In Thailand, a country with a perpetual summer, Japanese "yakiimo" (roasted sweet potato) is all the rage right now. Roasted sweet potatoes have undergone a surprising evolution in Thailand. Thailand is a country that is crazy about Japanese roasted sweet potatoes. We followed them behind the scenes. ■The world is paying close attention to... Japanese sweet roasted sweet potatoes Asakusa, Tokyo. At the end of a long line, we found roasted sweet potatoes. A person from Australia said, "They're so good!" A person from America said, "They're really sweet." "They're delicious!" In fact, the world is paying close attention to Japanese sweet roasted sweet potatoes right now. At an event in Hong Kong, customers rushed to get their hands on Japanese sweet potatoes. In addition, roasted sweet potato tasting events are being held in London and Dubai. So how are Japanese sweet potatoes exported? The tracking staff headed to Miyazaki Prefecture, a major producer. Kushima Aoi Farm President Yosuke Narasako said, "This is the storage facility." Inside the storage facility, there is a mountain of sweet potatoes piled high. The amount is a whopping 1,000 tons. If you convert that into the number of sweet potatoes... President Narasako: "About 4 million." The sweet potatoes stored are "Beni Haruka," harvested last year. They are exported throughout the year to Europe and Asia while maintaining their quality. ■The sweet potato boom in Thailand...it all started with "Don Quijote" The country where sweet potato fever is happening right now is Thailand, where summer is perpetual. The amount of sweet potato exports to Thailand has increased by about six times in just five years. Looking into a supermarket in the capital, Bangkok, I found them right behind the king of fruits, durian. Japanese sweet potatoes with "AMAIMO" written on them. There is an oven next to the sales floor where the sweet potatoes are baked. They are a little expensive at about 500 yen each, but customers buy them one after another as they are baked. They say that they sell as many as 300 sweet potatoes a day. A Thai regular customer said, "I love the sticky texture of baked sweet potatoes! Very good!" "You won't find sweet potatoes this sweet in Thailand." In fact, the baked sweet potato boom in Thailand started with the familiar Don Quijote in Japan. Five years ago, they started selling Japanese baked sweet potatoes in Thailand and they became very popular. A Thai regular customer said, "At first I thought they might have sugar in them." "They're so sweet, I love them." "I always buy them when I come to the store." Since then, baked sweet potatoes have evolved in their own way in Thailand, and specialty stores have appeared one after another. The baked sweet potatoes are sprinkled with sugar and roasted with a gas burner, then topped with gold leaf to finish. At this store, there is a way to eat them that is unique to Thailand. They are actually "frozen baked sweet potatoes." They are eaten like sorbet ice cream. Other popular items include baked sweet potato ice latte, baked sweet potato Mont Blanc ice cream, and chilled baked sweet potatoes. They have also evolved into a cold dessert unique to a country with perpetual summer. ■The secret to the sweetness of Japanese baked sweet potatoes: "3 to 6 months of aging" The secret to their popularity is their sweetness, but why are Japanese baked sweet potatoes so sweet? We visited a company in Miyazaki Prefecture, where they are produced, that also exports to Thailand. In addition to cultivar development and cultivation, how they are "aged" is important. Exporting baked sweet potatoes to Thailand and other countries SAZANKA President Kenji Sugo: "We age them for 3 to 6 months." "We sugar the sweet potatoes while storing them, making them sweeter." In the storage facility, they are aged with soil on them. The humidity is strictly controlled at 95% and the temperature is 14°C, and over the course of several months, the starch inside the sweet potatoes is broken down and converted into sugar, which increases their sweetness. Furthermore, at this company... President Sugo: "The equipment for the final stage of aging is at the back over there. This is the equipment that increases the sugar content significantly." Unfortunately, the final aging method is a company secret. President Sugo: "(Q. Will you never be able to show this on TV?) No, we can't." "Because it's the most important part for us." When the aged sweet potatoes are roasted in this way, they become so sweet that they overflow with juice. President Sugo: "These are Japan's top-class