Twice-baked sweet potatoes loaded with Thai flavours, piled up with fresh toppings and drizzled with an easy Thai peanut sauce.
This week I'm trying something a little bit different, I hope you enjoy it! I'm doing a fun little collaboration with another food blogger, where we do a recipe swap and make one of each other's dishes to photograph and write about.
These gorgeous twice-baked kumara (or sweet potatoes) with Thai flavours are my take on a lovely recipe from Sierra at Nutritional Foodie. Like me, Sierra is focused on creating simple, plant based recipes using wholesome and seasonal ingredients. Unlike me, Sierra is based in Oregon and looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving soon. In fact, when I asked Sierra what her favourite childhood food memory was, it was most definitely Thanksgiving.
Sierra told me from the food to the decorations, she always looked forward to the holiday. "As a little girl it was my job to decorate the table. I took this job very seriously and spent hours making sure every placemat, plate, silverware and napkin was positioned just right. Once I was finished I would help my Mom in the kitchen. My favorite dishes were (and still are) green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole and of course pumpkin pie. Truth be told the pumpkin pie was what I looked forward to the most, including the baking and the eating! We didn’t roast our own pumpkins for the filling but it didn’t matter, the pies were always incredible with amazing spices. Plus, my Mom always made sure to make one extra pie so we would be able to have pumpkin pie for breakfast (smart woman!). To this day the pumpkin pie is my favorite dish on Thanksgiving and I can’t wait to make it with my kids one day too."
We may not celebrate Thanksgiving here in New Zealand but there's so much I can relate to in that story. Food is something so central to our family traditions, our memories, and our dreams for our own children. And pumpkin pie for breakfast, yes please!
Despite the difference in our location and traditions, Sierra and I have a lot in common when it comes to food and our approach to cooking. One look at Sierra's sweet potato recipe had me excited and itching to get into the kitchen. I'm glad I followed my instincts, because I couldn't be happier with how these twice-baked sweet potatoes turned out.
Twice-baked sweet potatoes
This glorious feast starts by baking whole orange kumara (sweet potatoes) until tender, before halving them and scooping out their insides.
I mashed the cooked flesh together with coconut cream and a bit of Thai red curry paste for an extra layer of flavour, before returning the mixture to the kumara halves and baking them for another 15 minutes.
Once the sweet potatoes have finished cooking, pile them high with toppings that take your fancy. I used grated carrot, spring onions, coriander (cilantro), peanuts and sliced chillis. I think some fried or roasted little nuggets of cauliflower, or crumbled tempeh, would also be amazing.
Easy Thai peanut sauce
The Thai peanut sauce poured over these sweet potatoes at the end is what takes them from good to fan-freakin-tastic. I do love a good satay sauce, and usually make a cooked version that takes a bit of time. This easy Thai peanut sauce is so much easier, and a bit lighter, while still being an intense flavour hit. Just how I like it.
This recipe uses smooth peanut butter for the base, blended with a few simple ingredients to create a smooth, pourable, lick-your-plate delicious sauce. You'll find yourself pouring on way more than is really necessary. And then just a little bit more.
Get into your kitchen and give these a go
Seriously, you won't regret it. These sweet potatoes are hearty and satisfying with enough spice to please a chilli fiend like me. If you're not into spice, take the chilli flakes out of the sauce and don't add fresh chilli as a topping. I'd definitely recommend you stick with including curry paste in the filling though, it's so delicious with sweet potato and not overwhelmingly spicy. The crunchy fresh toppings create a great balance, and the sauce. THE SAUCE. Say no more.
Sierra was onto a good thing with this recipe, and I'm so glad I took it for a spin (albeit with a few tweaks to suit my preferences). Next up, I might have to indulge myself in these pumpkin pie bars, or this spectacular pink beetroot crust pizza (I mean, WOW!). Thank you Sierra, it's been a pleasure.
Did you like this?
Leave a comment below and let me know if you'd like to see more posts like this. I had a great time trying something new and might make collaborative posts within the food blogging community a more regular feature. If you're a blogger that would like to give this a go, get in touch.
Amber xx
Get the recipe
INGREDIENTS
For the sweet potatoes:
- 2 large orange kumara (sweet potatoes)
- ¼ cup coconut cream (I used canned light coconut cream)
- 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
For the easy Thai peanut sauce:
- ⅓ cup smooth peanut butter
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce if not gluten free
- ½ tablespoon coconut sugar or sweetener of your choice
- 1 clove garlic finely grated or crushed
- ½ tablespoon fresh ginger finely grated
- ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes optional
For the toppings:
- 1 carrot peeled and grated
- 1 spring onion (scallion) finely sliced
- Large handful of coriander (cilantro) roughly chopped
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts roughly chopped
- 1 fresh chilli finely sliced (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
For the sweet potatoes:
- Preheat oven to 220C (430F), fanbake.
- Wash and dry your sweet potatoes, then use a knife to prick holes in the skin here and there (so they don't burst while cooking).
- Cook sweet potatoes for 45-50 minutes, or until tender when stabbed with a fork.
- Remove from the oven and either leave until cool enough to handle, or use an oven mitt to hold them if you're impatient like me. Cut in half lengthways, then carefully scoop out the cooked sweet potato flesh into a mixing bowl.
- Mash until fairly smooth, then add coconut cream and Thai red curry paste to the bowl. Mix well, ensuring the curry paste is evenly mixed through, with no large clumps remaining.
- Evenly spoon the mixture back into the sweet potato halves and return them to the oven for 15 minutes.
For the easy Thai peanut sauce:
- Using a blender, or stick blender and container, blend all sauce ingredients together until smooth.
- Set aside until ready to serve.
To serve:
- Pile toppings onto the cooked sweet potato halves, then pour over the peanut sauce.
Tracy
Just wondering what the temperature should be when you put them back in the oven?
Amber
The same temperature - 220C (430F).
Ashley Madden
Amber and Sierra, these are mouth watering, pics are gorgeous! Love that you guys did a swap (across the world!). I'm loving it. I'm trying a gf pumpkin pie, lol wish me luck! These potatoes are happening. Thanks gals!
xo