Tanmu Dingaku (Sweet Okinawan Taro Paste)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 50 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 5
About this dish
Okinawan water taro is cooked soft, then mashed and cooked down with sugar until it holds a spatula trail, much like Japanese kinton.
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A spoonful of mirin at the end adds gloss, and finely minced lemon or mandarin zest goes on top. Raw taro juice makes skin itch and undercooked taro irritates the mouth, so the taro is peeled with gloves and the first blanching water is thrown out. It is served warm or lukewarm.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Wear gloves, peel the tanmu, and cut into 2 cm cubes.
Trim any discolored or soft areas and rinse once under running water.
- 2
Bring enough separate water to cover the taro to a gentle boil.
Blanch the cubes for 5 minutes, discard all the blanching water, and drain the taro.
- 3
Wash the pot, add the blanched taro and 1.5 cups hot water, and set over medium-low heat.
Simmer 12 to 15 minutes, until the corners soften and the cubes crush easily with a wooden spatula.
- 4
Add the sugar and reduce to low heat.
Stir continuously for 10 to 15 minutes, scraping the bottom and corners while crushing the taro, until thick enough to hold a spatula trail like kinton.
- 5
Stir in the mirin for 1 minute to add gloss.
Divide among four bowls, finely mince the lemon or mandarin peel, and scatter it evenly over the portions. Serve warm or lukewarm.
References checked
These references were consulted when this page was prepared or corrected. A source check does not mean the recipe was independently kitchen-tested.
- 일본 농림수산성 うちの郷土料理
琉球料理研究家 安次富順子 · Checked: 2026-08-11
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