#1,709: Sweet Potato Corn Cakes

I made this recipe months ago and could not find the picture I took of it anywhere.  When suddenly I found it on a random camera chip!  This has been sitting in draft form probably since August...so glad I finally found this photo so I could post it.  

Overall I really enjoyed this recipe, but I was the only one who liked it in my house.  It has a good flavor, but I also thought it lacked a little flavor.  I probably wouldn't make these again since they are fried but they were overall okay.  The cornmeal gives it a nice crunchier texture that I liked, yet the sweet potatoes make it nice and soft in the inside.  These are a tiny bit addicting...I couldn't stop at one, that's for sure! 

3 lbs. sweet potatoes

1 cup frozen corn kernels

2 green onions

¼ bunch cilantro (divided)

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1 large egg

⅓ cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup plain breadcrumbs

½ cup vegetable oil (for frying)

1 cup plain yogurt

1 clove

Begin by cooking the sweet potatoes. The fastest way to do this is in the microwave. Prick the skin of each potato with a fork. Wrap one potato in a paper towel, place it on a plate, and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Carefully remove it from the microwave, squeeze it to make sure it’s soft in the center, and the allow it cool as you cook the next one. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them open and scoop the flesh into a large bowl.

Slice the green onions and roughly chop a handful of cilantro (about ⅛th of a bunch). Add the green onions, cilantro, frozen corn kernels, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper to the bowl with the cooked sweet potatoes. Stir until well combined. You can taste it at this point and adjust the seasoning as desired.

Add the breadcrumbs, cornmeal, and egg to the bowl. These ingredients will bind the mixture together and keep it from falling apart while cooking. Stir until evenly combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb moisture.

While the sweet potato mixture is refrigerating, mix up the garlic sauce. In a small bowl combine the yogurt, one clove of well minced garlic, and a handful of cilantro leaves (roughly chopped). Stir until combined and then refrigerate until ready to serve.

After the sweet potato mixture has refrigerated, it’s time to cook. Add enough vegetable oil to fully cover the bottom of a medium skillet. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until the surface appears wavy (if it begins to smoke, remove it from the burner immediately and turn down the heat). Shape the sweet potato mixture into small patties (about 2-3 Tbsp each) and cook about 4 at a time in the hot oil. Cook until golden brown on each side; about 2 minutes per side. After cooking, place on a paper towel covered plate to drain. Add more oil to the skillet as needed.