SWEET POTATO CAKES

 Oh how I wish I could take credit for these amazing sweet potato cakes! Sadly all the acclaim must go to Yotam Ottolenghi, an Israeli-born chef, restaurant owner and writer of inspiring cookbooks. Ottolenghi has had an exceptional career, working as a pastry chef, opening four very successful deli & cafes in London and establishing his very own restaurant, NOPI, in Soho London. I discovered one of his cookbooks ‘Plenty’ in my local library last week and have not been able to put it down since. Ottolenghi is one of the few chefs I have come across that can make Vegetarian food exciting, satisfying and FUN. Not a vegetarian himself, Yotam encountered much disapproval when he began writing a weekly column in the Guardian magazine titled ‘The New Vegetarian’. However, Ottolenghi explains that his company ‘Ottolenghi’ upholds a vegetarian image as he was brought up in Israel and hence were exposed to multitude of vegetables, pulses and grains. Yotam’s writing is endearing, unsystematic and unique, much like his cooking. Stay tuned for more of his recipes. 

INGREDIENTS

Sweet Potato Cakes

• 500g sweet potato, peeled & cut into small pieces
• 25g gluten-free plain flour
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free soy sauce or tamari sauce 
• 1 teaspoon heaped ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes 
• Optional- 2 green onions, roughly chopped
• Gluten-free & dairy-free butter, such as Nutalex, for frying

Dipping Sauce 

• 100g extra light sour cream
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh coriander, finely chopped

COOKING 

1. Steam the sweet potato pieces under tender and soft. Leave to drain in a colander until no liquid remains (at least 1 hour). Meanwhile, mash the garlic pieces and fresh coriander for the dipping sauce either with a strong fork or with a mortal & pestle. Add sour cream and lime juice and whisk well to combine. 

2. When you have drained the sweet potatoes place them in a large bowl and add the plain flour, soy sauce, ground coriander, chilli flakes and 1 tablespoon fresh coriander. Mix well with a mixing spoon (or with your hands) until all the ingredients are well combined. The sweet potato mixture should be sticky; if it is too runny add more flour to thicken. 

3. Melt a scant tablespoon of butter in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat and swirl to combine. To shape each cake, take a heaped tablespoon of the potato mixture and place into the pan, flattening with the back of a large mixing spoon to create a circular shape (it does not have to be a perfect circle!). Try to cook 4 cakes a time, making sure that you are not overcrowding them in the pan. Cook the cakes for 4-5 minutes on each side or until the cakes are nicely browned. Remove from heat, and place cakes between two thick sheets of paper towels to soak up residual butter. Repeat cooking method until all the potato mixture is used up and all cakes are browned and cooked. Remove paper towels and serve with green onions scattered over the top of the cakes, if desired. 

Serve warm or cold, with dipping sauce on the side or on top of each individual sweet potato cake.  

Serves / 2 
Makes  / 12 cakes 
Total Preparation time / 15 minutes (plus at least 1 hour to drain sweet potato)
Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

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