Okinawan Sweet Potatoes
Estimated Inventory, 30 lbs : 2.79
This item was last sold on : 04/09/26
Description/Taste
Okinawan sweet potatoes vary in size and shape, depending on growing conditions and age at maturity, and typically have a cylindrical to bulbous shape with tapered, pointed ends. The tuber’s skin is rough, textured, taut, and firm, showcasing a buff beige hue. The surface is also covered in darker brown markings, spots, and scratches. Underneath the skin, the flesh reveals brilliant marbling of dark purple, light purple, and white hues. The amount of saturation changes with each tuber, and the purple hues remain throughout the cooking process. When raw, Okinawan sweet potatoes are dense, slippery, and hard, becoming soft, starchy, and creamy once cooked. The variety is only edible after being cooked and offers a sweet, earthy, and slightly honeyed taste.
Seasons/Availability
Okinawan sweet potatoes are available year-round, with peak season in the late summer through late spring.
Current Facts
Okinawan sweet potatoes, botanically classified as Ipomoea batatas, are an Asian variety belonging to the Convolvulaceae family. Since the early 17th century, sweet potatoes have been a revered crop on the island of Okinawa and are viewed as a life-giving food source. Okinawan sweet potatoes are symbols of health and longevity for their filling nature, nutritional properties, and culinary versatility, and the variety has since expanded to worldwide cultivation. It is important to note that Okinawan sweet potatoes are sometimes called Okinawan yams, but they should not be confused with true purple yams, also called ube, belonging to Dioscorea alata. Okinawan sweet potatoes are also called Hawaiian sweet potatoes and Beni-imo in Japan. The purple-fleshed tubers are cultivated as a common crop in Japan but are viewed more as a specialty type outside of Asia. Okinawan sweet potatoes are sought by chefs and home cooks for their sweet taste, vibrant coloring, and creamy texture in a wide array of sweet and savory culinary preparations.
Nutritional Value
Okinawan sweet potatoes are known for their purple coloring, which is naturally created from the presence of anthocyanins in the flesh. Anthocyanins are organic compounds with antioxidant properties to reduce inflammation and protect overall bodily health. Okinawan sweet potatoes also provide fiber to aid digestion and minerals like manganese, magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, and copper. These minerals help the body balance fluid levels, produce red blood cells, support bone and teeth health, and control daily nerve functions. Beyond minerals, the tubers contain vitamins A, B, C, and E to guard the cells against free radical damage, strengthen the immune system, contribute to energy production, and maintain healthy organs.
Applications
Okinawan sweet potatoes have a sweet, honeyed flavor suited for cooked preparations. The variety is favored for its versatility and is popularly baked, roasted, steamed, or boiled. Okinawan sweet potatoes can be eaten with or without the skin, and their purple flesh retains its vibrant hues, contributing to the tuber’s aesthetically pleasing nature. The variety is commonly steamed whole or in large pieces and eaten with green onion and sesame oil, or they are baked as a simple side. Okinawan sweet potatoes can also be roasted and mashed with seasonings like salt and pepper or mixed with miso and nori seaweed for enhanced flavoring. Worldwide, Okinawan sweet potatoes can be used in most recipes calling for sweet potatoes in general. Their unusual coloring adds visual appeal to dishes like gnocchi, homemade chips, salads, and fries. In Japan, Okinawan sweet potatoes are often incorporated into soups, and the famous hot pot dish is called mizutaki. They are also traditionally made into a paste and fried or sliced into pieces and fried into tempura. Beyond savory dishes, Okinawan sweet potatoes are made into mochi, incorporated into pies and pastries, or even used to flavor ice cream. Haupie pie in Hawaii is a well-known dessert that typically uses Okinawan sweet potatoes as a filling between the pie crust and the top cream layer. Okinawan sweet potatoes pair well with sweeteners like maple syrup and brown sugar, spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and herbs including sage, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Whole, unwashed Okinawan sweet potatoes will keep for a few weeks when stored in a cool, dry, and dark location.