Vibrant cilantro chutney brings heat and lime tanginess to balance out the delicious earthy flavour of these creamy sweet potato patties. Crisp on the outside and packed full of fibre and antioxidants, hemp hearts and chickpea flour add extra protein to these nutritious and savoury snacks. Delicious served hot with chutney, they’re also a welcomed addition to a green salad or wrap.
Sweet potatoes and yams are often mislabelled and confused for one another. Although both are a type of tuber, sweet potatoes and yams are quite different.
Sweet potato | Yam |
root tuber | stem tuber |
5 to 7 oz (140 to 200 g) | can grow up to 7 ft (2.1 m) long and weigh 100 lbs (45 kg) |
orange, purple, red, or white flesh | white or purple flesh |
smooth white, orange, purple, or red skin | thick, rough, brown, or black skin |
sweet in flavour | neutral in flavour and toxic if eaten raw |
This collection was originally published in the October 2025 issue of alive magazine.
Bring large pot of water to a boil on medium to high heat. When boiling, carefully place whole washed sweet potatoes into pot and boil for 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Remove from pot and allow to cool.
While sweet potatoes cool, make chutney. Add to small food processor, cilantro, garlic, green chili, water, mint, hemp hearts, lime juice, gingerroot, date sugar, and sea salt. Blend until smooth and set aside.
Peel cooled sweet potatoes and grate with cheese grater. In medium bowl, add sweet potato, carrot, green onion, cumin, sea salt, coriander, turmeric, and chili pepper. Use hands to mash sweet potato mixture together. Once mashed and smooth, mash in chickpea flour. Divide mixture equally into 5 pieces and roll into balls. Gently flatten balls into patties 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter.
To large skillet on medium to high heat, add avocado oil. Once hot, reduce to medium heat and add sweet potato patties. Sauté approximately 3 minutes; carefully lift patties to check if golden brown and crispy. Carefully flip patties and sauté a further 3 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on both sides.
Serve patties hot with spicy cilantro chutney.