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November 2023, Natto Talk - Issue #3

1. The Fall Season in Japan: Sweet Potato Harvest

2. A baked sweet potato & natto recipe

3. This month's Japanese word from Simply Natto's "Natto Lingo"

The Fall Season in Japan: Sweet Potato Harvest

All of the lush green leaves in the fields in and around my area have been growing for months, and now that fall has arrived, the time for digging up the sweet potatoes has come.

As farmers ready their equipment and get to work, we watch as the sweet potato leaves are cut and removed to reveal long brown mounds of soil.

Farmers then use their modern equipment, or their strong backs, to dig up the sweet potatoes and put them into large bins or bags for transporting.

Many school children also help with the harvest in fields located next, or near, to their schools.

They get the chance to learn outside of the classroom and to work with nature.

They even get to bring home some sweet potatoes for all of their hard work.

Also, here in Japan the sweet potato harvest signals the start of the "yaki-imo" season.

Farmers drive around neighborhoods with a stove in the bed of their truck and an announcement blaring from a speaker, "come get your baked sweet potato..."

Definitely brings back memories of the ice cream truck driving around in the summer and running to catch up to it. And I've done that for baked sweet potato too!

In Japan, there are many types of sweet potato ranging from sweet to less sweet, and there are a variety of ways that this vegetable is enjoyed.

Putting it in stews, making a soup out of it, or eating it as tempura are just a few of the delicious ways that I've been able to enjoy it while living in Japan.

Although, there is an additional way that I have eaten sweet potato and it is very popular in the area of Japan where I live.

Stay tuned for the December issue of Natto Talk to find out what that way is.

Some farmers use modern equipment to gather their crop, while other farmers walk their fields and pick the sweet potatoes by hand.

Some sweet potatoes will be sold in stores, some will be baked and sold to consumers, while others will be used to become one of the most popular products sold in the area of Japan where I live.

Stay tuned for next month's Natto Talk to discover just what that product is.

Baked Sweet Potato & Natto Recipe

Option #1:

Eat them separately. Have a bite of natto and then enjoy a bite of baked sweet potato.

Option #2:

Mix some baked sweet potato with some natto and enjoy.

How to make:

1. Add a splash of shoyu to your natto 2. Sprinkle some cracked black pepper over the natto 3. Mix your natto 20-30 times

(*add any additional seasonings to your liking and mix)

Option #1:

Enjoy a bite of your natto and then enjoy a bite of your baked sweet potato.

Option #2:

Put some baked sweet potato into a bowl and add some of your natto. Mix everything together and enjoy a bite.

(*add any additional soy sauce or seasonings to your liking and mix together)

My opinion:

I've tried out both options and I usually prefer to eat both foods separately (option #1). I find that the baked sweet potato refreshes my palate after eating natto and pairs nicely with the soy sauce aftertaste leftover by the fermented soybeans.

Try out both options to see which one suits your tastes best. Do either of the options suit your palate? What would you change to make either of them taste even better for you? YouTube Video - Baked Sweet Potato and Natto

Simply Natto's Language Corner

This month's Japanese word is:

さつまいも

(satsumaimo)

"saw-tsue-my-moe"

(say the "ts" in "tsue" at the same time)

meaning: sweet potato

Here's a video on how to pronounce さつまいも (satsumaimo) and what it means. YouTube Video - Natto Lingo - Satsumaimo

What to do Next?

What did you think of the baked sweet potato and natto combination?

Did the flavors suit your tastes?

I'd love to hear from you.

Just reply to this publication, or leave a comment on the videos, and tell me what you think!

To all of my fellow "Natto Foodies," thank you for joining me on this natto-filled adventure, and I look forward to sharing and discussing more natto goodness with you in our next issue of Natto Talk.

Justin