Kuri Kinton is a traditional sweet dish commonly enjoyed during New Year's celebrations in Japan. Its vibrant yellow color adds a touch of brilliance and elegance to the meal, enhancing the celebratory atmosphere.
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What is Kuri Kinton?
Kuri Kinton is a traditional Japanese sweet dish consisting of kuri no kanroni (Japanese candied chestnuts) combined with Japanese sweet potato paste. "Kuri" means chestnuts, and "Kinton" refers to golden-colored dumplings or futon. This dish is named as such due to its appearance, and the beautiful golden color is believed to bring good luck, making it a popular dish for festive occasions in Japan.
While it is often categorized as a side dish, it is sometimes classified as a sweet treat due to its sweetness. With its satisfying portion, it serves as a perfect choice to curb hunger or cravings for something sweet. You can enjoy it with both your eyes and taste buds.
By the way, there is another treat with the same name, mainly consumed in Gifu Prefecture. However, this is a different confection made with chestnuts and sugar.
The role of Japanese sweet potatoes
Despite its name, kuri kinton uses Japanese sweet potatoes as a primary ingredient. There are several reasons for this, including the following:
For color: The natural yellow flesh of sweet potatoes complements the hue of the chestnuts and helps give this auspicious dish its golden color.
For sweetness: In times when sugar was scarce, it was customary to feast on sweet dishes during celebrations. Sweet potatoes provide a natural sweetness that complements the chestnuts, making them an ideal ingredient for this festive dish.
For texture: When pureed, sweet potatoes become smooth, adding a silky texture that chestnuts alone cannot achieve.
For volume: It can be difficult to make a sufficient amount using only chestnuts, but adding sweet potatoes makes it easier to prepare a generous portion.
For these reasons, Japanese sweet potatoes have been used in this dish. While there are various types of Japanese sweet potatoes, any variety with yellow flesh will work.
The source of bright yellow
In fact, Japanese sweet potatoes have a yellowish color, but achieving the vibrant yellow of kuri kinton is not possible with sweet potatoes alone. To attain this color, gardenia pods are required. Gardenia pods are a natural dye, and when simmered with Japanese sweet potatoes, they turn the sweet potatoes a brilliant yellow.
However, there is also an opinion in Japan that dyeing the sweet potatoes a bright yellow is unnecessary, as kuri no kanroni, a primary ingredient in this dish, already has a golden color. Therefore, while this recipe includes a gardenia pod, its usage is optional. Regardless of your choice, the flavor remains completely unchanged.
📋Step-by-step recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Japanese sweet potato
- 1 dried gardenia pod (optional)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 6 kuri no kanroni (Japanese candied chestnuts)
Seasonings:
- 1 ½ Tbsp syrup from kuri no kanroni
- 1 ½ Tbsp mirin
- pinch of salt
Instructions
🕒 Total: 45 mins
Step 1
Trim both ends of sweet potato, then slice it into ⅘-inch (2cm) rounds and peel each piece thickly. Place the sweet potato slices in a bowl of water and let them soak for 10 minutes to remove excess starch.
Step 2
Crack gardenia pod using the handle of a knife or pliers. Put the sweet potato slices and cracked gardenia pod in a pot, and add enough fresh water (separate from step 1) to cover the sweet potato. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
Step 3
Strain the contents of the pot through a colander and discard the gardenia pod. Puree the sweet potatoes using a fine-mesh strainer and a spatula (or use a blender).
Step 4
Put the pureed sweet potatoes and sugar into a pot and cook over low heat while stirring with a spatula. Once mixed well, add seasonings (syrup from kuri no kanroni, mirin, and salt) and continue stirring.
Step 5
After the mixture becomes a smooth paste, add kuri no kanroni. Cook for a few minutes until the kuri no kanroni is heated.
To Store
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Tips on how to make
- Peel the sweet potatoes thickly. Thoroughly removing the fibers between the skin and flesh will result in a smoother texture for the dish.
- Puree the sweet potatoes. This process is crucial as it ensures a smoother texture in the dish.
Recipe card
Kuri Kinton (Pureed Sweet Potatoes with Candied Chestnuts)
Ingredients
- 1 Japanese sweet potato
- 1 dried gardenia pod (optional)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 6 kuri no kanroni (Japanese candied chestnuts)
Seasonings:
- 1 ½ Tbsp syrup from kuri no kanroni
- 1 ½ Tbsp mirin
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Trim both ends of sweet potato, then slice it into ⅘-inch (2cm) rounds and peel each piece thickly. Place the sweet potato slices in a bowl of water and let them soak for 10 minutes to remove excess starch.
- Crack gardenia pod using the handle of a knife or pliers. Put the sweet potato slices and cracked gardenia pod in a pot, and add enough fresh water (separate from step 1) to cover the sweet potato. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
- Strain the contents of the pot through a colander and discard the gardenia pod. Puree the sweet potatoes using a fine-mesh strainer and a spatula (or use a blender).
- Put the pureed sweet potatoes and sugar into a pot and cook over low heat while stirring with a spatula. Once mixed well, add seasonings (syrup from kuri no kanroni, mirin, and salt) and continue stirring.
- After the mixture becomes a smooth paste, add kuri no kanroni. Cook for a few minutes until the kuri no kanroni is heated.
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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