Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Step 2

Once your oven is heated, place your yams on a baking plate and place into the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes in order to pre-soften your yams

Step 3

After 12 minutes, remove and add it to the rest of your ingredients and the "Bougna assembly line"

Step 4

Take a baking dish (we used a circular Pyrex 9" in diameter) and line with aluminum foil. Be sure to have plenty of extra aluminum foil over the edges, since you will wrap the foil over the entire bougna for baking

Step 5

Next, line your strips of banana leaves over the aluminum foil if you end up using them. Press them into your baking dish to create a "bed" into which the ingredients can go

Step 6

Start assembling your bougna with a base layer of your yams

Step 7

Next, place your prawns over top the yams, followed by your tomatoes and onions both over top the prawns and into the open spaces between the prawns

Step 8

Sprinkle your grated coconut over everything, then pour your coconut milk over the entire bougna mixture evenly

Step 9

Season everything with your sea salt and black pepper

Step 10

Tightly wrap the banana leaves and/or aluminum foil to enclose your bougna, then place in the oven. Bake for at least 45 minutes

Step 11

After 45 minutes, unwrap your banana leaves and/or aluminum foil, and enjoy!