Ladob

Sweet Potato Daube- Ladob papat- is a filling, nutritious, and healthy dessert cooked with coconut milk that is simple to make. The soft and sweet potato complements the rich creamy sauce of coconut milk, making it a comfort food for all Seychellois, no matter where they are. Ladob is a Provençal stew made with inexpensive beef stewed in wine, vegetables, garlic, and herbs and traditionally cooked in a daubière, a braising pan. Could it have come from the Malagasy term dauba-dauba?

This way of cooking has a different connotation in Seychelles when it comes to fish and meat versus desserts. The pork or fish ladob is a stew with fried potatoes and, occasionally, little green peas. The fish and pork may have also been fried or pot-roasted in a rich soup. In a dessert context, ladob is a dish baked over medium heat with coconut milk, nutmeg, vanilla, and sugar. When the dish is cooked, the coconut milk thickens and becomes creamy.

Ingredients

• 1 litre fresh coconut milk, 1 kg sweet potato, 1 pod vanilla or 2 tsp vanilla essence, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 200 ml water or milk (optional), 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

• Wash and scrub sweet potato, then slice lengthways into two and then cut crosswise into even-size chunks of about 3 cm wide.
• Combine the sweet potato chunks in a large pan with the coconut milk (the coconut milk must cover the sweet potato; if it does not, add a little water or milk).
• Slit the vanilla pod in half lengthways and add to the pan along with the salt and nutmeg.
• Sweeten to taste with sugar then bring the mixture to a boil.
• Reduce to a simmer, and cook gently for about 40 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender enough that they can easily be pierce with the point of a knife. Avoid covering the pot.
• This dish can be served warm or cold.