The Tropical Treat

Vegetarian

Rum caramel pineapple upside-down cake with vanilla cream

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A classic pineapple upside down cake infused with rum caramel and served with a light vanilla clotted cream. Sweet, sticky and aromatic, this cake brings together lovely flavours – it’s very tropical this one. Use a golden spiced Caribbean rum (I used Red Leg rum) for an authentic island taste.

Pineapple, spiced rum, caramel and vanilla what else can you ask for? Not only is this cake super easy to make, it evokes those sunny, hot places we can’t travel to now lockdown is on.  If you want a pineapple fix, without the cake, this roasted pineapple recipe with similar ingredients is equally as delicious and vegan too.

This cake is really good. I got a bit excited and pulled the cake tin away too quickly and parts of the cake stuck to the sides and crumbled away, don’t do this haha : ) Serve warm with vanilla cream on the side and an extra drizzle of rum caramel. Enjoy!

Serves 6
Prep 20 mins
Cook 60 mins
Total 80 mins

Ingredients

For the rum caramel

2-3 tbsp water
300ml double cream 
175g caster sugar
15g unsalted butter
1/2 tsp of sea salt 
60ml spiced rum

For the vanilla cream

227g tub of clotted cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp icing sugar

For the pineapple upside-down cake

500g pineapple, cut into 2cm thick strips
150g unsalted butter, softened and a little extra for greasing
150g golden caster sugar 
2 eggs
150g self-raising flour, sifted
Pinch of salt

Method

Make the rum caramel first. Bring the double cream to the boil in a small saucepan. Put the caster sugar in a large frying pan over a medium heat with water. Swirl the pan round to ensure the water covers all the dry bits of sugar (do not stir). The sugar should start to deepen in colour fairly quickly (keep a very close eye so it doesn’t burn, you may need to turn down the heat).

Once it’s a light amber colour take it off the heat and stir in the double cream, followed by the butter, salt and rum. Once the caramel is smooth and glossy leave it aside to cool.

In a small bowl, miix together the clotted cream, vanilla, orange juice and icing sugar until smooth. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 180C/ gas mark 4 / 350F. Butter and line with greaseproof paper, the base and sides of a 20cm round cake tin. Arrange the strips of pineapple on the bottom of the tin and pour over half the caramel (keep the rest to serve). 

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add one egg at a time using a a spatula to scrape down the sides after each one. Fold the flour in until it’s all incorporated into the mixture.

Carefully spoon the cake mixture over the pineapple and caramel, smoothing with a spatula towards the edge of the tin as you go along.

Bake for 55-60 minutes until golden and firm (cover with foil if it starts to brown too quickly). Check it’s ready by inserting a skewer and if it comes out clean it’s ready.

Leave inside the tin for 15 minutes to cool. Place a serving plate, larger than the cake tin over the top and carefully flip over. Peel away all the greaseproof paper and serve warm with any leftover caramel and vanilla cream.

 

Avocado, sweet potato and black bean quesadillas

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So crispy on the outside and proper gooey in the middle. These are good…If you want a break from baking banana bread whilst you’re quarantining why not try making these quesadillas.

A classic Mexican staple, these ones are made with avocado, sweet potato and black bean with a sprinkling of mature cheddar cheese . They’re flavoursome, simple and so good together (one of the nicest combinations in my opinion). Make mini ones for snacking or bigger ones for lunch or dinner.

We all need a bit of comfort food during this lockdown and yes we are all probably going to put on a little weight. So we may as well get eating! 

I have made these refried black beans in a few recipes on the blog. Not only are they delicious in quesadillas, they work well with sweetcorn fritters and cornbread. Make a batch and freeze : )

Enjoy these quesadillas for breakfast, brunch, lunch etc. or whenever you like to be honest!

