Delicious vegetarian, very filling, sweet potato and feta cheese patties served with sliced avocado, and mango chutney – comfort food to die for!

In New Zealand, Kumara is the traditional sweet potato and my preference, but any sweet potato will work. If you are not a vegetarian, finely chopped bacon really adds pizazz to this dish if you fry it with the onions and garlic, but it’s fabulous without it.

Because it’s made mainly from root vegetables, this wonderfully fragrant spicy dish is very filling. I doubt you’ll manage more than four of them for a full meal with half a sliced avocado and some delicious mango chutney to accompany.

Kumara with onions and garlic – ingredients for Kumara patties – photo Theresa Sjoquist

Vegetarian Spiced Kumara (Sweet potato) & Feta Patties

Ingredients

• 1.25 kg kumara or sweet potatoes
• 1 smallish onion
• 3 cloves garlic (I use smoked organic garlic)
• 1 small to medium sized apple ( a green apple is good)
• 3 Tbsp crumbled Feta cheese
• 2 free range eggs
• 2 tsp Sambal Oelek (or plain minced chilies)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp cumin (or to taste)
• 2 Tsp Honey
• 2 Dsp of channa (chick pea flour)
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• Oil for frying
• 1/2 avocado per person
• 1 Tbsp Mango Chutney per person

Method

Peel and boil kumara or sweet potatoes and apple until soft enough to mash. While cooking the kumara, chop garlic and onion very finely and fry in olive oil. If you are not a vegetarian, you might prefer to saute about a dessertspoon of finely chopped bacon with the garlic and onion, until cooked through and ‘glassy.’

Vegetarian spicy kumara and feta cheese patty mixed ready for frying – Photo Theresa Sjoquist

Mash the kumara, apple, sauteed onion and garlic until smooth with the sambal oelek, cumin, honey and salt. Add the eggs and mix until smooth. Add channa and breadcrumbs until you have a reasonably stiff, but not too dry mixture. Crumble the feta into the mixture and stir until evenly distributed.

In the photos, my patties have not been crumbed, but if you like crumbed patties, take large tablespoons full of the mixture and coat them in crumbs before dropping into the heated frying pan and flattening into a pattie shape.

Vegetarian spiced kumara and feta patties frying – Photo Theresa Sjoquist

Fry patties on mid-low to medium heat until browned on one side and then turn and cook on the other side. The patties are cooked when the middle is firmish when pressed with your finger.

Serve Spiced Kumara and Feta Patties

Serve your patties onto heated plates with a tablespoon of good quality mango chutney and half a ripe avocado which has been sliced and spread (see photo).

A man might come back for more, but I certainly can’t manage more than four of these patties which have that wonderful warm, fragrant comfort food quality about them. They freeze well but wrap them with Glad or Saran wrap in between so you can take a few out of the freezer at a time.

The amounts given above make 12-14 patties.

Enjoy!

©Theresa Sjoquist