Easy Vegan Vakalolo

This is a favorite Fiji-inspired dessert that our auntie taught us in the states. Vakalolo is a Fijian sweet that is usually steamed in banana leaf and served with fresh warm coconut milk. Since we like to make this in the states, we worked without the banana leaf and coconut milk and made a baked version. Grated cassava (aka tapioca) and grated coconut can both be found in the frozen section of many Asian grocers. The recipe calls for equal parts cassava and grated coconut, plus sweetener and ginger. This is usually made with brown sugar, but we tried it with dates and enjoyed the results.

What you'll need: 2 cups coconut, grated 2 cups cassava (aka tapioca), peeled and grated 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted and chopped 2 inches fresh ginger, grated  (add more or less depending on how much you like ginger)

How it's done:

Process the cassava, 1 cup of the coconut and dates. Transfer mixture to a bowl and mix in the remaining coconut and ginger.

Press into pan or muffin tray. I used a mini-muffin tray. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, give or take. Use a toothpick to test for readiness- the result should be moist!

Drizzle with warm coconut milk or serve as-is!