Jamaican yam mash: creamy, garlicky, and nothing like a potato

True yam is not the same vegetable as the orange-fleshed sweet potato American grocery stores label "yam." It is starchier, denser, and holds its own against strong flavors like roasted garlic without disappearing. Mashed with coconut milk, it turns creamy in a way that stands up next to any protein on the plate.

Yam carries a meaningful amount of vitamin C and potassium for a starch, more than white potato tends to. Roasting the garlic first mellows its sharp edge into something sweet and rounded, so this mash reads as comfort food, not a compromise.

The original version of this mash leans on vegan butter and a scatter of roasted bell pepper. Coconut oil or palm shortening takes the place of the butter here, and the bell pepper is left out entirely rather than swapped, since nothing quite matches its exact sweetness without bringing a nightshade back into the bowl.

Ingredients

• 1 pound yam, peeled and chopped
• 3 to 6 garlic cloves, roasted
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or palm shortening
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Method

• Place the yam in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well.
• Return the yam to the pot. Add the roasted garlic, coconut milk, coconut oil or palm shortening, and salt.
• Mash with a potato masher or hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt before serving.

*Adapted from thatgirlcookshealthy.com by Charla*