Vegan Japanese Cuisine: Taro in Sweet and Sour Sauce/Sato Imo Ankake

I’ve found a whole bunch of simple and healthy recipes on taro, or sato imo/里芋 as they are called in Japan that should please my vegan and vegetarian friends!

This one is called “satoimo nakake/里芋餡かけ” or taro in sweet and sour sauce.
It wiil make for an excellent snack to go with a drink!

INGREDIENTS: for 2 people

-Taro/sato imo: 4~5 small
-Dashi (use konbu dashi/seaweed soup stock): 125 cc/ml or 1/2 cup
-Japanese sake: 1 tablespoon
-Mirin/sweet sake: 1 tablespoon
-Fresh grated ginger: １/8 teaspoon
-Cornstarh: 1 teaspoon
-Water: 1 tablespoon
-Salt: to taste
-Chopped leeks (for topping)

RECIPE:

-Soften the taro/sato imo inside a microwave oven.
Peel them and cut them in halves.

-In a pan, pour yhe dashi/soup stock, sake, mirin and grated ginger. Let simmer for a while. Add salt for taste.

-Mix the water with the cornstarch and add to soup sauce. Stir well until smooth.

-Roll taro/sato imo in cornstarch and deep-fry in 180 degrees Celsius oil until they are cooked to a saisfying colour.

-Place deep-fried taro/sato imo on a grill or kitchen paper to take off exces oil.

-Place taro/sato imo in a dish, pour the sweet and sour sauce all over it. Top with chopped leeks and serve!