Sweet potato cakes

So approximately one million years ago some fancy television chef told us all about these things called panko breadcrumbs.

‘Sort of like normal breadcrumbs’, they said.

‘Only SO MUCH BETTER’.

And I, being the cynical sort, decided this was a load of nonsense made up by fancy television chefs who had people who run to fancy Asian shops in fancy London should a desire for pimped up breadcrumbs ever arrived.

I stuck with bunging the heel of a loaf in the old Magimix should the desire for a breaded coating ever come over me.

Which was fine.

Then, last week, I noticed some panko breadcrumbs, remembered the fancy television chefs who told me how amazing they are, and bought some.

And found out, to my surprise, that they are just like normal breadcrumbs.

Only SO MUCH BETTER.

(and also seemingly only available in massive bags, so expect lots of panko recipes).

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Take a sweet potato and put it in a baking dish.

This next move is somewhat controversial.

Are you ready for it?

Put the baking dish into the oven.

Then have a little sit down for taking such a brave step.

After your little sit down, the potato will look like this.

Then, chop up some spring onions…

Some coriander…

And a chilli.

The seeds can stay in.

They can go out.

They can shake it all about.

Just chop the chilli.

Throw the chopped things in a bowl with some salt, some frozen peas, and an egg.

Mix it all well.

It will look DELICIOUS at this point.

Sort of like this.

See, delicious?

Peel the sweet potato you baked earlier and throw it into the bowl.

Add the flour.

And mix it all up well. A few lumps of sweet potato are fine, but you do want it fairly mushed.

Sort of like this.

Put your amazing breadcrumbs and put some in a bowl…

The drop teaspoons of sweet potato mix into the crumbs…

And toss them around until they are well coated.

Fry the patties for a few minutes on each side…

Until they are nice and brown and crispy.

Serve, with a nice salad and some soy sauce for dipping.

Crispy sweet potato cakes
Serves 2. Cooking time 1.5 hours.

1 sweet potato
3 spring onions
80g bunch coriander
1 red chilli
1 teaspoon salt
100g frozen peas
1 egg
150g plain flour
4 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
Oil for frying

1. Bake the sweet potato at 180 degrees for one hour, or until soft in the middle.
2. Chop the spring onions, coriander and chilli.
3. Place the spring onions, chilli and coriander in a bowl with the peas, egg and salt.
4. Mix well.
5. Add the sweet potato and mash with a fork.
6. Add the flour and stir until combined.
7. Place the panko breadcrumbs into a bowl.
8. Drop teaspoons of the sweet potato mix into the crumbs, rolling around to coat. Continue until all the mix is used.
9. Cover the bottom of a frying pan with oil and heat over a medium heat.
10. Fry the patties for 5 minutes each side, until crisp and golden.
11. Drain on kitchen paper and serve.

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