Here’s a simple brunch/appetizer/lunch situation: roast japanese sweet potatoes until they’re nice and fluffy, serve on yogurt with a touch of lemon, and finish with scallions and miso chili oil crisp. That’s what we get with these Japanese sweet potatoes with chili crisp. Ooh-mami!
Jump to RecipeNever not obsessed with chili oil, never not obsessed with sweet potatoes. An ode to them both. These Japanese sweet potatoes with chili crisp are always a crowdpleaser, whether you want them as a dinner party starter or a casual weekend brunch, enjoyed without any accompaniments.
What are Japanese sweet potatoes?
Japanese sweet potatoes differ from their orange American counterpart in many ways besides their color. They have a reddish-purple skin with a pale yellow interior, but they’re also a bit fluffier and more concentrated in sweetness. If you want to know more, read here!
I’m a fan of all sweet potatoes, but Japanese sweet potatoes may have been the first sweet potato that were a staple for me. My mom bought them from the Indian store, because apparently these are the sweet potatoes that dominated where my mom grew up as well. She just pressure cooked them and gave them to me as a post-cross country practice snack in high school. They were so simple, but they always hit the spot.
How to Make Japanese Sweet Potatoes with Chili Crisp
the potatoes
Just a classic roast here. Cut them into wedges and then toss them with maple syrup, red chili powder, black pepper sea salt, and olive oil. I know sweet potatoes are already sweet, but the maple syrup gives them this glossy caramelized exterior that is so satisfying! And the chili powder ensures that the potatoes are sweet, but not tooo sweet.
the chili crisp
This was inspired by Okonomi Kitchen’s miso chili oil recipe, which I’ve made before and loved! You make chili oil with your usual ingredients: red chili flakes, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, sugar, and scallions. Pour a neutral oil on and let everything crisp up! Stir in miso and a little soy sauce at the end. It’s addicting and this recipe makes enough for you to add it to other things throughout the week, like noodles, toast, salads, etc!
Japanese Sweet Potatoes with Chili Crisp
Ingredients
Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes
- 2 small Japanese sweet potatoes or 1 large potato
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Chili Crisp
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- ¼ cup red chili flakes
- 1.5 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ cup scallions, chopped
- ½ cup avocado oil or another neutral oil
- 1 tbsp miso
- ½ tbsp soy sauce
For serving
- ½ cup plain plant-based yogurt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- scallions, chopped
Instructions
- For the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Chop the sweet potatoes to wedges that are a few inches long and ¼-½ inch thick. Toss the potatoes with all the ingredients. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Check once at 15 minutes to flip them.
- For the chili crisp: Add garlic, ginger, red chili flakes, sesame seeds, sugar, and scallions to a bowl that has plenty of space at the top after adding these ingredients.
- Heat the oil on medium heat for 5 minutes until hot, but not too hot (Iike 350 F, but I didn't measure lol). Carefully pour the oil into the bowl. Let it bubble and sizzle. When it settles down, stir in miso and soy sauce.
- To a serving bowl, add yogurt and mix in the lemon juice. Lay the potatoes on top of the yogurt. Add a few more drops of yogurt on top of the potatoes before adding the chili crisp and scallion greens.
If you’re serving this as part of a meal, here’s some other stuff that would pair well with it!
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