FreshPoint

Description:

A native of the Japanese island Okinawa, the Okinawa Sweet Potato with its light brown skin and unusual purple flesh is richly nutritious and surprisingly sweet. Scientifically classified as a yam, this root vegetable is a staple among the people of Okinawa and Hawaii, and has surpassed the popularity of the ordinary yam due to the presence of the antioxidant, polyphenol. Because of its delicate sweet taste, it is often simply boiled, cut into chunks and served, but those with a more creative flair treat it in less traditional ways. Picture a wilted spinach salad piled in the center of a salad plate with rosettes of the warm, slightly sweet Okinawas piped around the salad, or a mound of caramelized onions and apples and a couple of lamb chops. Mashed, mixed with grated ginger and topped with sesame seeds, Okinawa Sweet Potatoes are often served toward the end of the meal. For a taste of the Orient, serve purple sweet potato tempura as an appetizer or a side dish.