Learn how to make perfect, delicious & comforting Japanese sweet potato rice!

Happy first day of autumn! While summer is my favourite season, I’m super excited to welcome all the fall flavours and comfort foods. Once of my staples during the fall are sweet potatoes… not only because they’re delicious as is but because they are so versatile and can be incorporated into all kinds of dishes.

What is Sweet Potato Rice?

Sweet potato rice is a type of Takikomi Gohan (Japanese mixed rice) because it’s cooked together in the same appliance. It’s a very simple yet delicious mixed with perfect for the fall season! The rice is soft and fluffy, with chunks of buttery sweet potatoes and a fragrance of toasted nuttiness from the black sesame seeds.

How to Make Sweet Potato Rice

Ingredients

Japanese sweet potatoes
Japanese short grain rice
Sake
Salt
Black sesame seeds

Wash Rice

Add cold water to a large bowl of dry rice, swish from the bottom with your fingers and then quickly drain the water. Repeat two more times.
Add cold water to fill the bowl and then using your knuckles, gently wash the rice by in a swirling motion and drain water. Repeat 3 more times. On the last wash, use a colander to drain well.
Add the rice, cold water, sake and maple syrup to your rice cooker and let it soak for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, chop the sweet potatoes into 1-1.5 cm cubes and then soak them in cold water for 15 minutes.

Donabe:

Add salt to the rice and stir. Arrange the soaked and drained sweet potatoes on top.
Turn on the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil (takes about 10 minutes). Once you can heat it boiling, immediately reduce heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove from the stove and let it steam for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and gently mix the rice scooping from the bottom. Add the rice to bowls and top with black sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!

Rice Cooker:

Add salt to the rice and stir. Arrange the soaked and drained sweet potatoes on top.
Turn rice cooker on to white rice setting.
Once complete the rice cooker timer goes off, do not open the rice cooker for 10 minutes.
Add the rice to bowls and top with black sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!

Tips for Making Sweet Potato Rice

Choosing sweet potatoes: When purchasing sweet potatoes, look for ones that have a clean skin without any bruises or wrinkled ends.
Rice : Liquid ratio: Multiply the amount of rice in grams by 1.1 for the TOTAL amount of liquid (including seasonings).
Use COLD water to wash the rice: Never use hot water to wash rice because it enhances absorption and you don’t want the rice grains to absorb the rinsing water.
Wash until slightly cloudy: Quick rinsing 3 times and then gently washing with your knuckles three times should be enough to clean the rice. You don’t want to clean the rice until the water is completely clear or the taste of rice gets washed away.
Gently wash: Using too much force will cause the rice grains to crack.

What to serve with sweet potato rice

SAVE IT FOR LATER! ↓

If you recreate this Japanese Sweet Potato Rice recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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