Okinawan Sweet Potato and Haupia Pie

OK.  It was a friend's birthday this past Wednesday, and since she's baked cakes (and pies) for me on my birthdays in the past, I asked her what she wanted me to make for her birthday.  She said she wanted me to make her an Okinawan sweet potato and haupia pie.

Okinawan sweet potatoes look like this:

(These potatoes are quite large.  The two were almost 3.25 pounds total.)

After the potatoes have been cooked, the skin turns dark and the insides turn a brilliant purple. 

This pie is simple to make and not as sweet as it sounds.  It has a wonderful combination of flavors and was a hit with everyone.  In fact, days later, people are still talking about it!  I guess now this will be something else that I'll be asked to make frequently.

Okinawan Sweet Potato and Haupia Pie

Crust

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter
1/8 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and flour.  Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Add chopped macadamia nuts and mix well.  Press lightly into a 13" x 9" baking pan.  Bake at 350°F for 12-17 minutes, until lightly browned.  Set aside.

**NOTE**

The recipe for this crust is similar to one for a macadamia nut shortbread.  You may substitute any shortbread recipe for this one.

Okinawan Sweet Potato Layer

2 cups Okinawan sweet potatoes, cooked and whipped
1 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Next, fold in whipped Okinawan sweet potatoes.  Then, add in milk, vanilla and salt.  Continue to mix until well combined.  Mixture should be the consistency of pancake batter.  Pour onto crust and bake at 350°F  for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.

**NOTE**

Instead of whipping the Okinawan sweet potatoes, they may be mashed for a more "chunky" texture.  I prefer them whipped.  The texture is smooth, light and fluffy.  Whipping gives this a "melt-in-your-mouth" feel.

Haupia Layer

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
2 12-ounce cans frozen coconut milk, defrosted

In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Add water and stir until sugar and cornstarch are dissolved.  In a heavy bottomed pot, heat coconut milk on low until warmed through.  Slowly add in sugar/cornstarch/water mixture, stirring constantly until coconut milk mixture is thickened (about 5-7 minutes).  Let cool slightly, then pour over Okinawan sweet potato mixture.  Refrigerate until firm, about 4-5 hours, overnight is best.

Cut into squares and enjoy!

Comments

[fish fish]

Hi, browse thru ur blog first time today. Glad I found it thru mum mum site. Nice nice, I like it. :) Dun really like sweet potato, except purple one. Guess the purple spell is on me. Really wanted to try one like those on top now.

Btw, if u got time, can go to hv a look at my blog too.

http://kuishinbomeow.blogspot.com

[Angela]

Oh WOW!!!! This looks simply amazing! The colours are so beautiful.... Is the flavour of the Okinawan sweet potatoes the same as regular orange ones? Also, does it matter if you use non-frozen coconut milk?

[pieman]

Brilliant. Never seen sweet potatoes looking like that before. maybe I should blog up the Vietnamese verison fro comparison puropses....

[Reid]

Hi fish fish,

Thanks for dropping by my blog. I've visited your site and it looks really good! =) I like the Okinawan sweet potatoes that we have here a lot too. In fact, these are the only ones that I'll eat just boiled with the skin still on. Hope to see you around again! Keep up the good work on your blog.

Hi Angela,

Thanks for dropping in. =) In my opinion, the flavor of the Okinawan sweet potatoes is a lot milder, though just as sweet. I think that frozen coconut milk is concentrated, so the flavor is a bit more intense. I'm sure that you can use an equivalent amount of canned coconut milk and achieve a similar result. If you decide to make this, let me know how it turns out. Good luck!

Hi pieman,

Thank you! What kind of sweet potatoes do they have in Vietnam? I'm interested to know. I'm glad you like this. Haven't you noticed that I've been making a lot of desserts at home lately? The girls at the office have been craving sweet desserts.

[stef]

that really looks good. i must find some okinawan sweet potatoes. my mom would really love it. i like that the purple strain makes it more fluffy and fine. :) thanks for sharing, reid!

[Reid]

Hi Stef,

Thank you...and you're welcome! I like Okinawan sweet potatoes too. They are actually good eaten mashed and served with fish or chicken. The flavor, while sweet, is a bit delicate, which makes it perfect for this dessert.

[pinkcocoa]

hi Reid
oh my gosh. That colour is amazing! I have been wanting to try one of those purple sweet potato but cant seem to find any here in Australia. We only have orange and white one here and they are not as sweet. >.<

I think my boyfriend would love your pie very very much. He likes anything with sweet potato and coconut. Now I only have to get him to start cooking! :)

A few questions here:
How much is 1 block of butter? and what do you mean by whipping the sweet potato?

