- Local
- Community
- Journalism
Support the independent voice of Houston and help keep the future of Houston Press free.
What is it?
Other than a very lewd-looking root vegetable (at least from this picture I took), the not-so-pretty yam is also known as a Chinese yam, yamaimo, Japanese mountain yam, or Korean yam. It can grow to up to three feet long and close to four pounds.
Ironically known in the U.S. as an invasive weed rather than an edible vegetable, it's starchy and bland and doesn't need to be cooked before eating.
How is it used?
In China, this vegetable is used more for medicinal purposes than for food, but in Japan it is a staple. Often eaten raw in Japanese food, the root is soaked whole in a water-and-vinegar mixture to detoxify oxalic acid that is present in the skin. When grated, it takes on a gelatinous quality.
Raw, grated nagaimo mixed with dashi, soy sauce and mirin is a salad called tororo served over sushi or to accompany rice. It is also sometimes used as the starch in certain types of Japanese soba noodles.
Where can I buy it?
Asian markets - particularly Super H Mart, where I photographed these recently.
Recipe: Nagaimo Pancakes: Courtesy of CloveGarden.com
Follow Eating Our Words on Facebook and on Twitter @EatingOurWords
Keep the Houston Press Free... Since we started the Houston Press, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Houston, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Houston with no paywalls.
