Prepping Yams…Without An Oven!

I received the following question from a regular reader/poster to the blog who is abroad for the year; a challenge is presented that I'm up for:

I have a hotplate for sauteeing, along with cast iron skillet…Unfortunately, no oven. Also a consequence of having no oven is that I can't bake sweet potatoes or true yams (the latter of which I can actually find in abundance here). I know that boiling is a good way to do potatoes, but every attempt I have made at boiling them has ended in disaster. Is this another issue on which you could help?

As endurance athletes who follow the #PaleoDiet, our yams are near and dear to us, as they're our sole source of starch!  Not being able to throw them in the oven in a baking dish with water, or wrapped in foil, or, my fave- prepped according to my Baked Paleo Yam Fries Recipe would be quite tricky, but with a little creativity, not impossible!

My experiment started with the idea of trying to mimic the conditions under which I prep the fries- use an already pre-heated pan at a really high temp.

Cut yams into wedges, and douse with olive oil, freshly chopped garlic and a dash of salt (again- appropriate for endurance athletes as per The Paleo Diet for Athletes).  Mix with hands to ensure even coating.   Place in single later in already hot cast iron skillet, covered, and flip at even intervals.  Keep a close eye on it so as not to let it singe and keep cooking til soft.  Play around with this idea and see if it doesn't elicit a great yam dish!