Name: Sweet Potato Rice
Cuisine: 和食
Ingredients: 200g thinly sliced pork; 200g Japanese sweet potato; 2 cups rice (approx. 300g); 350ml water; 1 tbsp Ninben Shiro Dashi (for pork); 2 tbsp Ninben Shiro Dashi (for rice); A pinch of coarsely ground black pepper

About "Sweet Potato Rice"

Chef Kimio Nonaga, the third-generation owner of Nihonbashi Yukari, presents his Sweet Potato Rice. Combining sliced pork and sweet potato, this recipe uses a cold start method to maximize the natural sweetness of the ingredients. Featuring a zero-cleanup technique of seasoning the meat directly in its packaging and professional rice cooker tips, this dish lets you enjoy a delicious taste of autumn on a budget.

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Tips for Making "Sweet Potato Rice"

Prep
- Pour shiro dashi directly into the pork packaging and marinate for 5 minutes. A smart trick to avoid extra dishes.
Ingredients
- Use the sweet potato unpeeled. The skin holds rich flavor and aroma, reducing waste while maximizing taste.
Heat Control
- Use a cold start over medium-low heat. Steam-frying with water slowly saccharifies the sweet potato, bringing out its natural sweetness and fluffy texture.
Rice Prep
- Never mix the ingredients after adding them to the rice cooker. It disrupts convection, which can leave the rice undercooked.
Washing Rice
- Discard the first rinse immediately, wash gently 3 times, and drain in a strainer for 10 minutes before cooking.

Ingredients for "Sweet Potato Rice"

7 items

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200gthinly sliced pork
200gJapanese sweet potato
2cups rice (approx. 300g)
350mlwater
1tbsp Ninben Shiro Dashi (for pork)
2tbsp Ninben Shiro Dashi (for rice)
Apinch of coarsely ground black pepper

How to Make "Sweet Potato Rice"

1
Season the pork
Pour 1 tbsp of shiro dashi directly over 200g of thinly sliced pork while it is still in its original packaging. Mix gently with chopsticks and let it marinate for about 5 minutes while you prep the sweet potato.
Prep directly in the packaging to avoid extra dishesMarinating for 5 minutes enhances the savory flavor and tenderness
2
Cut the sweet potato
Thoroughly wash 200g of sweet potato and cut it in half without peeling. Using leverage, slice it into 1cm-thick rounds, cut those into sticks, and finally dice them into 1cm cubes.
Keep the skin on to preserve flavor and umamiChoose a sweet potato that is straight and uniform in thickness
3
Steam-fry the ingredients
Place the diced sweet potato and 3 tbsp of water in a frying pan before turning on the heat (cold start). Heat slowly over medium-low heat. Once the water evaporates and the sweet potato turns a vibrant yellow, add the marinated pork. Stir-fry together, using a spatula to break the pork into bite-sized pieces.
A cold start promotes saccharification, making the sweet potato sweeterUse the pork fat and moisture to meld the flavors together
4
Prep the rice
Rinse 2 cups of rice in a bowl. Discard the first rinse immediately, then gently wash the rice 3 times without applying too much pressure. Drain in a fine-mesh strainer for 10 minutes.
Wash gently without applying too much forceDrain in a strainer for 10 minutes before cooking
5
Cook in the rice cooker
Add the rinsed rice, 350ml of water, and 2 tbsp of shiro dashi to the rice cooker inner pot. Stir well with chopsticks and level the surface. Spread the stir-fried ingredients evenly on top. Select the mixed rice (takikomi) mode and start cooking.
Never mix the toppings with the rice before cookingUse the mixed rice mode to get a perfect crispy crust (okoge)
6
Serve and enjoy
Open the rice cooker lid once cooked. Gently fold the rice from the bottom to distribute the crispy bits, scoop into bowls, and top with a pinch of coarsely ground black pepper to taste.
Serve to showcase the beautiful golden crispy crust

Food Science

Why This Dish Tastes So Good

Combining the inosinate in pork with the glutamate in shiro dashi creates a powerful umami synergy. Additionally, during the cooking process, the beta-amylase enzyme in the sweet potato is activated, breaking down starches into sweet maltose. The gentle sweetness of the sweet potato harmonizes beautifully with the savory saltiness and umami of the shiro dashi, resulting in a deeply flavorful dish.

