じゃがいも

じゃがいも is one of the most common vegetables in Japanese home cooking, used in a wide range of dishes from stews to salads.

Alternate names

• 馬鈴薯(ばれいしょ): formal/written term for potato (seen on menus, in recipes)
• ポテト: used mainly in loanword compounds (フライドポテト, ポテトサラダ)

Common dishes

• 肉(にく)じゃが: meat and potato stew (classic home cooking)
• ポテトサラダ: potato salad
• フライドポテト: French fries
• コロッケ: croquette
• 粉(こ)ふきいも: boiled potatoes tossed until floury

Etymology

From ジャガタラ (Jacatra, old name for Jakarta) + いも (tuber). Potatoes were introduced to Japan via Southeast Asia in the 17th century.

Related words

• さつまいも: sweet potato
• 里芋(さといも): taro