Can you spot the non-conformist in the picture below? (FYI living in Japan with teenage boys and all those cute little Japanese girls gave mom so much gray hair)
When living in Japan, I used to marvel on how organized and methodical all things are. Trains are punctual to the second. Getting on and off public transport is like a ballet, everyone gracefully stands to the side and lets the exiting passengers off first and then everyone enters quietly, organized and respectively. There is purpose and meaning to all movements. It is calming and comforting.
People dress the same and uniformity and conformity are the norm. It is just precious to see all the little younger children with their matching hats, book bags and even umbrellas. Even as adults it is a comforting thing to be part of a group with certain attire guidelines.
Hey I did not get the memo about wearing the fishing vest and backpack?
Attention to detail is paramount. Have you ever noticed in Japanese cooking, the little vegetables cut into flowers, the placement of little dishes set in front of you, or maybe admired the time mothers spend on creating the perfect cute little bento box for their children? Well maybe not everyone notices these little things, but I sure do.
Our eyes are the gateway to our stomachs. It must first look pleasing to the eye and then your lips and taste buds will follow. When deciding upon making my menu, today was not an exception. Japanese Sweet potatoes are lovely and you can make so many things with them from savory to desserts. However, today I chose to make something a little healthier with my Jenga Baked Sweet Potato Fries. (Traditionally this dish is made deep-fried with a sweet gooey topping, but trying to get ready for bikini season)
Jenga Baked Japanese Sweet Potato fries ended up being a hit with the boys. They were crispy and crunchy on the outside and tender, sweet and delicious on the inside. I enjoyed plunging them into my favorite Black Sesame seed dipping sauce, It is just the kind of healthy snack you have been looking for. We also shared great game of Jenga along the way. Have you ever played a hot game of Jenga? Jenga is traditionally played with the wooden blocks and each player takes off a block from in between and then puts it back on top. However, in our case we just ate them instead. A very edible yummy game and fun after school snack.
Jenga Japanese Sweet Potato Fries
Serves 4 adults or 2 hungry teenagers
- 1 pound or about 5 Japanese sweet potatoes
- olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
- optional (1-2 teaspoons of sesame seeds)
Recipe for Black Sesame Seed Sauce and Ginger Honey sauce follows…
Step 1: Preheat oven to 450 degrees or 230 degrees Celsius
Step 2: Wash and cut up sweet potatoes in lengthwise strips. You can remove the peel or leave it on as I have done ((FYI: immediately submerge fries into a dish of cold water with a little salt, to prevent the oxidation process)
Step 3: Dry off Japanese sweet potatoes thoroughly. In a separate bowl add sweet potatoes, olive oil, cinnamon, salt, sugar and sesame seeds if desired. Mix well and place on baking sheet.
Step 4: Place Japanese Sweet potatoes on baking sheet and place in oven to bake for about 20-25 or until tender and golden brown.
Step 5: Stack up your sweet potato fries and get ready for a hot game of Jenga. (If desired, you can serve plain or maybe try some unique dipping sauces.)
Black Sesame Sauce- 3 tablespoons black sesame sauce, 1 tablespoons honey, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce just mix and serve.
Ginger Honey sauce- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground ginger, 2 tablespoons of honey and 1/2 teaspoon of teriyaki sauce- heat on top of stove until bubbly and serve.
I love your Japanese posts
They are always so cool – the non conformist
And these fries look fantastic – I am actually dying to eat the whole plate!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Hello CCU, I am glad you like the Japan posts. I am sure you could make these fries and come up with some yummy chocolate or nutella dip to plunge them into. Have a great weekend. BAM
I am positive that I would easily be able to fall into the Japanese way of life – I love order and things streamlined.
Mandy
Love roasted sweet potatoes.
Japanese culture is very strong and even after all these years traditions have remained constant. It is rare in other countries to see people wearing traditional dress during holidays but in Japan out come the traditional Kimonos and Geisha girls can still be found in certain regions. You would love the order and the rules. However, only Nihongo is spoken in many places so it is orderly but difficult until you get the language under your belt. Take care, BAM
Oh yum
Love sweet potato fries!
Me too. There is something in my brain that loves the sweet and the savory concept. They are full of vitamins and minerals as well.
I’d love to see a school assembly with all of the children wearing their brightly colored hats. I’ve not seen Japanese sweet potatoes but I bet your recipes would work just fine with our local variety.
The Japanese school children are just adorable. Near where we used to live as a part of the uniform they had a patch on their sleeve that said in Japanese “please help me cross the road safely” as many commute alone on the way to school, even the little 5-6 year olds. Using your local variety of sweet potatoes would work just fine. Have a great weekend. BAM
What a great recipe for sweet potatoes! And, your school children photos are adorable!
Thank you. I used to love helping the school children cross the road near where we lived. They used to always hold an adults hand to cross the street. Japan is such a safe place. Take care, BAM
Great recipes, and photos! LOVE the girl with the sneakers…
When my youngest stepson spent his year in Paris, he was warned repeatedly about what the locals called Green Card Girls – I’m sure I needen’t elaborate. Ninteen year old boys needed to hear it on a weekly basis, though!
Oh Marie, you so understand why I have so many platinum blonds!
Such fun pictures! I love sweet potato fries (I actually prefer them to French fries). I still have some Japanese sweet potatoes left from a large haul so I should make these!
