Okinawan Sweet Potato Haupia Pie - 'Ono Hawaiian Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is Okinawan sweet potato the same as Hawaiian sweet potato? ›

In Japan, the Okinawa sweet potato is called beni imo. Some people may ask, "Is Okinawan sweet potato the same as Hawaiian sweet potato?” Yes, it's the same variety. And in the US state, they also call it uala.

The Okinawan sweet potato plays a central role. It's rich in anthocyanins, giving it a deep purple color, and anti-inflammatory compounds. These compounds may help to protect against age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's, heart disease, and cancer.

Okinawan sweet potatoes have a white exterior and a purple interior, while Stokes' are purple on the inside and the outside. These eye-catching vegetables get their color from anthocyanin pigments, which are the same pigments that give cherries, strawberries, and purple yams their colors.

The skin of Okinawan sweet potato is thin, like an Irish potato, and can be eaten. Ube has a thick, bark-like skin, which allows the crop to store for longer, but is unpleasant to eat. Okinawan sweet potatoes are in the morning glory family and completely unrelated to yams, such as ube.

The primary nutritional benefit, and the one for which Okinawan sweet potatoes are especially prized, is their high antioxidant levels. The antioxidant known as anthocyanin is the pigment which is responsible for the brilliant purple color of the flesh.

The more yellow or orange its flesh, the healthier it may be, and purple sweet potatoes are even healthier!

Okinawa Purple Sweet Potato

It has a tan skin that looks similar to a russet potato, but when cut has a deep purple flesh. It's less moist than other sweet potatoes and has a nutty flavor. Purple sweet potatoes are some of the most nutritious varieties, and the Okinawa sweet potato is one of the healthiest you can eat.

When eaten in moderation, all kinds of sweet potatoes are healthy. They're very high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals and can safely be included in a diabetes-friendly diet.

The Okinawa sweet potato, also called beni imo, purple sweet potato, or Hawaiian sweet potato. The Okinawan sweet potatoes are so nutritious that they even became Hollywood famous. They were featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2009, then Dr. Oz listed them as one of his top five Superfoods of 2010.

Though often generically labeled “purple sweet potato” in the United States, roots like taro, yams like ube, and Okinawan sweet potatoes arrive from totally different plants and totally different parts of the globe. And each carries a distinct flavor.

Is purple yam the same as Okinawan sweet potato? ›

For the uninitiated, ube (pronounced ooh-bae) is a starchy vegetable also as known as a purple yam. But it is not the same as purple sweet potatoes, though they are similar and can be substituted in recipes. Ube is often confused with Stokes Purple sweet potatoes or Okinawan sweet potatoes which are also purple.

Chef Paula Haney shares with Duff the bakery's recipe for the Fat Elvis Pie, which was inspired by Elvis Presley's love of peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches. The pie includes chocolate pastry cream, peanut butter filling and slices of banana in a crust made of graham cracker crumbs, dry roasted peanuts and pretzels.

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Three were essential staple food crops — kalo (taro), ulu (breadfruit), and uala (Hawaiian sweet potato).

'Uala, or sweet potatoes, have been a staple crop in Hawai'i for centuries, with varieties introduced from South America by Polynesian voyagers centuries ago. Early Hawaiians appreciated this hardy tuber for its ability to thrive in drier climates.

Also known as Okinawan Sweet Potato, 'Uala is a local favorite with deep purple color. Delicious roasted, grilled, fried, in stews and stir-fries, or puréed in mashes, pies, and other desserts.