Sweet potato fritters – just dip the slices in savory Amaranth batter and pan-fry…. It’s so easy to make this delicious teatime snack that is gluten-free, vegan and… These fritters are Upvas-suitable too!
The mildly spicy seasonings complement the light sweetness of sweet potatoes (Rataalu, Rataale, Shakarkand – “Shuck-er-kund”, Mishti Aloo, Boniato, etc.). Make these savory treats in a jiffy, set them out and watch them vanish in minutes!
Fritters – Dipped in Amaranth batter – gluten free, vegan, Upvas-suitable
This recipe for sweet potato fritters is my own creation. Inspired by some Yam Tempura I had eaten many years ago in a Chinese restaurant, I decided to experiment with alternative flours for making the batter.
I settled on Amaranth flour for a number of reasons. This ancient pseudo-grain, labeled as “Superfood”, supports your well-being with its rich micro-nutrient profile. It also provides all 9 essential amino acids your body needs to build protein. So, it is a “complete protein“, rather rare among plant-based foods.
Perhaps this is why it is one of the small number of “allowed” foods during various Hindu religious fasts (Upvas: pronounce “Oop-Vaas”; Vrat: rhymes with “Rut”). It is also naturally gluten-free, making it suitable for folks who must avoid gluten.
So… if you’re doing Upvas, or simply want a delightfully tasty gluten-free snack when you’re feeling peckish, well… go for it!
How to make sweet potato fritters
Soak the sweet potatoes in water for a few min to release surface dirt. While waiting, make the simple Amaranth batter: just whisk together the amaranth flour, water and a few seasonings. Scrub the soaked sweet potatoes lightly to remove dirt, and rinse thoroughly under running fresh water.
Slice them into medium thick roundels (about 1/4 inch / 1/2 cm), peeling first if you prefer – I usually leave the skin on. Then toss the slices with the seasonings and set aside for a few minutes.
Heat a little oil in a pan, dip the seasoned slices in the batter, and place on the pan in a single layer. Leave a bit of space between them – for easy flipping. Cover and cook on medium heat for a few min, till browned and crisp on the bottom (flip one to check). They will also look a bit dry on the top as the batter gets cooked. Drizzle a little oil over the top, then flip and brown the other side. That’s it!
While waiting for the fritters to cook, whip up something to dip them into, like this fast-fix Peanut-Yogurt Chutney. It is the perfect accompaniment, Upvas-suitable too, and you can literally make it in in a jiffy.
Indian sweet potatoes – especially popular during Upvas / Vrat
In India, sweet potatoes typically have a pinkish-maroon skin and pale cream-colored flesh. They are in great demand during religious festivals, when everyone wants to buy them. How come? Since they are among a limited number of foods “allowed” during religious fasts (Upvas/Vrat), the demand sky-rockets, and so do the prices!
My Mom used to make lots of things with sweet potatoes, some sweet, some savory. I loved them all! I especially loved the different types of Kaap (chips) she made. The crunchy deep-fried chips sprinkled with powdered sugar, as well as the slightly softer, glazed/candied chips, were such delightful after-school snacks.
She also made Rataalyaacha Kees (Rut-thaa-lyaa-chaa Kees), sweet, spicy, gingery, nutty….. This dish, made with shredded sweet potatoes cooked with fresh green chillies, ginger and peanuts is a bit like pan-roasted potato hash-browns. Typically served with a generous helping of protein-rich yogurt, it’s a great one-dish meal!
I haven’t posted these dishes yet, but they’re definitely on my to-do list, so be on the lookout for them in the near future!
Bright Orange Sweet potatoes
I had never even heard of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes while I lived in India. When I came to the US and discovered the gorgeous golden-fleshed sweet potatoes that are so common here, I was thrilled! When my mother-in-law first saw them, her face just lit up. She said they looked as if they were infused with saffron!
I’ve had so much fun experimenting with them in different ways, and my love of sweet potatoes is higher than ever.
