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Sweet potato simmered with lemon (satsumaimo no lemon-ni)
Glossy sweet potato rounds poached with lemon slices, a bright bento side
Satsumaimo no lemon-ni is an autumn favourite in Japanese homes, when sweet potatoes are at their best and bento boxes need a splash of colour. Rounds of purple-skinned sweet potato are gently poached with lemon slices and just a spoonful of sugar until tender and glossy, tasting of honeyed potato with a fresh citrus edge. It is eaten cold, so it is a natural make-ahead for packed lunches, and it contains none of the common allergens. Chef's tip: keep the skins on; the purple ring against the yellow flesh is what makes it look so pretty in a box.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 sweet potatoabout 300 g, scrubbed, cut into 1.5 cm rounds
- ½ lemonthinly sliced, pips removed
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 ½ tbsp sugar
- 1 pinch salt
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Soak 1 sweet potato in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain. This washes off surface starch so the rounds stay neat and bright.
10 minStep 3: Cover with a lid or a circle of baking paper and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, until a skewer slides into the thickest piece with no resistance. The common mistake is boiling hard, which breaks the rounds apart.
12 minStep 4: Take off the heat and leave the potato to cool in the syrup, so it soaks up the lemon and turns glossy.
30 minStep 5: Keep in the syrup, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days. Pack cold in a bento with an ice pack.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 90 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sweet potato simmered with lemon (satsumaimo no lemon-ni) take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sweet potato?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of lemon?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
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