Oriental or Japanese or Korean sweetpotatoes are market catchall terms for various rose-skinned, ivory-fleshed cultivars developed in the Far East. They fall between the drier boniato types and the moist-fleshed whites (discussed below). All those I have tasted have been elegant indeed. Baked, the flesh turns fresh yellow throughout, while the texture is smooth and medium dry (like marrons glacés). The flavor is warm, medium sweet (sweeter than boniato, closer to traditional). Steamed, the skin slips off neatly, leaving a satiny, creamy cylinder rather like a ripe banana in color and texture and very sweet. It slices sleekly although it feels like puree in the mouth—sweetened chestnut puree. For a side dish, the drier texture of the baked boniato seems more useful.
