Closing in to winter, root vegetables are becoming abundant in the local market. Potatoes, daikon, regular and purple carrots, and sweet potatoes. Heavy coal smelling air is also a sign that winter is in the air. The locals still use coals as their main heating. In this part of the world, even heating is still controlled by the government who decides that heater will only be allowed to be turned on at certain times of the day. Thank God we live in a hotel with certain privileges and so much better heating. Winter here can be quite harsh when the temperature drops down to minus 25ish degree celcius.

On the streets, baked sweet potato vendors are everywhere. With RMB1 or about 1 cent USD, you can get a nice big beautiful smelling baked sweet potato with skin charred from being slowly cooked for hours in the big smoky barrel.

I have a couple of fresh sweet potatoes in the kitchen and was thinking to make a dessert. Yups, the cravings for sweets is still there. Bubur Candil  had crossed my mind actually, but not sure if he likes it. Maybe it should be a cake with some nice frosting. I found a recipe that looks yummy and settled with that one.

 Sweet Potato Cake with palm sugar drizzles

In short, the cake does not taste as what I had in mind. I guess I’m a bit of an old fashioned when it comes to flavours. Sweet potato should taste like sweet potato. Not white chocolate or cream cheese or anything minty. Honestly, how can I swallow something that tastes like a mouthwash in my cake?

Fine, I guess I will stick with ”bubur candil” then. I know how it should taste like. Bubur candil brings me back to my late afternoon snacks – that is after shower in front of TV watching cartoons, buka puasa with relatives or treats mom usually brings back after her grocery shopping in the market. Bubur Candil means “home”.

Bubur Candil ~ Sweet Potato Balls in Palm Sugar syrup
drizzled with coconut milk

 Let me know if you want to know the recipe

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