Sweet Potato – about 7000 cultivars world-wide!
There are so many varieties of sweet potato across the globe – different colored skin, different colored flesh, the level of sweetness, etc. Around the world, about 7,000 cultivars are grown. Most are grown for food, of course, but some are also grown for their beautiful ornamental flowers and vines.
Their nutritional profiles vary, based primarily on the color of their flesh. All varieties are nutrient-dense and rich in soluble as well as insoluble fiber, so important for digestive health and overall well-being. They also and provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, most notably manganese and copper.
Sweet Potato v Yam: NOT quite the same thing!
So many folks use the term sweet potato and yam interchangeably! However, these are actually NOT the same – they belong to very different botanical families. Sweet potatoes, Ipomea batatas, belong to the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae, while yams, various Dioscorea species, belong to the Dioscoreaceae family.
So why the confusion? Well, they are similar in some respects… Both are starchy, edible tubers, and some even “look” somewhat similar. However, when you look at them side-by-side, they actually look quite different.
People everywhere seem to really enjoy sweet potatoes and they are widely cultivated all across the globe. By contrast, true yams, which are typically not sweet at all, are grown mostly in west Africa, where folks consider them pretty routine everyday food, much like rice or wheat.
Antioxidant-rich sweet potatoes – Beta carotene and Anthocyanins
Sweet potatoes with orange and purple flesh are rich in beta-carotene, which our bodies convert into Vitamin A. The purple-fleshed varieties are especially rich in the anthocyanin pigments – similar to the ones found in blueberries. For comparison, purple sweet potatoes have about three times more anthocyanins than blueberries!
Both these substances are antioxidants, which reduce inflammation and boost immunity. Some anthocyanins (e.g., cyanidins and peonidins) also reduce the risk of toxicity from heavy metal residues such as arsenic, cadmium and mercury. These are the three most common metals likely to be found in food, and cause a wide range of adverse health effects.
Special Diets
These sweet potato fritters are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and soy-free. If you don’t have Amaranth flour, check Recipe Notes for suggestions regarding substitution. I have used peanut oil for frying, but you can use any mild-flavored nut-free oil of your choice to make these fritters nut-free.
So… next time you want a quick snack, whip up some sweet potato fritters. Easy to prep, not much baby-sitting needed and… NO leftover “spent oil” afterwards.
Like them crispy outside and soft inside? Serve them “hot-off-the-pan”…. ready to dip into a bit of the delightful Peanut Yogurt Chutney This Chutney is Upvas-suitable too, and also probiotic and protein rich.
What else would you want? A cup of tea/coffee and the company of friends…. Perfect!
Do leave a review and star rating. Much appreciated.
Enjoy!
Sweet Potato Fritters – Easy To Make With Amaranth batter
Equipment
- 1 non-stick frying pan (8 – 10 inch; 20 – 30 cm) If not available, a heavy bottomed stainless steel or cast-iron pan is fine too; you might need a little more oil for frying.
- 1 Sturdy heat-safe spatula/turner suitable for using with non-stick pans Small turner is preferred for flipping the small slices.
Ingredients
- 250 g Sweet Potatoes – sliced into roundels 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) any variety suitable; pics taken with orange-fleshed variety, common in the US.
- 1/8 tsp Salt adjust as per preference
- 1/8 tsp Red Chilli powder (Cayenne) adjust as per preference
- 1/4 tsp Cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp Jaggery powder Gud/Gul; if not available, use sugar -any variety
- 4 tsp Oil For pan-frying; I like to use peanut oil; can also use Ghee; other mild flavored edible oil OK too; Note: if making for Upvas, check suitability of the oil you decide to use.
For Amaranth Batter
- 3 tbsp Amaranth flour If not available, see Recipe Notes for alternatives
- 1 tbsp Arrowroot starch acts as a binder; gluten-free and Upvas-suitable.
- 1/4 cup Water may need up to 1 tbsp more to adjust consistency of batter
- 1/8 tsp Salt adjust as per preference
- 1/4 tsp Red Chilli powder (Cayenne) adjust as per preference
- 1/4 tsp Cumin powder
- 1/16 tsp Baking soda a small pinch
- 1/2 tsp Oil
Instructions
- Soak the sweet potato in water for a few min. Scrub and rinse thoroughly.
- Slice the sweet potato into medium thick roundels – about 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick
- Add salt, red chilli powder, cumin powder and Jaggery powder. Toss and set aside for a few min.
- Meanwhile, make the Amaranth batter. Whisk together the Amaranth flour and water till smooth and lump-free.
- Add the remaining seasonings and stir to mix. Set aside while the pan heats up. The batter thickens a little as the amaranth flour absorbs the water. Note: Do not make the batter too much in advance or it becomes too thick. Adding water to thin it out doesn't work too well for the fritters – they tend to become soggy and a bit sticky as they cook; when you try to flip them, the batter starts to comes off the sweet potato slices.
- Heat a little oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat – 2-3 min. Spread the oil with a spatula.
- While the pan heats up, check on the seasoned sweet potato slices. They look a bit wet, because the salt and sugar releases a little moisture. Use your fingers to rub the seasonings evenly on both sides of each slice.
- Dip the sweet-potato slices, one at a time into the batter. I recommend using two forks (or a fork and a slotted spoon) to do this. Turn each slice to coat with batter all around. Lift with a fork and carefully place on the hot frying pan. Repeat with more slices, leaving a a bit of space between the pieces.
- Cover and cook on medium heat for 3-4 min. Remove the cover and look for signs of browning on the underside. Notice how the edges are a bit lacy and starting to look brown. They are now ready to flip – flip one piece and check, just to make sure they're done- it should look crisp and golden brown.
- Drizzle a few drops of oil on top of each slice, then flip. If need be, add a few drops of oil around the edges of each fritter. Cook uncovered for 2-3 min on medium heat, check for browning on the underside (flip one to check).When done, transfer to a serving dish. Repeat with the remaining slices.
- Serve them hot with a creamy dip, along with with tea/coffee. Shown here with Peanut-Yogurt Chutney.
Notes
Don’t have Amaranth Flour?
Try one of the following alternatives: please check suitability for gluten-free diet and/or Upvas food.- Buckwheat flour: 3 tbsp
- add 1 tbsp Arrowroot flour for better binding
- Gluten-free
- Upvas-suitable
- Besan (Chickpea flour, Bengal Gram flour, Chana Dal flour): 4 tbsp
- no need to add arrowroot flour
- Gluten-freeÂ
- not Upvas-suitable
- All-Purpose flour (Maida): 4 tbsp
- no need to add arrowroot flour
- not gluten-free
- not Upvas-suitable
Storing leftovers:
I recommend making just enough to minimize the amount leftover. I very rarely have leftovers, because they usually get polished off pretty quickly. If you do have a few pieces leftover, though, place them in a lidded container and refrigerate.I suggest serving them at breakfast or save for an afternoon treat.- Try to consume within 1-2 days –
- Place on a tray in a toaster oven; toast for a few min until heated through
- Place on a preheated frying pan for a few minutes until completely heated through
We Mexicans make a similar dish out of yellow or white potatoes for fasting days prior to Easter, what a coincidence!
I love amaranth and regularly use it for cheesecake crust instead of cookies – it’s superb!
I don’t make cheesecake a lot, but using amaranth in the crust sounds wonderful! I must try it too. Thanks for sharing this idea.
We had these as an appetizer for our Thanksgiving holiday and dipped them in a variety of dips like a vegan queso, some hummus, ranch, and even BBQ sauce. My children liked it with hummus the most and the vegan queso was a close second. The recipe was easy to follow and my kids enjoyed picking out the sweet potatoes we used.
I love sweet potatoes and I’m so glad you enjoyed these fritters as an appetizer.