Okinawa’s beni-imo are a crisp, sweet and rather purple way to step up your breakfast hash brown game.

Believed to have originated in Latin America, beni-imo (purple sweet potatoes) became an integral part of the Ryukyu Islands’ diet in the early 1600s, well before it became known as Okinawa. They remain a staple to this day, popular for use in both savory and sweet dishes.

The beni-imo is also popular in other countries, and in Hawaii it’s so common that it’s sometimes referred to as the Hawaiian sweet potato.