Serves 4
Prep 15 mins
Cook 60 mins
Total 75 mins

Ingredients

For the sweet potato 

2 medium sized sweet potatoes, washed and stringy bits removed
Knob of butter
4 large tortillas
100g mature cheddar, grated 

For the refried black beans 

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g tin/carton black beans, rinsed and drained and roughly mashed
1/2 tsp chipotle chilli powder
125ml organic vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the avocado 

1 ripe medium avocado, halved and diced 
Juice of one lime and zest
Small bunch of coriander chopped and some whole leaves left 
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Soured cream, to serve

Method

Bake the sweet potatoes first. Preheat the oven to 180C fan / 200C / Gas Mark 6. Wash the sweet potatoes and remove any eyes or stringy bits and then prick all over with a fork. Bake in the oven for an hour or until a knife can go all the way through easily.

Once cooled scoop out the sweet potato into a medium size bowl and mix with a knob of butter and half of the grated cheese. Cover and set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat oil over a medium heat and add the onion, garlic and sauté for 2-3 mins. Add the beans, chilli and stock, stirring and mashing over a low heat until you have a chunky consistency. Season with salt and pepper and leave aside.

Scoop the flesh out of the avocado and dice, transfer into a small bowl. Combine with lime juice, zest and coriander. Season and set aside.

Heat a large frying pan over a low heat. Place a tortilla on a chopping board and brush with a little oil. Transfer it to the pan (oily side down) and spoon sweet potato, black beans, avocado and some of the remaining cheese onto one half of the tortilla. Fold over the other half to make a semi circle and press down gently. 

Cook for a couple of minutes and then flip the tortilla over, cook for a few minutes further or until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the pan and keep warm and repeat with the remaining quesadillas.

Slice into quarters, serve with lime wedges, soured cream and scattered coriander leaves. Eat straightaway!

Mango, kiwi and passion fruit salad

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Get some tropical vibes and Vitamin C with this simple fruit salad – mango, kiwi and banana in a light passion fruit syrup. It’s bright, delicious and full of natural goodness. I think we all could do with something super easy to make but is really good for us right now.

To be honest you can use any fruits you have at hand (now we are quarantining make the most of what you have tinned, frozen or fresh) and if you can’t get your hands on passion fruit, substitute with orange juice or clementines instead. 

With the Coronavirus looming I have definitely felt the need to step up and make sure I’m eating healthy, delicious and most importantly immune-boosting food. 

I made this fruit salad the first time to serve with a coconut tart I made a few weeks back but realised it’s pretty versatile. So put it on top of your porridge, eat it with some coconut granola and yogurt or just have it on it’s own…

Mango, kiwi and passion fruit salad

A simple tropical fruit salad – mango, kiwi, banana with a light passion fruit syrup. It’s bright, delicious and full of natural goodness. Get your vitamins in! This tropical fruit salad is lovely on its own, with some yogurt and granola or this toasted coconut custard tart.

  • 3 Passion fruit, halved and seeds scooped out 
  • 1-2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 200g mango, cubed
  • 4 ripe kiwis, peeled and quartered lengthways
  • 2 small bananas, cut into 1/4 inch slices

  1. First make the syrup, scoop the seeds out of the passion fruit and press the pulp into a small fine sieve over a small saucepan extracting the juice*.

  2. Over a medium heat, add the sugar to the juice stirring slowly until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and add the lemon juice and leave aside to cool.

  3. In a medium bowl, put the pieces of mango, kiwi and banana together. Pour over the syrup and toss ensuring all the fruit is coated in the passion fruit syrup.

  4. This is best eaten straight away but will keep for a day refrigerated. Enjoy!

*Keep one passion fruit aside and stir with the syrup if you like the seeds.

This recipe is slightly adapted from this delicious one over at Food and Wine.

Scotch bonnet coriander cornbread with black beans and avocado

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Bright, flavoursome and vibrant cornbread. It’s not something you always find on a menu here in London but for me it’s a real treat.

I love classic buttery cornbread from the American South so here it is made with fiery scotch bonnet, fragrant coriander and juicy sweetcorn kernels. Topped with smoky black beans beans, creamy avocado and sweet baby plum tomatoes make this the most tropical twist on beans on toast!

This cornbread can be used as a side for chilli or any other salad, soup or casserole dish that may need something with carbs on the side. It is perfect on the table if you’re hosting a brunch and just want something a little different as an extra. 