I also prefer sweet potato fries to regular fries. So many more vitamins and minerals and I love the sweet and savory combo.
Oh how I wish we could get these potatoes here!! They look so good! I have been on a rutabaga kick lately, not quite the same but healthier than a potato.
Jen, try this recipes with your rutabaga or other root veggies. It will be nice. Start a new trend!
I adore the idea of Jenga with your fries. So fun! And tasty, I bet.
Always on the pursuit of trying to find ways to help my teenagers try new foods.
Play and eat! Does it get better than that!
Who does not like to play with their food? Usually moms discipline their kids for playing and not eating but I gave them the full go ahead and it brought many smiles.
You sound like a fun mom Bobbi!
Sigh, your photos are making me miss Japan so much… It’s been years now since I last visited, but I do love the country, culture, and of course food, deeply. These fries sound wonderful, like a little taste of comfort.
If only I could find Japanese sweet potatoes..
Dear Hannah, I think of Japan as my second home and always will. Please feel free to exchange with USA yams/sweet potatoes. They are a bit different but will also work nicely.
Those sweet potato fries look absolutely delicious! What a nice recipe. Thanks for sharing! Also, I’m having a great giveaway today with four potential prize winners, so you should enter!
Thanks Georgia these Japanese Sweet Potato Fries would go delicious along with a tall glass of your Japanese iced tea. Take care, BAM
I’ve made buttersquash fries, but never sweet potato fries. The purple color is fantastic. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for stoping by. I think all root veggies would be lovely baked like this. Maybe even as a mixture. Lots of colors, flavors, and vitamins. Can you get Japanese Sweet Potatoes where you live? Take Care, BAM
I’ve made something similar, but am really intrigued with the Japanese sweet potato.. and I love that you’ve left the skin on.. sugar.. cinnamon! Yummy! I love those little hats… adorable!!
Japanese sweet potatoes have a really interesting flavor. However, they really oxidize fast as soon as you cut into them. I love the skins extra crunch and extra vitamins and of course the cool purple color. Those little cute kids and their hats are just adorable it brings a smile to anyone’s face. I hope you have a super weekend. On a side note, Are you liking your new job? Take care, BAM
Brilliant to play jenga with hot chips! laughter.. these looked so good and i did enjoy your shots of japanese children, I have never been to japan! c
It adds a bit of dimension to the game when the fries are hot. You have to make your decisions and moves quickly. You should put Japan on your bucket list of places to visit.
These fries look amazing! We would love to play a hot game of Jenga at our house. Thanks for the beautiful peeks into Japanese life.
Your welcome Geni. Jenga can be a really competitive game at our house. Then to add the second layer of competing for food with teenagers. Yikes! Lots of delicious competition.
I have to take the plunge and make sweet potato fries, I have yet to this…. FAIL!!
yet to *do* this… ugh!
So easy just give it a try.
Great photos to illustrate your recipe. And eyes as a gateway to our stomachs – perfect!
Thanks I really do think our eyes are a gateway to our stomachs. If you put 2 dishes in front of me made identical and one is artistically plated and the other one thrown on the plate, of course my brain wants the one that is plated beautifully. I think we all wired the same way. Have a great weekend. BAM
Great post! Are you the non-conformist with the high tops? LOL You know…it would be nice to have a little more order in the US..especially the trains being on time and no one pushing and shoving to get on or off. That said, love Japanese sweet potatoes, and those fries are the bomb! I’m sorry, though..I can’t stop lusting after your Tex-Mex chicken phyllo roll below. Those fries would go great with it!
Thanks Lisa for your kind comments. Yep, the nonconformist is the high top wearer! I agree with you and having more social order. I currently live in Hong Kong. The first week we moved to HK I burst into tears as the people here are so aggressive and there is absolutely no rules or social order it is just who ever gets to the “teet” first wins. I miss the Japanese ways! Take Care, BAM
I think I can polish the whole plate by myself! Hehe. I like to play Jenga, my friends and I always started screaming and shouting when the blocks are losing their balance, it’s a noisy but fun game!
Im have to admit I almost did eat the entire plate myself. I love the black sesame sauce. Take care, BAM
Hehe, I love jenga – what a fun theme for a post, and I loved reading this post
I don’t think I ever had Japanese sweet potatoes before – they look so cute – and a I bet these are absolutely delicious!
Thanks Charles, Jenga is a real fun game but even more fun when you play it with edible parts. If you cannot get Japanese sweet potatoes, you can substitute Yams or traditional sweet potatoes. Have a great weekend. BAM
My mother just LOVES sweet potato fries and I honestly think she will love this recipe. I can’t wait to show this to her.. let see how long it takes her to make this lol
Oh wow! I am usually not a big fan of fries, unless they are sweet potato fries or yam fries!!! Yummy!! Should definitely give this a try! This totally reminds me of my childhood days in Singapore when I had to wear uniform all the time. Oh and for the “spot the non-conformist” picture, I initially thought it was that one girl had shorter hair! Then I realized the bright shoe one girl was wearing. hehehe.. We’d definitely get punished for that if it was my school. lol.
You would really get punished at your school if you were wearing high top tennis shoes and thinking about “Chewing gum” in Singapore! Glad all those kind of school days are behind us. I hope your day is grand! Take Care, BAM
You had me at “sweet potato” … fries are the best!
Thank you. Sweet Potato fries are kind of sweet and simple. Take care, BAM