roasted sweet potatoes!" ■Roasted sweet potatoes, popular for pairing with alcohol In fact, sweet potatoes have been around in Thailand for a long time, but the standard way to eat them is as "steamed sweet potatoes" sold at food stalls. If you measure their sweetness, they have a sugar content of 7 degrees. On the other hand, the Japanese roasted sweet potatoes mentioned earlier have a sugar content of 60 degrees. That's almost the same sweetness as "strawberry jam." And now, the sweet potato boom in Thailand is spreading beyond sweets. There is a roasted sweet potato that is popular for pairing with alcohol. The one they use is that roasted sweet potato with a sugar content of 60 degrees. 1923 Executive Chef Hara Shinji: "I wondered if something this sweet should exist in the world." You mean dipping sliced ​​roasted sweet potatoes in flour and frying them in oil? That's right, "roasted sweet potato tempura." Deep-frying the sweet potato makes it even sweeter, making it very popular with the younger generation in Thailand. Thai regulars say, "Sweet and delicious!" "Delicious!" "It goes really well with alcohol!" Another dish that is very popular with Thai women is the "baked sweet potato with cheese." The sweetness of the sweet potato and the saltiness of the cheese are exquisite, and there are many repeat customers. Thai regulars say, "It's delicious!" ■Behind the sweet potato boom... a Japanese mastermind In fact, behind the expanding sweet potato boom in Thailand, there was a Japanese mastermind. Hibiki Omori (28) dropped out of university at the age of 21 and got a job at a Thai consulting company, saying, "I want to spread Japan's excellent ingredients all over the world." So far, he has developed menus using sweet potatoes at 60 restaurants in Bangkok. Omori says, "It's the moment when something unknown to Thai people becomes 'delicious' when they eat it in front of you. It's very rewarding." On this day, there was a tasting session for a new product. The prototype he was making with the Thai staff was "baked sweet potato french fries." They will try out different flavors, such as barbecue and cheese, to see which powder suits Thai tastes. Female staff: "The barbecue flavor and the sweetness of the baked sweet potato go really well together." There is also a prototype where the baked sweet potato is covered in honey and butter. However... Omori: "It's too sweet." The result of the taste test... Female staff: "I like the cheese flavor." Male staff: "I think the barbecue flavor is the best." Omori: "I think it will work. I'm thinking of putting the barbecue and cheese flavors on the menu." ■Baked sweet potato x Thai food... "Perfect match" "Infinite possibilities" Meanwhile, a Thai person has also appeared to try to combine Thai food with baked sweet potato. He is Chef Ong (42) of the cafe "Rabbits." Ong: "Japanese baked sweet potato and Thai food go great together." A salad of deep-fried baked sweet potato mixed with a spicy and sour dressing unique to Thailand. The basic elements of Thai food are "spicy," "sour," and "sweet." The secret to its popularity seems to be the perfect match of the sweetness with the Japanese baked sweet potato. Ong: "I feel like there are endless possibilities when it comes to roasted sweet potatoes and Thai food." There is also a roasted sweet potato green curry, which is said to be the restaurant's specialty. A Thai regular customer said, "The roasted sweet potato salad was really good." "I know about Japanese roasted sweet potatoes, but I never thought they would go so well with Thai food. It's refreshing. It's surprising." And at this Thai restaurant... The Rabbit's Grove Cafe & Restaurant Owner Nok (46) "I thought that Japanese sweet potatoes would go well with Thai people who like sweet things." When the owner Nok opened his restaurant, he set his sights on Japanese sweet potatoes, which he discovered through roasted sweet potatoes. That dish is "Sweet Potato Massaman Curry." The standard is "Massaman Curry," which uses potatoes. Japanese sweet potatoes themselves are now attracting attention as a new ingredient in Thailand, and as expected, they have become the restaurant's signature dish. A Thai regular customer said, "The spiciness of the curry and the sweetness of the sweet potato are the perfect combination." "It's so delicious. I'm so happy." Through its encounter with Thailand, Japanese baked sweet potatoes have opened up new possibilities. A Thai regular customer said, "I'd love for everyone in Japan to try this dish." [TV Asahi News] https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp