Sweet Potato and Shiitake Maki

Article Written By: Marisa Baggett

Sweet potatoes and shiitake mushrooms are boiled in a soy sauce based broth which gives a pleasant salty, sweet and savory flavor to this roll. Try this roll served with a side of steamed spinach.

Sweet Potato and Shiitake Maki

1/2 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into French fry sized sticks

5 large shiitake mushroom caps

1 1/2  cup soy sauce

1 1/2 cup water

1/4 cup mirin (Japanese cooking wine)

5 tablespoons finely chopped scallions

5 pieces nori (4in x 7in)

2 1/2 – 3 cups prepared sushi rice

pickled ginger, optional

wasabi, optional

In a medium sized saucepan, stir together soy sauce, water and mirin. Bring to a full boil over high heat.  Place sweet potato sticks in boiling liquid and boil until just soft, about 3 –4 minutes. Remove from liquid, reserving liquid for mushrooms, and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Place mushroom caps in boiling liquid and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from liquid and place on a plate to cool. Once cool, cut each cap into thin slices.

To assemble rolls, begin with a piece of nori placed vertically on a bamboo rolling mat, rough side facing up. Cover the bottom 3/4 of the nori with a thin even layer of prepared sushi rice, about 1/2 –3/4 cup. Place 1 tablespoon of scallions horizontally in the middle of the rice. Spread one cap’s worth of sliced mushrooms on top of the scallions making sure that the slices extend to the edges. Top the mushroom slices with 2-3 sticks of boiled sweet potato. 

Roll according to the method for rolling thick rolls. Let roll rest seam side down on the cutting board for 2 minutes before cutting into 5 pieces. Repeat steps for assembly with remaining 4 pieces of nori.

Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce for dipping if desired.