Sweet Potato Fritters Recipe
These sweet potato fritters are crisp outside and soft inside, and they come with a creamy lime-chipotle dip. The grated sweet potato is salted and squeezed dry, then seasoned with cumin and smoked paprika. A flax egg holds it together and rice flour makes it crisp. You can bake the fritters or pan-fry them until golden. They are vegan, naturally gluten-free and made from simple pantry staples.
Equipment
- Food processor or box grater
- Clean muslin cloth
- Mixing bowl
- 5 cm / 2 inch cookie cutter (optional)
- Large baking tray and baking paper
- Heavy-bottomed skillet
- Upright blender
Ingredients
For the Fritters
- 700 g sweet potatoes 24.5 oz (3 medium-large), coarsely grated
- 1 tsp salt draws out moisture
- 1½ tbsp ground flax seeds mixed with 1½ tbsp water
- 1½ tbsp water for the flax egg
- 3 small spring onions / scallions finely sliced
- black pepper to taste, freshly ground
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 50 g rice flour heaped ⅓ cup
- 1 tsp baking powder
- vegetable oil as needed, for frying or brushing
For the Lime-Chipotle Dip
- 70 g raw cashews or sunflower seeds ½ cup, soaked and drained
- 30 ml lime juice 2 tbsp, fresh
- 1 small clove garlic peeled
- 90 ml water 6 tbsp
- salt to taste
- 2-3 tsp chipotle paste adjust to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Mixture
- Soak the cashews or sunflower seeds in water for a few hours. If you're short on time, cover them with boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain before using.
- Coarsely grate the sweet potatoes, ideally in a food processor. In a small bowl, stir the ground flax with 1½ tbsp water and set it aside to thicken.
- Stir 1 tsp salt through the grated sweet potato and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. If you're baking, preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
- Squeeze out as much liquid as you can, either in a clean muslin cloth or by the handful. Be thorough.
- Put the squeezed sweet potato in a mixing bowl. Add the spring onions, cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, flax egg, baking powder and rice flour. Knead with your hands until the mixture holds together when pressed.
- Take about 40 g / 1.4 oz of the mixture, squeeze it firmly and shape it into a flat disc (a 5 cm / 2 inch cookie cutter helps). Make the discs about 1.5 cm / 0.6 inch tall for baking or 1.25 cm / 0.5 inch tall for frying.
To Bake
- Arrange the fritters on the lined tray and brush both sides generously with oil. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, flipping once halfway, until golden on both sides.
To Fry
- Heat about 2 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet until it shimmers. Fry the fritters in batches without crowding the pan. Leave them alone until the underside is browned, then flip gently and brown the other side. Add a little more oil between batches if the pan looks dry.
Lime-Chipotle Dip
- Blend the drained cashews or sunflower seeds with 6 tbsp (90 ml) water, 2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice, a good pinch of salt and the garlic until very smooth.
- Transfer the dip to a bowl. Stir in the chipotle paste, starting with 1 tsp and adding more to taste. Serve the fritters warm with the dip, and handle them gently while they're hot.
Notes
Squeeze the grated sweet potato very well. Too much moisture makes the fritters soggy or makes them fall apart.
Don't crowd the pan, and keep the heat at medium so the outside doesn't burn before the inside cooks.
Cooked fritters keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. The dip keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the fritters at 200°C / 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes.