From famine food to comfort food: Satsuma imo gohan

Today’s mindful thought comes straight from my rice cooker, which continues to prove that it may actually be the hardest‑working appliance in my kitchen. I finally tried making satsuma imo gohan, Japanese sweet potato rice, using the recipe from JustOneCookbook.com, and I’m annoyed with myself for not doing this years earlier. It is absurdly easy, almost suspiciously so, and yet the result tastes like something with a long, thoughtful tradition behind it.

You literally chop a satsuma imo, soak it for a bit, toss it on top of your washed rice, add water and a splash of seasonings, close the lid, and push the button. The rice cooker does all the work while you wander off and pretend you’re busy. When it pops open again, you’re greeted by fluffy rice dotted with soft, naturally sweet cubes of potato that somehow feel both comforting and elegant. It’s the kind of dish that makes you want to stand in the kitchen with the spoon and “just taste a little more” until half of it is mysteriously gone.

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