Sweet Potato Latkes (or Pancakes)

Adapted from “Orna and Ella, The Cookbook” (published in Hebrew)

Ingredients: (makes about 20 small latkes)

For the latkes:

• 2 lbs. sweet potatoes – preferably small
• ¾ cup gluten-free flour
• 1 tablespoon Tamari sauce (gluten-free soy sauce)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
• A little organic Grapeseed oil for frying

For the dipping sauce:

• 2/3 cup sour cream (or make your own vegan sour cream)
• 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions:

1. If you are using mini sweet potatoes, cook them in their skins until completely soft (pierce with a blade of a knife), cool slightly and peel. If you are using big ones – peel and cut them in large, fairly uniform cubes and cook until soft. Place in a colander to drain excess liquid.
2. Let cool, add soy sauce and mix gently with your hands (the mixture is quite sticky). Add salt, sugar and flour and mix again, until thoroughly combined.
3. Discard any hard bits, and avoid over mixing, which will make the batter heavier and even stickier.
   Set aside for half an hour.
4. Gently heat a skillet and add just enough oil to cover its surface. Wet your hands and form balls size of a walnut, drop on a skillet and flatten with a spatula.
5. Fry the latkes gently for 4-5 minutes, flipping them once. They should be nicely browned and firm enough to be removed with a spatula. Drain on paper towel. Fry in batches until all the batter is used. Add more oil if necessary and make sure the oil is hot before adding another batch of pancakes.
6. Combine the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
7. Serve the latkes warm with the dipping sauce or set aside and reheat in a medium-hot oven (not in a microwave!). Reheating actually improves the texture, so these latkes are perfect for making ahead.