Buying food in Japanese supermarkets or convenience stores like Lawson, can be a fantastic adventure. Unless you know Japanese language or you know quite a lot about Japanese culture, there is no way to guess what are you choosing.
My big dream during my visit was to try the most unique ice cream flavours in Japan. To have a bigger choice I have tested the very known brand in Okinawa Naha, Blue seal. Blue seal was initially created for American soldiers before becoming available for everyone on Okinawan market, and later in Tokyo.
The most interesting ice cream flavours in Okinawa:
- Ryukyu Milk tea
- Shiiquasa Sherbet,
- Ube
- Beni imo
- Okinawa Salt cookies,
- Okinawa Ta-imo cheesecake,
- Choco Matcha.
My favourite flavour was Beniimo. The Okinawan sweet potato is used as a flavouring to ice creams, cheesecakes, drinks, Kitkats, cookies or even spaghetti. It is the major ingredient of Okinawa’s famous snack: tart, frequently bought by tourists as souvenir.
It was introduced to Japan in 17th century from China and it is a specialty of the prefecture. Rice is not easy to grow in the subtropical environment of Okinawa and people depended on potato varieties.
Purple color is due to the anthocyanin-based pigment, which gives an excellent antioxidant effect. They have a high-value nutrition and are recommended for when feeling weak. It includes a lot of minerals such as starch, vitamin A, C and potassium.
The most popular beniimo-based snacks are:
- tarts, made of purple sweet potatoes, butter, whipped cream and sugar
- Blue Seal icecream
- KitKats, pastries, cookies
To my surprise the iconic snacks were very common in Okinawa’s supermarkets. We found individual shops where the tarts were sold. They have a soft, creamy texture and taste a bit like a cheesecake.
What is the difference between Beniimo vs Ube vs Taro ?
Taro root
- origin: is considered as one of the oldest food crops and probably first domesticated in Southeast Asia and then spread across the world to become the most important staple food in the Pacific Islands
- appearance: brown outer skin and white flesh with purple specks
- culinary use: dim sums, fritters, tea, goes well with milk, coconut milk, fries, soups
- taste: nutty flavour
- nutrition: high-fibre, controlling blood sugar
Ube
- origin: native to Philippines
- appearance: greyish-brown skins and purple flesh
- culinary use: staple dessert ingredient in Philippines
- taste: mild, sweet vanilla flavour
- nutrition: reduces blood pressure, high antioxidant
Beniimo
- origin: China/Japan
- appearance: brown outer skin, purple flesh
- culinary use
- taste: sweet, white chocolate
- nutrition
Lactic acid drink sounds creepy:)
Benimo is amazing in every form, a cheesecake is super easy to prrepare as well