growing things. I would grow tons of stuff if I had the proper place
I was about to go get some until I got to the last line... "The one thing they can't do (anymore) is turn you into a samurai."
now I don't want one
the potato is purple
samurai no more
Very clever brian!
I love Okinawan sweet potatoes and it's not just because purple is my favorite color. Thanks for the history lesson Alan. If there's one thing I love as much as food, it's learning new things.
So cool you're growing these! Now I gotta try that recipe for sweet potato and haupia pie!
they are delicious
how do they grow do you know?
from a seed or cut?
I went to the store
My Lawai garden has room
but they knew no more
I hope to grow some
please do tell me the answer
I like purple too!
Benjamin, my memory is already fuzzy on the matter because it was my wife who planted these. I *think* she treated it like other potatoes, and waited for eyes to form. She then cut the potato into chunks, each with an eye, and planted those.