Purple Sweet Potato Mochi

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This snack, made with just a few ingredients, is sweet or sweet and salty and features one of the most nutrient-dense ingredients around!

Purple sweet potatoes, particularly Okinawan sweet potatoes, are among the most nutritious foods and are often associated with the Blue Zone diet, where many centenarians live. You can incorporate this delectable root vegetable into a simple Japanese snack called imomochi, or potato mochi. Imomochi is a small, chewy potato pancake that can be enjoyed either sweet or sweet and savory with a soy sauce -based glaze.

This rich snack or dessert is often sold by Japanese street vendors, izakayas, and convenience stores like 7-11. The exterior is pan-fried or grilled until lightly crisp, while the interior remains soft and chewy. Although imomochi can be enjoyed plain, it can be elevated with a filling, a glaze, or both. Every variation is delicious and it just depends on what you’re in the mood for. For this recipe, I used a cheese filling, but other popular options include red bean paste, chocolate, and peanut butter.

This imomochi can be made with any type of purple sweet potato, but I do recommend Okinawan sweet potatoes for its rich, creamy texture and vibrant color. These sweet potatoes can be found in local or chain East Asian grocery stores or specialty health grocers. If you are unable to find Okinawan sweet potatoes, you may consider using Stokes purple sweet potatoes or purple Majesty potatoes.

Print Recipe

Purple Sweet Potato Mochi

Author: Jamie L. Cooking Method: Pan Fry Cuisine: Japanese Recipe Keys: Dairy Free Gluten Free Nut Free Vegan V Vegetarian

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 15 mins Total Time 25 mins

Servings: 4 Calories: 116

Dietary:

D Dairy Free G Gluten Free N Nut Free V Vegan V Vegetarian

Description

These chewy sweet potato dumplings are not too sweet and made with just a few ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

For Imomochi

• 140 grams baked or steamed Okinawan sweet potato or purple sweet potato of choice (skin removed)
• 1 ¹⁄₂ tablespoons potato starch
• 2 teaspoons water (more or less as needed)
• 3 tablespoons shredded or cubed cheese of choice (optional)
• 2 teaspoons neutral oil (canola, vegetable, avocado)

For Glaze (Optional)

• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons teaspoons soy sauce

• 2 teaspoons mirin

• 2 teaspoons liquid sweetener (agave, honey)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, finely mash the purple sweet potato and combine it with potato starch. Add water gradually until you get a play doh consistency. (You may not need water at all if your sweet potato contains more moisture).
2. Separate the dough into 4 equal pieces and flatten each piece into a round disk.
3. If you are adding cheese, flatten the dough and add a bit of cheese inside. Wrap the dough completely around the cheese and flatten the dough into a square or circular shape. Repeat for the 3 others.
4. Add oil to a small pan over low-medium heat and pan fry the mochi on both sides until brown and crispy (approximately 2-4 minutes per side). Set aside.

5. If you are adding the glaze, add soy sauce, mirin, and honey in the same pan and cook over low heat. Stir consistently until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Brush the sauce on the imomochi.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Serving Size 1 imomochi

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 116kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 4g7%

Sodium 50mg3%

Total Carbohydrate 15.8g6%

Dietary Fiber 1.5g6%

Sugars 1.2g

Protein 2g4%

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* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

The original imomochi without cheese or glaze is vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free.

If you want to make a batch, I recommend refrigerating the imomochi dough and then cooking them when it is time to eat.

Keywords: Okinawan sweet potato recipe, purple sweet potato recipe, purple sweet potato mochi, imomochi recipe, potato mochi recipe, Japanese potato mochi