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Satoimo 

If you’re familiar with a bit of Japanese linguistic trends, you’ll notice the “imo” here and infer that satoimo must be some kind of starchy root vegetable — and you’ll be correct!
Satoimo Illustration Uwajimaya
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Japanese

さといも

Korean

사토이모

Chinese

里岩

Satoimo is Japanese taro. It has a mellow, slightly sweet and creamy flavor, and has textural similarities to potatoes as well as yamimo and nagaimo, the Japanese mountain yams. The latter especially have some unique shared characteristics with satoimo like a texture that is a bit sticky and slimy which, in the case of the mountain yams, makes them key ingredients in dishes like okonomiyaki. Satoimo meanwhile is most popular in soups, stews, and other simmered dishes known as nimono. 

Satoimo no nimono is a hearty simmered taro soup. In nimono dishes in general, satoimo is often simmered in some combination of dashi, soy, mirin, sake, and other classical Japanese base liquid ingredients. The firmness allows the taro to retain its integrity when simmered for a while instead of dissolving or falling apart, while the mild taste means it can soak up the base flavors of the broth. 

Along with being popular in home cooking, satoimo is extra high in fiber and potassium compared to many related root vegetables. 

If you’re looking to make some comforting satoimo no nimono, you can find all your ingredients at Uwajimaya’s produce section and throughout the store.