Satsumaimo no tonyu kokonattsu purin / sweet potato and soy milk coconut pudding

This is for people who like a little dessert after meals. It is very mild and will not steal the spotlight from the main meal or overwhelm your mouth with clingy sweetness. Also great as an afternoon snack. A small amount of kuromitsu, a molasses-like syrup made with kurozato muscovado, provides the deep aroma and taste of this creamy dessert.

1/3 of recipe:
149 calories; 1.7 g protein; 5.6 g fat; 22.0 g carbohydrate; 21.0 g net carbs; 11 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 1.0 g fiber


<Ingredients>

(2-3 puddings)

100 g cooked satsumaimo Japanese sweet potato (yakiimo roasted; in photo)
6 tbsp additive-free tonyu soy milk (see Notes)
6 tbsp coconut milk
1 tbsp maple syrup
5 g gelatin (slightly more than 1/2 tbsp)
3-4 tsp water (to soak gelatin; not in photo)

1 tbsp kuromitsu muscovado syrup (for serving)

<Directions>
1.

Soak gelatin in water.

2.

Wrap satsumaimo in plastic, and heat it up in microwave for 30+ seconds. 

Peel, and strain into a bowl.

Add maple syrup, and mix well.

3.

Microwave soy milk and coconut milk for 40-50 seconds (no need to boil), and add to satsumaimo mixture.

Mix well.

4.

Microwave gelatin for 10-15 seconds to dissolve.

Swirl gelatin in satsumaimo mixture while mixing. 

(There would be approx. 360 cc of satsumaimo mixture.)

5.

Pour into 2-3 cups, and refrigerate for a few hours.

6.

Before serving, pour 1 tsp kuromitsu over each pudding.

<Notes>

• The pudding has a creamy consistency. Reduce the amount of soy milk and coconut milk for a denser texture.
• The coconut taste is subtle. Use more coconut milk and less soy milk for clear coconut taste and aroma.
• Adjust the amount of maple syrup according to the sweetness of satsumaimo. If cooked satsumaimo is very sweet, it may not be needed at all.
• If only fresh satsumaimo is at hand, roast, steam or microwave it until soft. Roasting results in the sweetest taste and is highly recommended. You can cook satsumaimo the day before, and keep it in the fridge.
• When made with milk, calories, sodium and cholesterol figures go up slightly to 153 kcal, 23 mg and 4 mg.
  
• Photo at right shows the same recipe made with murasaki-imo (also called murasaki-satsumaimo) purple sweet potato.
• Kabocha pumpkin is a great substitute for satsumaimo.
• The soy milk I use is made with soybeans and water only, and the above amount contains below 2 mg sodium. Store-bought soy milk in the US usually contains salt and sugar (and flavors, even when labeled as "plain"), and its sodium content averages around 100 mg per 240 cc. Additive-free soy milk probably is available at Asian grocery stores in the US. In Japan, look for soy milk that says 成分無調整 [lit. ingredients not adjusted], which implies soybeans and water are the only ingredients and there are no additives such as sweetener and oil. 

(Last updated: June 29, 2015)