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Noguni Sokan is regarded as the “father of sweet potatoes” for introducing sweet potatoes into Okinawa. Despite his fame throughout history, the name Noguni Sokan is not the figure’s real name. Noguni Sokan is a working title derived from the village the official was from, Noguni, and Sokan means he was a chief clerk. The figure’s actual name is unknown, but the official worked for the central government of Shuri on a trade vessel that traveled between the Ryukyu Kingdom and China. In the early 1600s, Noguni Sokan was stationed at a trading depot in the city of Fuzhou within Fujian, China. The official studied Chinese texts on agriculture and learned of the new tubers, sweet potatoes, that had been introduced from the Americas several years earlier. Noguni Sokan eventually carried sweet potatoes back in pots to the Ryukyu Kingdom and worked with Gima Shinjo, a high-ranking official in the royal court, to plant and spread sweet potatoes across Okinawa. Noguni Sokan eventually gave up his career as a government official and spent his time promoting sweet potatoes and helping families grow the tubers in times of famine. Okinawan residents began calling him Umu-Efushu, a term meaning “Sir sweet potato” or “Father of sweet potato.” In the 18th century, a stone altar was built in honor of Noguni Sokan at his grave in his home village, now known as Kadena, and later in the mid-20th century, a shrine dedicated to the government official was constructed. Each year in Kadena, a festival is held to honor Noguni and sweet potatoes. During the celebration, town residents participate in tea ceremonies, live performances, a sweet potato digging competition, and make sweet-potato-centric goods, desserts, and snacks. A traditional juice made from sweet potato leaves is also prepared as a health tonic throughout the festivities.
Geography/History
Okinawan sweet potatoes are native to Japan and are descendants of early sweet potato varieties introduced from China. Sweet potatoes have origins in Central and South America and were carried by Spanish explorers to Asia in the 15th century, where they were planted in China and the Philippines. In China, sweet potatoes were cultivated in Fujian by 1594, and were called fan-shu, meaning barbarian or foreign potato. Later in 1605, sweet potatoes were taken from Fujian and were planted in Okinawa, which was a part of the Ryukyu Kingdom. During this time, the Ryukyu Kingdom had strong trading ties with China, allowing the tubers to be transported back to the island. Sweet potatoes thrived in the island’s warm, wet climate, quickly becoming a favored crop to combat famines. After their arrival in Okinawa, another government official, Shinjo Gima, learned how to cultivate the tubers and helped promote the species across the island. By 1615, sweet potatoes became so popular in Okinawa as a life-saving crop that they were taken from the island and planted throughout Japan through the efforts of English trader William Adams. Okinawan sweet potatoes have continued to be a staple food throughout history and have slowly spread worldwide. The variety increased in notoriety and popularity in the United States in the early 21st century through televised airings on shows like Dr. Oz and Oprah Winfrey. Okinawan sweet potatoes were also heavily promoted for their nutritional properties through print and online publications, contributing to growers cultivating purple-fleshed tubers worldwide. Today, Okinawan sweet potatoes are extensively grown in Asia and are sold through local fresh markets. Outside of Asia, they are cultivated as a specialty sweet potato and are found through wholesalers, farmers’ markets, and select retailers.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| US Grant Hotel Main | San Diego CA | 619-232-3121 |
| Azuki Sushi Lounge | San Diego CA | 619-238-4760 |
| The Plot | Oceanside CA | 422-266-8200 |
| Lauberge Del Mar | Del Mar CA | 858-259-1515 |
| Little Frenchie | Coronado CA | 619-522-6890 |
| Lumi | San Diego CA | 619-955-5750 |
| The Cottage Del Mar | Del Mar CA | 858-775-1197 |
| Herb & Sea | Encinitas CA | 858-587-6601 |
| Pamplemousse Grill | Solana Beach CA | 858-792-9090 |
| Something Homemade | Vista CA | 858-245-1004 |
| Carne & Hueso | San Diego CA | 619-756-7545 |
| Something Homemade (Glutenus Maximus) | Vista CA | 858-245-1004 |
| The Cottage La Jolla | La Jolla CA | 858-454-8408 |
| The Cottage Encinitas | Encinitas CA | 858-454-8409 |
| Kappa Sushi | San Diego CA | 858-566-3388 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Okinawan Sweet Potatoes. One
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Okinawan Sweet Potatoes for sale around the world shared on the Specialty Produce App