If you aren’t feeling the refried beans and avocado combo try some red peppers and roasted cherry tomatoes.

Scotch bonnet chilli peppers are a staple in Caribbean and West Africa cooking (can be bought in Asian, African or Caribbean food stores). This was literally the only chilli used by my mum growing up. It’s one of the hottest chillies in the world used to fire up the best Jerk Chicken and West African groundnut stew but the heat is lovely and warming complementing all the flavours in the cornbread really well.

This cornbread has quite a few ingredients but most should be easily found. I’ve used polenta and natural yogurt instead of cornmeal and buttermilk (either combination should work beautifully). Separate all the dry ingredients and wet ingredients and mix together. It shouldn’t take more than half an hour to bake. I used a loaf tin but a round cake tin works just as well. Cut up, eat and serve when freshly baked, it’s the best way!

Serves 4 with leftover cornbread
Prep 20 mins
Cook 40 mins
Total 60 mins

Ingredients

For the cornbread

120g polenta
120g plain flour, sifted 
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp golden caster sugar
1 tsp salt
250g full fat natural yogurt
1 free range egg
90g unsalted butter, melted and extra for greasing
50g mild cheddar cheese, grated 
150g corn kernels, cut from 2 medium corn cobs
2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped (keep the leaves to scatter on top later)
1/2 scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

For the refried beans

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g tin black beans, rinsed and drained and roughly mashed
1/4 tsp chipotle chilli flakes
125ml organic vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the avocado

1 avocado, peeled and cut into wedges
125g baby plum tomatoes, halved 
1/2 the juice of a lime
2 tbsp coriander leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Make the refried beans first. Heat oil over a medium heat and add the onion, garlic and sauté for 2-3 mins. Add the beans, chilli flakes and stock, stirring and mashing over a low heat until you have a chunky consistency. Season with salt and pepper and leave to one side.

Line the base and sides of a 2lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven 200C /400F / Gas 6.

In a medium sized bowl put polenta, flour, baking powder, caster sugar and salt. Mix the yogurt, egg, melted butter and cheese in a separate bowl and stir into the dry ingredients until well combined. Add the corn kernels, coriander and chilli.

Place the cornbread mixture into the lined loaf tin. Bake in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes. Cover with a little foil if it browns too quickly and insert a skewer into the middle of the loaf and if it comes out clean it’s ready. Let the cornbread cool in the tin and then turn out.

Cut the cornbread into thick slices ( a couple should be enough for each person) and arrange on a plate.

Slice the avocado into wedges, halve the tomatoes and squeeze over fresh lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve the black beans on top of the cornbread with avocado, baby plum tomatoes and coriander leaves to garnish. 

Banana Fritters with Rum Caramel

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Bananas, spiced rum and caramel are a delightful trio of tropical flavours. Pillowy soft banana fritters dipped in a deep rum caramel sauce – sweet, comforting and dangerously good. This is a great way to use ripe bananas or plantains and ideal for an after dinner treat or a sweet addition to a brunch spread. Make sure to dust them with a little icing sugar whilst they’re warm!

Banana fritters, buñuelos or mosa? Whatever the name, these delicious treats seem to appear in some way all over West Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

It’s really no surprise since they are a very simple and easy to make using ingredients that naturally grow in abundance in these regions. And i’ve taken some inspiration from the Caribbean here as I think rum works really with bananas and caramel. 

The internet is full of banana fritter recipes but this one is completely vegan and so a lovely treat for all. 

It’s perfect to make quickly after dinner or as part of a brunch where there’s already lots of savoury dishes on the table.

As much as I don’t like to fry, I really don’t think there’s any other way to achieve fritter perfection. Let me know if you do make them and enjoy!

