Baked sweet potatoes – snacks Japanese people love

“Yaki-imo”, the sound of a trumpet playing through the loudspeaker, reverberating through the alleys on the outskirts of Tokyo, greeted people to buy baked sweet potatoes. Comes with an invitation”oishii, oishii” (delicious, delicious) of the seller. It is a sign for diners to realize that a truck of baked sweet potatoes is very close.

The stall is a pickup truck, fully covered with a roof, oven, price list, and colorful promotional images. The baked potato cart often slows around the park, or stops outside an apartment complex. A few passersby would stop to chat a few words with the owner, then walk away with hot roasted sweet potatoes in hand. The car lingered a little longer, and slowly continued on. The shout of “yaki-imo” rang out again.

In a country famous for its sushi, sashimi or ramen noodles, grilled sweet potatoes don’t really get the attention of tourists, but the Japanese consider it a “specialty”. This street snack has been popular since the 1600s, especially in the fall and winter. The dish conquers diners by its sweetness and aroma emanating from the caramelized molasses. Not only delicious, baked sweet potatoes are also affordable for many people. On the signs at the stalls, they are sometimes advertised as “better than chestnuts”.

In Tokyo, many people even eat baked sweet potatoes with okayu rice porridge. During World War II, it was also a staple food for the people, when crops such as wheat and barley became scarce. Sweet potato flour was then used instead of flour.

Aiko Tanaka, a culinary researcher in Osaka, said baked sweet potatoes were considered fast food until around the 1970s, when American-style fast food and snack restaurants began to appear in Japan. .

Nowadays, people can easily eat this dish in convenience stores and supermarkets, and carts selling baked sweet potatoes are also less common. Kōki Ono, a small shop selling baked potatoes, explains that part of the number of potato carts is due to the noise they make. The street song selling potatoes played by speakers affects the quiet space in the alley. Not to mention, the people selling potatoes on the truck did not eat as well as before, gradually giving up their jobs.

However, Kōki Ono, one of the more and more expensive merchants, proves that this classic dish still has a place in the hearts of the Japanese. “It’s simply fast, healthy, unadulterated food. During the pandemic, people are staying at home more, they are starting to pay attention to healthy foods. Therefore, many people visit visit my stall more,” said Ono. On average, he sells about 100 potatoes a day, with customers of all ages from 7 to 90.

Expert Tanaka said that Yaki-imo are popular with many diners simply because they are naturally sweet potatoes grilled over charcoal, becoming a hot snack suitable for cold weather. “Yaki-imo has been and will always be a heartwarming gift that holds many beautiful memories,” he said.

Mr. Minh (According to BBC)