Umami SynergyFlavor BalanceEnzymatic Reactions

Detailed Commentary on "Sweet Potato Rice"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

Savoring Autumn with Sweet Potato Rice

Chef Kimio Nonaga, the third-generation owner of Nihonbashi Yukari, introduces a budget-friendly and incredibly delicious Sweet Potato Rice recipe featuring autumn's star ingredient: sweet potato. While autumn is famous for chestnuts and sweet potatoes, Chef Nonaga pairs sweet potato with an unexpected ingredient and uses his signature cold start method to ensure anyone can make this seasoned rice perfectly. The video starts on a lighthearted note as the chef shares a funny story about another famous chef being mistaken for 'the cold start guy' on the street.

Seasoning in the Pack: Pork Prep

The first step is preparing the pork, which serves as the savory base. We use 200g of budget-friendly thinly sliced pork. By pouring 1 tbsp of Ninben shiro dashi directly into the original packaging and mixing it gently with chopsticks, you achieve 'zero cleanup' with no extra bowls to wash. Letting it marinate for just 5 minutes while you prep the sweet potato allows the savory flavor to penetrate the meat, while the shiro dashi keeps it tender and juicy. Thinly sliced pork is perfect for this dish as it offers both lean umami and rich fat.

Cutting Tips: Keep the Skin for Flavor

We use 200g of the star ingredient, sweet potato. The key here is to leave the skin on. Since the most flavorful and aromatic parts of the vegetable are near the skin, cooking it unpeeled reduces waste while maximizing flavor. First, cut the sweet potato in half, then grip the knife handle firmly and use leverage to slice it. Cut into 1cm thick slices, then into sticks, and finally into 1cm cubes. When choosing a sweet potato, look for one that is straight, uniform in thickness, and has taut skin, rather than one that is highly curved.

Steam-Frying: Slow Saccharification

Place the diced sweet potato in a frying pan and add 3 tbsp of water. Here, we use Chef Nonaga's signature cold start method. Add the ingredients and water before turning on the heat, then heat slowly over medium-low heat. By 'steam-frying' with water instead of oil, the sweet potato slowly saccharifies, bringing out its natural sweetness and fluffy texture. Once the water evaporates and the sweet potato turns a vibrant yellow, add the marinated pork. Stir-fry them together so the pork fat and moisture infuse the sweet potato with savory flavor. Using a spatula makes it easy to break up the cooking meat.

Rice Cooker Tips: Professional Method

Add 2 cups of rinsed rice, 350ml of water, and 2 tbsp of Ninben shiro dashi to the rice cooker, stir well with chopsticks, and level the surface. Spread the stir-fried ingredients evenly on top. The most crucial tip here is: never mix them. Mixing the toppings with the rice disrupts the convection of the rice, preventing even heat distribution and causing undercooked spots. Select the mixed rice mode and start cooking. This mode creates a perfect crispy crust (okoge), giving it a rustic, clay-pot-like aroma. The chef also shares professional rice-washing tips: discard the first rinse immediately, wash gently 3 times, and drain in a strainer for 10 minutes before cooking.

Perfect Crispy Crust: Sweet Potato Rice

Opening the lid reveals the sweet aroma of sweet potatoes. Folding the rice from the bottom uncovers a perfect, golden crispy crust (okoge). While achieving this beautiful crust in a clay pot takes ten years of training, a rice cooker makes it easy for anyone. Scoop into bowls and top with coarsely ground black pepper to taste. Tasting his creation, Chef Nonaga exclaims, 'The sweet potato is delicious!' The savory shiro dashi highlights the sweet potato's sweetness, while the rich pork and punchy black pepper create a perfect balance. During the chat, he shares stories about his restaurant's popular 'eel and burdock tempura rice' and recommends 'tomato egg soup' as the perfect pairing.

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