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It’s not hard to make a good latke. I mean, they’re fried crispy potato cakes–what’s not to like? But these curried sweet potato latkes are so good. Especially if you, like me, have a soft spot for Indian flavors. 

And while latkes are classic for Hanukkah, they certainly don’t need to be limited to that holiday. Especially when they are as easy to make and as delicious as these ones.

The combination of curry powder, cumin, and fresh ginger with sweet potatoes is a no-brainer. 

And if you have a food processor to shred the sweet potatoes, these latkes come together in a few minutes (a box grater works, too, but requires a little more elbow grease). 

Dollops of tangled sweet potato batter fry up into crisp, fragrant cakes with lacy edges. They’re lovely in that rustic just-threw-this-together kind of way, like that friend who somehow looks effortlessly chic with a messy bun.

They’re simple and such a worthy take on the classic latke.

While the curried sweet potato latkes are plenty delicious unadorned, I like to top them with plain yogurt to add a cooling note to the warm spices and, while I have the food processor out, I like to zizz up a quick cilantro mint chutney for a hit of bright acidity.

You certainly don’t have to make the chutney, but, really, it’s so worth the extra minute of work. 

If you’d like to make these ahead of time and serve them for a crowd, you can refrigerate the finished latkes for a couple of days or freeze them, well-wrapped, for a couple of weeks and reheat them in the oven until they’re crisp again.

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Yield: 16 3-inch latkes

Curried Sweet Potato Latkes with Cilantro Mint Chutney

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These latkes come together in a few minutes with the help of a food processor, but you can shred the sweet potatoes on a box grater. The combination of curry powder, cumin, and fresh ginger with sweet potato works incredibly well here. Because curry powders and spice tolerances vary, you may want to adjust the spice levels to your taste. I like to serve these with plain, full-fat yogurt and the cilantro mint chutney, which only takes an extra minute if you already have the food processor out, but they're good enough to serve plain if you're a cilantro hater or don't want to bother.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the latkes

• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded, (about 2 large sweet potatoes)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed, for frying

For the cilantro mint chutney

• 1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled
• 1/2 green chili, or to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• juice of one lemon

Instructions

Make the latkes

1. Add the shredded sweet potatoes, flour, baking powder, cayenne, curry powder, cumin, salt, and grated ginger to a large mixing bowl and stir until well mixed. In a separate bowl, add the eggs and milk and beat with a fork. Add the wet mixture to the sweet potato mixture and stir until all the ingredients are thoroughly moistened. 
2. Heat a 1/4 inch of oil in a cast iron skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and almost smokes. Add a piece of shredded sweet potato to test the heat--if it sizzles immediately it's ready. Drop a mounded tablespoon of batter into the pan and flatten. Add as many latkes as fit comfortably in the pan (in a 10-inch pan probably 3-4). Fry on each side for a few minutes, or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve, topped with yogurt and cilantro mint chutney if you like.

Make the chutney

1. Add cilantro, mint, ginger, chili, garlic, and lemon juice to a food processor and pulse until it forms a smooth paste. Add a little water if it's too thick.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Microplane 46020 Premium Classic Series Zester Grater 18/8 Black
• 
  Cuisinart CTG-00-BG Boxed Grater
• 
  Cuisinart DLC-10SY Pro Classic 7-Cup Food Processor, White
• 
  Frontier Seasoning Blends Indian Curry, 1.87-Ounce Bottle
• 
  Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, 3 lbs - Pack of 2
• 
  Lodge L8SK3 10.25 inch Cast Iron Skillet, Pre-Seasoned and Ready for Stove Top or Oven Use 10.25-inch Black

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 91Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 197mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 3g