[Reid]

Hi pinkcocoa,

Thank you for the compliment. =) I'm not so sure that you'll be able to get your boyfriend cooking, but good luck to you!

Sorry, I should have said one STICK of butter, which is equal to 8 tablespoons or 1/2 cup. To make whipped sweet potatoes, I first coarsely mash them, then use a hand blender (or stick blender), until they are smooth and creamy (almost like boxed mashed potatoes when they are cooked). Hope this helps!

[Cathy]

Hi Reid! Your pie is gorgeous and sounds delicious! I'm tempted to try it, but like Angela, I'd have to use regular sweet potatoes and canned coconut milk.

[Reid]

Hi Cathy,

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the compliment. I'm not so sure that it will taste the same made with sweet potatoes that you get in the states. If there is any way for you to get ahold of purple sweet potatoes... Otherwise, good luck to you!

[pinkcocoa]

Thanks, Reid, for the tips.
I would be lucky my bf can cook me instant noodles ;-p

[julia]

Hi Reid, your pie looks and sounds amazingly delicious. I can imagine how fragrant and creamy it tastes! You've got a lovely blog. Didn't know there's such a diverse variety of good eats in Hawaii. :)

[Reid]

Hi Julia,

Thanks for visiting my blog and thanks for the compliment. The pie does taste yummy due to the wonderful combination of flavors. BTW...there are actually a lot of yummy eats here, it's always nice to discover somewhere new.

[Karen Moench]

Hi,
I recently had sweet potato pie while on Oahu - delicious! I have always found a stick of butter to be 1/2 cup. You said it was 1/4 cup. Please clarify. If I can find the sweet potatos, I will make it.

Karen Moench

[Reid]

Hi Karen,

Thank you for stopping by the blog!

Yes, 1 stick is equal to a half cup. I've corrected the comment above to reflect that information. Thanks for keeping me on my toes!

If you do make the pie, please let me know how it worked out for you. Good luck!

[Andrea]

Hi there!

I am excited to make this for a Company Luau, but I am not sure where I can find the Okinawan Sweet Potatoes here in the states... Have you known anyone to be able to find them in California? Any recommendations?

[Reid]

Hi Andrea,

Thank you for stopping by!

I'm not sure if you'll be able to get the Okinawan sweet potatoes there, but your best bet would be an Asian grocery store. Have you tried Marukai or 99 Ranch Market? They might have some.

Good luck!

[Mom1Sharon]

We had a dish of sliced Okinawan sweet potatoes in a creamy coconut sauce at a Luau in Kauai last week. It was delicious and I'd like to make it for Thanksgiving dinner. I found your blog looking for a recepie. Do you have anything like that? Thanks.

[Reid]

Hi Mom1Sharon,

Welcome to the blog.

I'm sorry, but I do not have a recipe for the dish that you asking about. In fact, I don't think I've actually seen or eaten anything like it. I asked a couple of friends and they agreed that it sounded interesting, but was unlike anything they had tried before.

Sorry. =( Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

[Jo]

Prehaps you could simply slow simmer sliced sweet potatoes in coconut milk? I'm envisioning it topped with toasted coconut and finely chopped pecans... ??? I've never had Okinawan sweets, but if they are similar in behaviour to regular sweets, this could work very nicely. Conversly, you might consider roasting the potatoes, chilling, slicing, simmering. Either way, a relatively easy dish.

[Kris]

Thanks for the great recipe. I made this pie for Thanksgiving and my family loved it. They ate it all and I only got to enjoy just one little piece!

[Reid]

Hi Kris,

Thank you for stopping by.

I'm glad you had much success with this recipe. It's one of my favorites, and like you, I usually end up with just a tiny sliver.

*sigh*

[greg love]

i live in alabama, usa.. id love to be able to buy some seed potatos to try.. the purple ones they look fantastic

[Reid]

Hi Greg,

Thanks for dropping by the blog.

I don't know about seed potatoes, but I can send you some if it's allowed by the USPS.

[Deirdre Dee]

Are the sweet potatoes similar to the Philline Ube? (Ube is also purple sweet potatoes). We do have a store here in Milwaukee that sells fresh Ube. Too soon to do for this year's Wisconsin State Fair, but I'm absolutely going to experiment for 2008 state fair.