Now that we have a house to live in, temporarily that is, we decided to clean out the car that we’ve been living in for the last two months. Including all the tinned food that we didn’t get through, I had one sweet potato left, a bit wrinkly on the outside but perfect for a good roasting. So, roast it I did, even though I didn’t have a plan for it yet. I love roasting sweet potatoes whole, in their skin, it’s a really nice way to make mash too, prevents watery mash, nobody likes watery mash.

At first I was thinking of making some sweet potato muffins, I got all excited about it, bought the ingredients I needed, only to discover that although we are living in a real house now, the kitchen is still a share house kitchen and is mainly full of random schooner glasses from different pubs around town. Definitely no muffin tin to be seen. Luckily, amongst the many baking trays (essential for frozen chips, one of my pommy housemates favourites) I found a loaf tin. Ok, I’ll make a loaf instead.

Due to the amazing asian markets in Darwin, I now get to have delicious things like ginger and kaffir lime leaves at my fingertips, whenever I like. So stoked. Stay tuned for some more asian inspired recipes to come over the next few weeks.

Considering this loaf is vegan and gluten free, I am really happy with how well it rose, whist still staying beautifully moist and spongey. When it was warm from the oven, it was delicious with some marmalade and fresh berries. If you don’t finish it all in the first day though, slice it up and keep it in the fridge, or the freezer, and toast it under the grill to serve. I’ve been enjoying it with some other toppings such as olive oil spread and strawberry jam, or ricotta and honey, or yoghurt and tahini. So delicious!

 

 

Recipe

Ingredients

1 medium sweet potato

1 cup coconut milk

1 tsp lemon juice

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 tbs chia bran

1/4 cup rice malt syrup

1 tbs fresh ginger grated

2 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups plain gluten free flour

1 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup coconut sugar, plus 2 tbs

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarb soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbs sesame seeds

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celcius. Line a baking tray with baking paper and a loaf tin with oil and baking paper.

Using a fork or metal skewer, pierce the sweet potato all over. Place on lined oven tray and roast for about an hour or until very soft. Remove from the oven and when cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthways, scoop out the flesh into a bowl and mash with a fork.

In a small bowl, place the coconut milk and lemon juice, stir to combine and leave for about 5mins.

In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil, chia bran, rice malt syrup, fresh ginger, kaffir lime leaves and sweet potato (make sure the sweet potato is still a little warm to prevent the coconut oil from solidifying). Let sit for about 10 mins. Stir in the milk mixture.

In another bowl sift the flours, ground ginger, baking powder, bicarb soda and salt. Stir in the sugar. Add the wet mixture and stir well to combine, but don’t over mix.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Smooth the surface and sprinkle with the extra coconut sugar and the sesame seeds.

Bake for 45-60 mins or until springs back when pressed or a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for about 20 mins before removing.

Enjoy!