Tag: taro

Japanese sweets, Local Foods, Shops

Taimo (taro) Pie: 田いもパイ

田芋 or 田いも taimo: type of taro

パイ pai: “pie” in romaji

In Nakagusuku village there is a small shop called Nakatomi Kashi-ten なかとみ菓子店 　(Nakatomi sweets shop) that specializes in taimo pie. You can often find them selling their small fried pies at food events on the island or visit their shop.

The shop is on a small road off of Rt. 29 in Nakagusuku; at the turn their are purplish colored flags with the words 田いもパイ on them. Following the small signs down the road you will end up at their small shop where you can purchase the pies. Sometimes they have some seasonal sweets as well, but mostly it is just the taimo pies which are 100yen each.

The pies have a crispy fried outside and are stuffed with taimo filling. Very delicious. I recommend taking them home and reheating them, maybe adding a side of ice cream. This is one of the many unique sweets you can find in Okinawa!

address: https://goo.gl/maps/yUiSWqSwQqB2

Interested in more unique Okinawa Sweets? Check out these previous posts:

Kunpen: くんぺん

Chinsukou: ちんすこう

More on Ryukyu Sweets

Machikaji: まちかじ (松風)

Tougatsuke: 冬瓜漬

Okinawa Sweets: 沖縄のお菓子

Famous “No” Manjuu in Shuri: のー饅頭

Fuchagi: フチャギ (more Okinawa mochi!)

Okinawa mochi, pt.3: Nantou ナントゥー餅

Sangwachi gwashi: 三月菓子

Muuchii: ムーチー

Okinawa Zenzai: 沖縄ぜんざい

Local Foods

Taro: ターンム

Taro: this goes by many names here depending on the exact dialect in Okinawan language.

田芋 taimo is Japanese (田 ta means “field”, 芋 or いも imo means “potato”).

ターンム taanmu, or ターム taamu, are the most common Okinawan variations you will see/hear on the main island (however, there are others).

Coming from Hawai’i, I know a few things to do with taro (re: poi!). That being said, I like to try local recipes, too. One popular way to eat taro here is to boil and mash it with some sugar (this is called “dengaku” デンガク, 田楽). Many Okinawans say it reminds them of grandma’s cooking to eat it this way. Just as an FYI, many farmer’s markets will sell taro already cooked.

Interestingly enough, you may also see some labeled チンヌク chinnuku here in Okinawa, another type of taro. From my understanding, there are 2 types of taro in Okinawa, taanmu is cultivated in a shallow water field, and chinnuku is in a regular field. Taanmu is supposed to be better for sweet things, and chinnuku used for things like ジューシー juushii (cooked rice meals). But honestly, you can probably use them fairly interchangeably…

If you like taro, try some of the delicious Okinawa treats made with it:

Taimo (taro) Pie: 田いもパイ

Muuchii: ムーチー