Sweet potato tikki with kachumber

Serves: 6
Course: Dinner
Cooking Time: 1 hr 10 mins
Prep Time: 15 mins
Ingredients
  • 800g sweet potatoes
  • 1tbsp grated ginger
  • Handful chopped coriander
  • 1tsp garam masala
  • 2tbsp cornflour
  • 200g breadcrumbs, and extra to coat
  • Light olive oil
  • Kachumber:
  • 2 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cucumber, deseeded and diced
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • Coriander chutney:
  • 30g coriander
  • 1 green chilli, seeds optional
  • Half-tsp ground cumin
  • 1-2 cloves garlic
  • Half-tsp salt
  • 1tbsp lemon or lime juice
  • 3tbsp desiccated coconut
  • 2-3tbsp water

1 Mix the kachumber ingredients together gently until combined. Set aside.

2 Blend the chutney ingredients till smooth and thick. It should be a spreadable consistency. Add more water if needed. Set aside.

3 Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, then place on a tray. Bake for 40-45 minutes, depending on size, until tender. Leave to cool, then scoop the flesh into a large bowl.

4 Add the ginger, garam masala, cornflour and coriander. Season with salt. Mix in 100g breadcrumbs, then see how well it comes together. It shouldn’t be too wet, so add more breadcrumbs if you feel it needs it. Shape large tablespoons of the mix into balls and roll in the breadcrumbs. Flatten gently and place on a lined tray. Chill for 30 minutes.

5 Drizzle a try with a little oil. Lay the potato cakes on the tray and drizzle a little more oil on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Turn halfway so they crisp up evenly. Serve with the kachumber and green chutney.

Lilly Higgins

Lilly Higgins

Lilly Higgins, a contributor to The Irish Times, is a food writer