RECIPE - Mexican Sweet Potato Burgers
- Mr T
- May 19, 2019
- 4 min read
This recipe really embodies the flexibility I like to have in my cooking and how I would like to encourage you to do the same. Take this recipe and change it! Make it your own, add YOUR favourite vegetables, even change the flavourings so it's no longer Mexican if you like!...
In fact, this time making these burgers, I changed the recipe so much that it became no longer paleo or vegan!
Shopping list (makes approx 12 large patties)
Sweet potato, large x2-4 (you may even consider adding carrot or pumpkin to add some more nutrients, or just make up bulk if you have less sweet potato)
Celery, ribs x5 (only if you like it)
Red pepper x1 (again, only if you like it)
Kidney beans, can x1 (this is the non-Paleo bit, so please remove if you want to be strict)
Spring onions x1 good 'bunch'
Coriander x1 good 'bunch'
Tuna, can x2-4 (this is a non-vegan bit, so please remove if you want to be strict)
Eggs x2-4 (this is a non-vegan bit, so please remove if you want to be strict)
Coconut flour, almonds, chilli sauce/flakes, chilli powder, cumin, paprika, black pepper, salt, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, almond milk - these are all things I have in my cupboard permanently, so don't obviously shop for them every time, but you need all these items. The liquids however are not 'essential' you can substitute where works for you.
This lot cost me a little over 2000yen from 'Niku no Hanamasa' in Sangenjaya and will feed me (lunch and dinner with some additional veg on the side) for most of the working-week (8 meals, 1.5 patties per meal). That's around 250yen (+ some more veg) per nutrient dense, hearty, filling meal!
Method:
Bring a large sauce pan of water to the boil, cut the sweet potato into chunks and place them in the water for approx. 20mins until tender
While the potatoes are boiling, drain your kidney beans if you are using them (not if you are keeping this paleo). Use the quantity of kidney beans to gauge the quantity of the rest of the chopped ingredients below:
Dice the celery and red pepper.
Finely chop the spring onions and coriander.
When you are done, the prepared ingredients may look something like this:
When the potatoes are tender, drain the water.
Add a good lug of extra virgin olive oil for some 'fats', a good lug of balsamic vinegar for some 'acid' and sweetness (and it adds nice balance to the tuna if you are adding it) and a big splash of almond milk for some more moisture (although you can just use a bit of water if you don't have any).
Add a good sprinkling of chilli powder (this is the main flavour, so be generous), a teaspoon or two of cumin, a teaspoon of paprika, black pepper and salt to taste and chilli flakes/sauce to your desired spiciness.
Once all the above ingredients are in, mash with a potato masher until smooth.
Drain your cans of tuna if using (not if you are keeping it vegan), add to the mash and mix through, along with the previously chopped ingredients pictured above.
Now beat 1-2 eggs and add to the mixture for some 'stickiness'. If you want to keep it vegan, leave out this step, it is not essential, or add something else for 'stickiness' that won't taint the flavours, if you have a good idea.
When you are done, your mixture may look something like this:
This next step makes the outer crispy coating, but again if you are vegan, have a nut allergy, or simply do not have coconut flour, then you could skip it, or substitute in ways you come up with:
On 3 plates, set out the following: some coconut flour, 2 beaten eggs and a couple of handfuls of almonds which you have put through a food processor:
Remove handfuls of your potato mixture, compact and shape into large patties.
With each patty, roll them in coconut flour, then roll in the egg mixture and finally roll in your crumbed almonds.
Put some oil (I use coconut oil / extra virgin olive oil) in a large frying pan, turn the heat to medium/high and fry the patties on both sides until they get a nice golden brown colour.
When you are done, they may look something like this:
Serving your Mexican Sweet Potato Burgers:
Completely up to you how you serve these/what you serve them with. I made a standard guacamole to have on the side with my patties and served them with some extra veg (for me, this just happened to be roasted purple sweet potatoes, cabbage and broccoli) for most of the week:
At the end of the week I had a go at having one as a proper 'burger'! I bought a really nice bun, toasted it with some cheese and added lettuce, tomato and avocado. This was delicious, but due to the large nature of the burger and the soft nature of the patty, squashing it all down to fit in my mouth, meant the patty began to fall apart!...
Doesn't it just MAKESENSE to find new and interesting ways to eat your staples? I eat A LOT of sweet potato, so it can get a little boring, but using it to make these burgers gave it a whole new lease of life for me and this is the perfect recipe to experiment with. Just substitute, replace and remove ingredients to suit your dietary needs and preferences and make it your own!
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