Lemon-Simmered Japanese Sweet Potatoes (さつまいものレモン煮, Satsumaimo no Remon-ni)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide shallow pot
• •Wooden drop-lid (otoshibuta), or a circle of parchment
• •Skewer or cake tester

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the satsumaimo

   Scrub the satsumaimo well and leave the skin on. Cut it crosswise into rounds about 3/4 inch thick, keeping the slices as even as you can. Even rounds cook at the same pace, and the skin helps each one hold its shape instead of fraying at the edge.

2. 2

   Soak the slices

   Put the rounds in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse once. This clears surface starch and some of the bitterness that can sit just under the skin. It also keeps the cut faces pale, so the finished syrup stays clean and bright.

   If the water turns cloudy, that's the starch leaving. Let it go. Cloudy soaking water is better than cloudy syrup.
3. 3

   Build the syrup

   Lay the drained rounds in a wide pot in a single layer. Add the 2 cups water, sugar, mirin, and salt. The liquid should come just about level with the sweet potatoes. A wide pot matters because stacked slices cook unevenly, and this dish is judged by whether the rounds stay neat.

4. 4

   Add the lemon

   Lay the lemon slices over and between the sweet potato rounds, removing every seed first. Lemon seeds can make the syrup bitter, while the peel and juice keep the sweetness lively. This is a small detail, but it decides the dish.

5. 5

   Simmer gently

   Bring the pot just to a simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat and set an otoshibuta, a wooden drop-lid, directly on the surface. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until a skewer slides into the center with little resistance. Keep the bubbles small. A hard boil knocks the rounds around and breaks the edges.

   No otoshibuta? Cut a circle of parchment slightly smaller than the pot and snip a small hole in the center. It keeps the syrup moving over the slices without asking you to stir.
6. 6

   Rest in syrup

   Turn off the heat and let the satsumaimo cool in the syrup for at least 20 minutes. It will taste better after this rest, because the seasoning settles inward as the slices cool. Taste the syrup. If it needs a sharper edge, add the optional teaspoon of lemon juice now, after cooking, so the brightness stays clear.

7. 7

   Serve with restraint

   Lift the rounds carefully with a spoon and serve them cool or at room temperature, with a little syrup spooned over. Set a few lemon slices among them, but don't drown the dish. The surface should glisten, not swim.

Chef Tips

• •Choose satsumaimo that are firm, heavy for their size, and evenly shaped. Long, even potatoes give you tidy rounds, and tidy rounds cook like they were taught manners.
• •Do not peel them. The skin is not decoration here. It helps hold the slices together and gives the pale flesh its proper frame.
• •Use a wide pot and a drop-lid. The authentic tool is an otoshibuta, but parchment does honest work. What matters is keeping the slices covered without stirring.
• •This is a make-ahead dish by nature. The flavor is clearer once it cools, and the rounds firm up enough to pack neatly into bento.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the dish up to two days ahead and refrigerate it in its syrup. Bring it back to room temperature before serving.
• •For bento or picnic use, drain the rounds lightly before packing so they stay glossy without leaking syrup into the rest of the meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 200g)