People Are Paying ₹350 To Eat A Half Slice Of Sweet Potato In Japan That Is Slow Roasted For 3 Hours; Here’s Why

The good ol’ sweet potato, often called shakarkandi, is a winter staple in India. It’s delicious, versatile, and easy on the pocket. So, imagine our surprise when we got to know that people are paying almost ₹350 for half a slice of sweet potato in Japan. Scroll on to know why people are readily paying this massive amount of money for this comfort dish.

₹350 For A Half Slice Of Sweet Potato In Japan

Food blogger Karan Marwah recently had the “most luxurious slow-roasted sweet potato” experience of his life in Japan recently. During his trip, he visited the vibrant and upscale district of Ginza in Tokyo. While strolling around the market, he came across Tsubko Yakiimo, a traditional sweet potato shop.

 

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A post shared by Karan Marwah | FOODDelhi (@foodelhi)

In this shop, the sweet potatoes are sourced from some of the best of the farms in Japan. Then, these premium sweet potatoes are slow-roasted traditionally in big clay ovens. They are then slow-roasted for more than three hours. This adds a smokey flavour to the melt-in-mouth sweet potatoes which are called ‘satsumaimo’.

For half a slice of these satsumaimo, Karan paid ¥650, which is almost equivalent to ₹350. Seeing the price, many people in the comments section were flabbergasted, while others were so taken by the way it was roasted that they wanted to visit Japan just to try it out!

Also Read: From Ancient Temples To Modern Izakayas, Why Japan’s Sake-Making Tradition Was Honoured By UNESCO

More About Satsumaimo & Its Benefits

Satsumaimo or Japanese sweet potatoes are quite popular among locals. In fact, there are special expos held in cities like Osaka, Kanagawa, Shimane, and Aichi for this vegetable. When slow-roasted for long hours, the natural sugar in sweet potatoes caramelises and gives it a smokey, sweet flavour, without forgoing its health benefits. Satsumaimo is also a natural fibre supplement. It is rich in vitamins C and E and can help prevent obesity, prevent digestive system diseases, and even strokes. All this makes it a great vegetable to add to meals.

Also Read: Watch: Japanese People Try Desi Fave Hajmola & Their Reactions Are Epic; Netizens Say, “Those Are Million Dollars Reactions”

Take this as your sign to bake and enjoy sweet potato at home right away! And, if you plan to visit Japan this year, make sure you try out this delightful delicacy there.

Cover Image Courtesy: Instagram/foodelhi