Sweet potato jellies (imo yokan)

These Japanese jellies are often made with a sweet bean paste, but sweet potato is also common. Serve as confectionery with green tea.

• makes

  12

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 small orange sweet potato (kumara), peeled, cut into dice 
• 1½ tbsp white sugar 
• 7 g powdered gelatine

Chilling time: 3 hours

Instructions

Place sweet potato in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for 8 minutes or until tender. Drain, return to the pan and mash until smooth. Set aside.

Place 185 ml water, sugar and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and place 2 tbsp syrup in a small bowl. Sprinkle over gelatine and stir until it dissolves. Stir into remaining syrup, then strain through a fine sieve over sweet potato and stir until smooth. If there are lumps, push mixture through a fine sieve.

Spoon into a lightly greased 24 cm x 13.2 cm loaf pan. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Cut in half lengthwise, then into 4cm pieces. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

As seen in Feast magazine, Issue 8, pg84.

Photography by Brett Stevens.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.