Serves 4 -6
Prep 15 mins
Cook 20 mins
Total 35 mins

Ingredients

For the fritters

4 large ripe bananas (390g), mashed 
30g golden caster sugar
125g plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder 
1 vanilla pod, split open and seeds scraped out
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Sunflower oil, for frying
1 tbsp icing sugar, to serve 

For the rum caramel sauce 

200g white caster sugar
60ml water
100g salted butter
200ml double cream
Pinch of sea salt 
60ml spiced rum

Method

Make the rum caramel first. Put the caster sugar in a large frying pan over a medium heat with water. Swirl the pan round to ensure the water covers all the dry bits of sugar. The sugar should start to deepen in colour fairly quickly (keep a very close eye so it doesn’t burn).

Once it’s a light amber colour take it off the heat and stir in the butter until it’s melted, followed by the double cream, salt and rum. Once the caramel is smooth and glossy leave it aside to cool.

In a medium size bowl mash the bananas with a fork and whisk in the sugar until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. 

Heat sunflower oil in a heavy deep frying pan (half fill) until a cube of bread sizzles and turns brown ensuring the oil doesn’t get too hot.

Using an ice cream scoop carefully drop the batter (roughly 2tbsps) into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Cook for a couple of minutes until even in colour, gently remove with a slotted spoon and transfer onto kitchen paper. 

Repeat until the batter is finished and sprinkle over icing sugar whilst the fritters are still crisp and warm. Serve up!

Sweet potato burgers with avocado and chilli jam

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Wholesome, healthy and just delicious. I really love sweet potatoes – one of the best tropical root vegetables. I can’t think of anything better than having them in burger form with a few greens, avocado and some chilli jam on the side.

It’s a great alternative if you’re vegan / veggie or just want to eat less meat like me. There are quite a few steps with this recipe but it’s well worth it.

These sweet potato burgers would also work well on the barbecue giving them a nice smoky flavour. Make them in advance and chill in the fridge until you’re ready to grill. If you take away the burger buns you could also have sweet potato stacks with eggs for brunch.

Deliciously good sweet potato burgers with avocado, spinach and chilli jam. It’s a winner!

Serves 4
Prep + Chill 45 mins
Cook 45 mins
Total 90 mins

Ingredients

500g sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
175g spring greens, shredded
3 tbsp olive oil
6 spring onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed 
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chilli powder
30g roasted almonds, chopped
75g mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower and sesame)
2 tsp sweet chilli sauce 
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 burger buns toasted, to serve 
1 large red onion sliced, to serve
1 large avocado sliced, to serve
50g baby spinach, to serve 
Chilli jam, to serve 

Method

  1. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 2-3cm chunks. Place in a large saucepan of salted water and bring to the boil, cook until tender. Drain, leave to one side to cool and then mash the sweet potatoes. Boil the spring greens for 5 minutes, drain and chop coarsely. 
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the spring onions and garlic until softened. Add paprika and chilli powder. 
  3. In a medium sized bowl mix sweet potato, spring greens and nuts. Stir in flour and sweet chilli and season well with salt and black pepper.
  4. Divide the mixture into 4 parts and shape into burger patties (about 2 cm thick). Cover the burgers with mixed seeds (spread the seeds on a clean surface and press the patties down to coat evenly). Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes so the burgers firm up and hold their shape.
  5. Preheat the oven to 200C/ gas mark 6 / fan oven 180C. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Gently place the burgers in the pan and fry for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown on each side. Drain any excess oil with kitchen paper. 
  6. Transfer to a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and cool for a few minutes.
  7. Serve in toasted burger buns with spinach, avocado and chilli jam.

Roasted whole pineapple with vanilla and spiced rum

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Caramelised roasted pineapple with fragrant vanilla and spiced rum is the ultimate tropical treat. A beautiful desert to simply end a very hot day or something to remind you of the sunny days when its freezing cold outside.

There are lots of variations of roasted pineapple around with different flavour combinations and if ice cream isn’t your thing swap it out for creme fraiche, coconut yogurt or have it on its own.

I really love this dish. It’s simple but the flavours are so on point.

This is also a great recipe for gatherings. It doesn’t involve much prep and it’s easy enough to put on the barbecue – make sure you baste and turn it over often so it cooks evenly.

Pineapple is often just sliced and eaten as it is which is great but there’s so much more you can do with it. Roasting them is one way and it definitely enhances the natural flavour!

