Kind of potato that good both grated or raw Japanese yam!

Japanese yam is a rare potato in the world that can be eaten raw. Even if you say potatoes, they may not be the potatoes you imagine. Today I would like to introduce you to japanese yam.

What kind of food is yam?

The Japanese yam is sticky when grated, and the japanese yam in this state is called Tororo. Tororo is often eaten over soba or rice. Of course, you may eat it as it is. Some people eat it with raw eggs.

Tororo becomes fluffy when cooked and has a lighter, so it is often used for Okonomiyaki. Instead of grated, cut it into long stripe and eaten with wasabi and soy sauce. It is not as hard as potatoes and has a crispy texture.

If you grill it without grate it, it will be fluffy and will have a potato-like texture that you can imagine.

How does it taste?

Yam is native to Japan, but 70% of the yams sold in Japan are native to China. The taste is different between Japanese yam and Chinese yam.

Japanese yam is sticky and can be scooped with chopsticks when grated, but Chinese yam cannot be scooped with chopsticks because it has a lot of water.

Japanese yam has a condensed flavor, so you can eat it with soba noodles without losing.

Chinese yam is delicious even if it is grated, but If I have to choose one, it is better to enjoy the crispy texture by cutting it without grated.

The season is from November to January.

The history of yam, which is longer than the history of rice

Japanese yam was eaten in Japan even before rice was made.
Yam is native to Japan and is distributed from Hokkaido to Okinawa. Harvesting is a very patience task. Since yams are very long, digging may cause the slopes of the mountain to collapse, so digging yams is prohibited in some areas.

Why can you eat it raw?

It contains a digestive enzyme called diastase (amylase), which breaks down part of the starch, so it can be eaten raw.

When you grate it, use a fine-grained grater, improve the function of amylase, and promote digestion.

Yam contain calcium oxalate and may become itchy to the touch. It’s temporary, so don’t worry, but if you can’t get rid of itching with water, you can get rid of itching with vinegar diluted with water.

Used as Chinese traditional medicine in China

As explained above, yam has a digestive promoting effect, is effective in relieving fatigue, and has a nourishing and tonic effect.

In China, it is sometimes used in Chinese traditional medicine. It has effects such as tonicity, sedation, and antipyretic, and it is recommended to eat it when you are sick due to summer heat or cold, or when you get lost wait and not feeling well.

In addition, the sticky ingredient is a nutrient called mucin, which has the effect of keeping the mucous membranes and skin healthy, and also contains arginine, which has a moisturizing effect, so it has the effect of beautifying the skin.

Let’s eat yam that good for health and beauty!

The more you look it up, it’s really profound. It’s delicious and good for your health, so let’s have it positively!

Click here for recipes using Yam.
(The image is “Okonomiyaki is a Japanese-style pancake”)