Roasted sweet potato facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Gun-goguma, kǎo-báishǔ, haau-faansyu, yaki-imo |
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| Place of origin | East Asia (China, Japan, Korea) |
| Main ingredients | Sweet potatoes |
| Similar dishes | Roasted chestnut |
| Regional names | |||||||||
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| Chinese name (northern China) | |||||||||
| Chinese | 烤白薯 | ||||||||
| Literal meaning | "roasted sweet potato" | ||||||||
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| Alternative Chinese name | |||||||||
| Chinese | 烤地瓜 | ||||||||
| Literal meaning | "roasted sweet potato" | ||||||||
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| Cantonese name | |||||||||
| Chinese | 烤番薯 | ||||||||
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| Japanese name | |||||||||
| Kanji | 焼き芋 | ||||||||
| Kana | やきいも | ||||||||
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Imagine a warm, sweet snack on a cold winter day. That's exactly what roasted sweet potato is in many parts of East Asia! It's a super popular street food that people love to eat when the weather gets chilly. These delicious sweet potatoes are cooked until they are soft and caramelized, making them a perfect treat.
Contents
What is Roasted Sweet Potato?
Roasted sweet potato is simply a sweet potato that has been cooked by roasting. This cooking method brings out the natural sweetness of the potato. It makes the inside soft and sometimes a little gooey. People in countries like China, Japan, and Korea have enjoyed this snack for a very long time.
How is it Made?
The way roasted sweet potatoes are made can be a bit different in each country. Often, they are cooked in large metal drums or ovens. Sometimes, they are even roasted over hot stones. This slow cooking process makes the sweet potatoes incredibly tasty.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes Across Asia
This yummy snack has different names and traditions in various East Asian countries. Let's explore how it's enjoyed in China, Korea, and Japan.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes in China
In China, especially in the northern parts, you'll find yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes roasted in big iron drums. Street vendors sell them during the winter months. In northern China, this snack is called kǎo-báishǔ (烤白薯). This means "roasted sweet potato."
Regional Names in China
The name for roasted sweet potatoes can change depending on where you are in China.
- In Cantonese speaking regions, like Hong Kong, it's known as haau faan syu (烤番薯).
- In Taiwan, people call it kǎo-dìguā (烤地瓜). This also means "roasted sweet potato."
These different names show how the word for sweet potato itself changes across the Chinese-speaking world.
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Roasted Sweet Potatoes in Korea
In both North and South Korea, roasted sweet potatoes are called gun-goguma (군고구마). This name also means "roasted sweet potato." They are usually roasted in special drum cans.
When and Where to Find Them
You can find gun-goguma sold by vendors from late autumn through winter. These vendors often wear a warm hat called an ushanka. This hat is sometimes even called a "roasted sweet potato vendor hat."
Types of Sweet Potatoes Used
While any type of sweet potato (called goguma in Korea) can be roasted, some are more popular. Softer and moister kinds, like hobak-goguma (pumpkin sweet potato), are often preferred. They become very tender and sweet when roasted. Firmer types, like bam-goguma ("chestnut sweet potato"), are less common for roasting.
Modern Twists on Gun-goguma
Even though gun-goguma is a traditional winter food, people in South Korea have found new ways to enjoy it.
- Dried Roasted Sweet Potatoes: They are dried to make a chewy snack called gun-goguma-mallaengi (군고구마 말랭이).
- Frozen Roasted Sweet Potatoes: You can even find them frozen, called ice-gun-goguma (아이스 군고구마), which is a cool treat for summer.
- Ice Cream and Smoothies: Nowadays, you can enjoy gun-goguma ice cream and smoothies, even in the summer!
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Gun-goguma
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A typical gun-goguma drum can used in Korea
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Roasting goguma in the drum can
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Gun-goguma-mallaengi (half-dried roasted sweet potatoes) as a snack
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Ice-gun-goguma eaten as a summer food
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Gun-goguma ice cream (with package)
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Gun-goguma ice cream (inside)
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Roasted Sweet Potatoes in Japan
In Japan, a similar street food is called ishi yaki-imo (石焼き芋). This means "roasted sweet potato in heat stones." Just like in China and Korea, these are sold from trucks during the colder winter months. The trucks often play a special tune to let people know they are nearby!
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Stone baked potatoes wrapped in newspaper is a common style.
Roasted Sweet Potato Emoji
Did you know that roasted sweet potato even has its own emoji? In 2010, an emoji was approved for Unicode 6.0. It's Error using : Input "1F360" is not a hexadecimal value.. This shows how popular and recognized this delicious snack is around the world!