Make sure you get ripe pineapples – sniff the bottom of them and they should smell fragrant, look out for withered leaves or if unripe wait around a week before using them. 

I used the very tropical Red Leg Spiced Rum which is infused with Jamaican ginger and vanilla, it works a treat here. Serve up with vanilla ice cream and sprinkle over torn mint leaves!

Serves 4
Prep 15 mins
Cook 50 mins
Total 55 mins

Ingredients

1 large ripe pineapple 
125ml maple syrup
1 vanilla pod, cut lengthways and seeds scraped out 
150ml spiced rum
30g unsalted butter
A pinch of sea salt 
Vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional)
2 tbsp mint leaves, torn (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C/gas mark 5/375F. Using a sharp knife cut the top and bottom of the pineapple. With the pineapple sitting on a chopping board carefully remove its rough skin (try not to take too much of the fruit off). 

Using a small sharp knife remove the holes or ‘eyes’ by cutting diagonally around the pineapple, removing the flesh and creating a spiral pattern (see here).

Put maple syrup, vanilla pod and seeds, rum and butter in a small pan. Stir over a low heat and add a pinch of sea salt once the butter has melted. Simmer for a couple of minutes until it starts to bubble.

Put the pineapple on a small baking tray on its side and pour over the syrup making sure it’s completely covered. Roast for 50 minutes, basting and turning the pineapple every 10 minutes to ensure its evenly cooked.

Once the pineapple is caramelised and tender remove from the oven and leave to cool. Throw away the vanilla pod and reserve any leftover syrup to serve.

Cut the pineapple lengthways into slices, drizzle over the syrup and serve with vanilla ice cream and torn mint leaves.

Notes

*Watch the video to see how to properly cut the eyes from the pineapple. To make this vegan just omit the butter and serve with vegan ice cream.

Black eyed bean fritters (Akara) and Mexican street corn salad (Esquites)

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Flavoursome, crispy and really delicious.

Akara or black eyed bean fritters are widely eaten across West Africa and have even found their way to Brazil and the American South where they’ve been given cultural twists but the heart of the recipes have stayed the same. 

I’ve adapted this recipe to make it super quick by using cooked cartons of black eyed beans, blitzing it in the food processor, adding spice and frying. It makes the perfect starter and is completely vegan. Dip them into hot pepper sauce and serve up with Esquites.

I discovered Mexican street corn through endless posts of them on Instagram and I decided to see if they lived up to the hype. Yes, they do! Here’s the original recipe I used.

Smoky sweet corn jazzed up with creamy cheese, chilli and fresh herbs. It’s a good one!

Makes 12 little fritters
Prep 10 mins
Cook 15 mins
Total 25 mins

Ingredients

For the fritters
2 x 400g carton black eyed beans, rinsed and drained 
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp plain wholemeal flour
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp baking powder 
Sunflower oil, for frying 

For the street corn salad
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp sea salt
400g corn kernels, cut from 4 medium corn cobs 
1 tbsp mayonnaise 
60g feta cheese, finely crumbled
4 spring onions, thinly sliced (green part only)
A handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime 
1/2 tsp chilli flakes 

Method

Make the fritters first, drain and rinse the black eyed beans. Pour into a food processor and blitz for a few seconds (it should have a chunky consistency and you may need to add a little water)*. 

Place into a bowl and add red onion, garlic, green chilli, flour, salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, baking powder and black pepper. Mix well and shape into 12 small patties (about 2 tbsp of the mixture per patty).

In a wok heat 500ml of sunflower oil (drop a tiny piece of bread in and if it bubbles it’s hot enough) and fry 3 fritters at a time until golden brown and crisp. Drain any excess oil using kitchen paper. Continue until the mixture is finished and keep warm in the oven.

Using the same wok, heat oil over a high heat. Add corn kernels and sea salt tossing a couple of times. Leave to cook for a couple of minutes on one side until the corn chars. Stir and repeat on the other side until the corn is charred all over. Toss and stir for a few minutes until cooked through.

