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closeup of air fryer Japanese sweet potato
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5 from 7 votes

Air Fryer Japanese Candied Sweet Potato (Daigaku Imo)

Candied sweet potato is a popular snack in Japan, known as daigaku imo. The original version is deep fried, but this recipe uses the air fryer for quick, easy, and mess-free cooking.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese
Servings: 2 people

Equipment

  • Air fryer

Ingredients

  • 1 sweet potato
  • canola oil spray
  • 4 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp mirin or water
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • black sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees.
  • Wash sweet potato well and cut into 1 inch cubes, leaving the skin on.
  • Place sweet potato in preheated air fryer and spray with canola oil spray.
  • Air fry at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.
  • While sweet potato fries, prepare the syrup. Place sugar, mirin, butter, and shoyu into a saucepan.
  • Heat the syrup over the stove, stirring regularly, until frothy bubbles form.
  • When sweet potatoes are done air frying, transfer to a bowl and pour sugar syrup on top.
  • Mix well and finish with a sprinkling of black sesame seeds.