Saturday, December 13, 2008

TD's Curried Sweet Potato Latkes

Traditional old world recipe--perfect for Hanukkah, and just like your bubbe used to make! If your bubbe was into fusion food and liked Indian food.

They are super delicious though--great flavor, nice seasoning, sweet with a kick, good crisp outside with melt-in-your-mouth inside. Way better than boring and flavorless russet potato latkes. Some recipes are better reinvented. We modified the recipe by reducing the milk. Next time we might reduce further by 1 tbs. to see if it gives a crisper texture, and maybe add a bit more cayenne. Best served with mango chutney. To ensure right texture, drop by small spoonfuls and prod into flat patties in the super hot-but-not-smoking peanut oil, and cook in small batches and allow the oil to get hot again for the next batch.

I made a noodle kugel, but it was over-baked and there was something not kugelish enough, so I won't blog that recipe until I get it perfectly kugelriffic. Sigh. I just have to console myself with the fact that I'm not really Jewish, and I don't really know what a good kugel is supposed to taste like. Actually the kugel I made is probably pretty good, but just not to TD's particular liking for no apparent reason.

I made really good challah though, and good pan fried salmon with garlic ginger scallion sauce, so there.


Curried Sweet Potato Latkes

  • 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (at least 1/4 teaspoon of salt!)
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup milk (approximately)
  • Peanut oil for frying


1. Grate the sweet potatoes coarsely. In a separate bowl mix the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cayenne pepper, curry powder, cumin, and salt and pepper.

2. Add the eggs and just enough milk to the dry ingredients to make a stiff batter. Add the potatoes and mix. The batter should be moist but not runny; if too stiff, add more milk.

3. Heat 1/4 inch of peanut oil in a frying pan until it is barely smoking. Drop in the batter by tablespoons and flatten. Fry over medium-high heat several minutes on each side until golden. Drain on paper towels and serve.


I ate like eight latkes. They were awesome. I would eat this again.