Baked Yam with Coconut Cream (Ufi Mo Lolo)

Ufi, the great yam, holds a special place in Tongan culture — it is grown in carefully tended mounds, harvested with ceremony, and served at the most important feasts. Baked until its flesh turns golden and sweet, it is traditionally eaten with coconut cream, sometimes plain and sometimes sweetened. No Tongan feast table is complete without it.

What makes it great: caramelized edges, a fluffy sweet interior, and a drizzle of coconut cream that makes it quietly luxurious. It is simple and spectacular at once, the kind of side dish guests remember long after the feast.

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