Place the mixture into a bowl and add mayonnaise, feta, spring onions, coriander, green chilli, lime juice. Sprinkle over chilli flakes and serve up!

Notes

*You can mash the beans using a potato masher if preferred!

Mango and passion fruit cake

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Mango and passion fruit, can you name a more iconic duo? A light cake with fresh mango pieces and a creamy mascarpone passion fruit topping – sharp, sweet and fruity. It’s so easy to bake with mango and it really makes the perfect tropical pudding paired up with passion fruit.

Summer days call for bright colours and big tropical flavours like passion fruit and mango. The sun is shining here in London which has inspired me to make this fruity number as well as food perfect for garden parties, barbecues or just to chill after a long hot day. I’m biased but I think ‘summer’ food should be eaten all year round!

This cake would be ideal right after a delicious barbecue especially as it’s so simple to make ( bake the cake first and make the topping later). I found the original recipe here and decided to tweak it a little to make it even more tropical. If you don’t like passion fruit just take it out, puree some mango and drizzle that over the top instead. 

Mascarpone is very Italian (not so tropical) but works amazingly well with mango and passion fruit – it really brings out the tropical goodness. Enjoy! 

Serves 12
Prep 20 mins
Cook 40 mins
Total 60 mins

Ingredients

150g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
150g caster sugar
3 eggs
150g self-raising flour, sifted
150g mango, cubed into 1 cm pieces

For the topping 

250g mascarpone cheese
4 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 passion fruit, seeds scooped out

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C / gas mark 4 / fan oven 160C and line a 20cm x 20cm x 5cm square cake tin with greaseproof paper.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, slowly add one egg at a time using a spatula to scrape down the sides after each one. 

Sift the flour and fold until well combined. Using a paper towel pat the mango pieces to mop any excess juice and add into the mixture. 

Spoon into the cake tin and bake for 40 mins, until golden and firm (check by inserting a skewer and if it comes out clean its ready). Cover the cake with a little bit of foil if it starts to brown too quickly.

Leave the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled. 

Mix the mascarpone, orange juice, icing sugar and vanilla. Spread the mixture over the cooled cake using a palette knife and top with the passion fruit seeds. Serve up!

Plantain and sweet potato moqueca (Brazilian stew)

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This is my take on the classic Brazilian stew moqueca traditionally made with seafood all over the country.  I’ve adapted this particular version which comes from Bahia a northeastern state and uses palm oil (a hotly debated ingredient in the West because of the devastating impact its extraction has on rainforests and wildlife ). It features heavily in West African cooking where it has been used traditionally for hundreds of years and made its way to Brazil via the West Africans. 

Do use organic sustainably sourced palm oil which can be bought here. It really is a key ingredient in this stew because it gives it a unique depth of flavour and a lovely reddish colour. If you can’t get hold of it then substitute with two teaspoons of paprika and swap the olive for coconut oil.

It’s delicious and warming recipe that would be a perfect accompaniment to baked white fish or grilled chicken.

A  fish version can be found here and both are super quick, easy to make and amazingly good. 

Serves 4
Prep 15 mins
Cook 20 mins
Total 35 mins

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 large plantains, peeled and cut into 1cm slices 
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp organic sustainably sourced palm oil (see below)
1 tsp sweet paprika
250ml coconut milk 
1 large red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 large green pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 medium vine tomatoes, deseeded and thinly sliced 
small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped 
3 spring onions, finely sliced  
100ml water 
Sea salt and black pepper
Coconut rice – to serve

Method

Peel and chop the sweet potato into 2-3cm chunks. Place in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan using enough to fully cover the base of the pan. Add garlic, onion, plantain, salt and black pepper and sauté for 3 minutes over a medium heat, turning the plantain occasionally. 

Add the palm oil, paprika and sweet potato. Slowly stir in the coconut milk and water ensuring the  coconut milk has completely dissolved. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

Add the peppers, tomatoes, coriander and spring onions and simmer for 5 minutes or until the peppers are slightly softened (save a little spring onion and coriander to garnish). 

Serve with coconut rice and top with coriander and spring onion.