Ko-imo

Photo

History

From Bruce Hamana:

The full moon of the 8th month was also called Imo Meigetsu (芋名月), because [taro] potatoes were plentiful and often set out as offerings. The taro potatoes (ko-imo, sato-imo) are rounder.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 20g Konashi for body
• 1g Konashi for dot
• 20g Koshi-an
• Cinnamon for dusting
• Kanten for glue

Procedure

1. Wrap 20g uncolored (still white) konashi around 20g ball of koshi-an.
2. Make into a potato shape, using your thumb to put a small imprint where the potato “bud” will go.
3. Roll out a small ball (8g per 10 sweets) of uncolored konashi to use for the bud.
4. Make some kanten for glue. (1 tsp kanten + 1 cup water, brought to a boil and stirred, worked well).
5. Coat the back of a metal spoon with kanten. Touch the ball to the back of the spoon to apply a thin layer of kanten, then attach to the small imprint on the main body of the potato.
6. Using your finger, rub cinnamon into the potato until it looks like dirt.

How to eat

Just like any other konashi. Using a yoji, cut and eat.