Sweet potatoes simmered with refreshing lemon slices often is served in vegetable side dishes, Obento items, and kaiseki cuisine in Japan.
Sweet potatoes and refreshing citrus flavor.
Generally, we use SATSUMAIMO, Japanese sweet potatoes, but, you can use regular sweet potatoes if it’s available.
Since sweet potato skin is rich in nutritional value such as vitamins, minerals, fibers, and antioxidants, especially high in vitamin A and potassium, so we use sliced sweet potatoes with skin.
Choose sweet potatoes with a small diameter (which means choosing a long-shaped one, not a chubby one) to prevent them from falling apart while simmering.
Soak sliced sweet potatoes in cold water after cutting because they’ll quickly turn black when exposed to air.
Also, this process brings a beautiful Autumn color to the dish.
If you like to use honey, reduce the sugar to 3 tablespoons and add 1-2 tablespoons of honey.
Also, if you like to substitute only honey for sugar, add 3 tablespoons of honey.
However, avoid using honey for babies younger than 1 year old.

To cook the sweet potatoes evenly and prevent them from falling apart, arrange them in a pot large enough without overlapping each slice, and then pour enough water to cover 3/4 of the way of the sweet potatoes.
Use an Otoshibuta lid to cook sweet potatoes effectively.
For the purpose of Otoshibuta, please check out this post which also provides how to make Ostohibuta with papers.
Avoid using Otoshibuta made of aluminum foil since it is vulnerable to acid, so it may melt while cooking with lemons.
Simmer the sweet potatoes over low heat for the savory sweet! sweet! potato dish. Cooking them over high heat cause them to fall apart.
Let the dish cool with the Otoshibuta lid to avoid drying out.
Store in the refrigerator and consume within 4-5 days.
You can also keep them in a freezer.
Lemon sweet potato leftovers can be turned into other dishes while mashing them to make sweet potato pie or casserole dishes.
Easy Quick Sweet Potato Recipe In Japanese Home Cooking: Lemon Sweet Potato
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Sweet potatoes (2 medium sweet potatoes)
- 1 Lemon, washed
- 4 tbsp Sugar
- 1 quart Water
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- (Prepare Sweet potatoes) Wash and rinse the potatoes well, and slice them into 1-inch thick pieces. Soak the pieces in cold water for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice the lemon into 5-6 pieces.
- In a large pot (that has enough bottom space for the sliced potato arranged with 1-layer), layer the sliced potatoes, then, the sliced lemon on the top.
- Add the sugar and the water. Allow the water to boil over medium heat. Add a pinch of salt to enhance sweetness. *Avoid cooking over high heat to prevent the potatoes from falling apart.
- Once the water boil, reduce the heat to low. Place OTOSHIBUTA (or kitchen paper or aluminum foil) on the top. *Check this post to make Otoshibuta
- Simmer the potatoes for about 20 minutes. Let them cool.
Video
Notes
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