Purple sweet potato and haupia pie

If you're wondering where the recipe is for this dessert, you'll just have to check out Alan at mā'ona. I had it bookmarked for future use just in case I should find myself in the islands where it's easy to get Okinawan sweet potatoes. These purple spuds are an excellent snack that I ate on many occasions as a kid, and the simplest method of preparation requires not much more than boiling or steaming them. They're also very versatile in cooking as their pleasantly sweet flavor lends itself well to chowders, cakes, bread, tempura, and even ice cream. What luck to discover that my favorite mom n' pop grocery store had these on sale at $1.29/lb. And coconut milk for only 50 cents a can!

I basically followed Alan's recipe with just a few minor changes. Instead of peeling the potato beforehand, I simply boiled them with skins on in order to have extra for snacking; the skins are easy to remove after they've cooled down. The pie was baked in a 13x9-inch glass dish (for dessert bar servings) for 25 minutes and I cut the sugar used in the sweet potato filling by 2 tablespoons. The macnuts in the crust really give it a nice contrast in texture and flavor. And of course the Cool Whip was an added touch (more than what the photo shows), hence the reason for reducing the sugar in the filling. I don't know of any local eatery on Kauai that makes this, but this is absolutely delicious!

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Saved comment(s)

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What an impression this makes! It reminds me of the (not sweet) Bolivian purple potatoes that got popular in the States a few years ago (at Whole Foods, etc). If you really want to freak a dinner guest out, you make them purple mashed potatoes. Anyway, I'd try this in a heartbeat. Did you really find Okinawan Sweet potatoes in Italy? Wow.
Susan | Homepage | 03.29.06 - 7:47 am

What an interesting looking cake! Lovely! Definitely different from what I know and have seen, so I like it even more!!!
Bea at La Tartine Gourmande | Homepage | 03.28.06 - 2:59 pm

that looks *almost* too beautiful to eat. i've never had the purple okinawan potatoes and now i want to try them! i might try to make this dessert, of course with some substitutions. i think i'll have a hard time finding macadamia nuts in france, too. let's see... instead of using the purple potatoes, how 'bout fois gras? EW! j/k :P
ptinfrance | Homepage | 03.28.06 - 10:48 am

Oh that looks yummy - and so pretty! I wish I could get my hands on some of those purple sweet potatoes, but I have a feeling there are none to be had in these parts.
Cathy | Homepage | 03.28.06 - 1:35 am

That photo is beautiful. I'm glad the recipe worked well for you!
alan | Homepage | 03.27.06 - 9:55 pm

Hi Rowena, I love it! The colour is amazing and the photo really gives a great idea of what the texture is like. And of course it's always so much fun to read about new vegetables. I envy how available macadamias are in Hawaii ... :o)
Ivonne | Homepage | 03.27.06 - 5:36 pm

When I started reading this post, I first thought "Okinawan sweet potato" is a different name for taro. But when I followed the link to the Star Bulletin, it became clear that no, this tuber is indeed something different! Truly, I've never heard of it before. I feel like I've discovered a new vegetable! How amazing. Now I just wish I could taste it myself!
Tania | Homepage | 03.27.06 - 5:33 pm