Sweet Potato and Apricot Croquettes with Mint Yogurt Sauce

I've been rather occupied of late with various projects, distractions and interests, including a rekindled passion for my classical guitar. Battered fingertips and cramping left hand are my punishment for shamefully neglecting this beautiful instrument for the past two years. As there are only so many hours in a day at one's disposal, and sleep is one of the activities I enjoy as well, this means I have less time to devote to other passions, like cooking, cookbooks and food blog browsing.

Of course, the art of cooking and good nourishment is never far from my mind, and when the hand and finger battering and cramping had subsided enough to hold a knife, back to the kitchen I went to whip up a batch of these tender shallow fried Turkish-style sweet potato and dried apricot rolls. Slightly sweet, but also a little tart, with a generous hint of fresh herbs, I served these alongside a mixed green salad splashed with a lemon mint dressing for a delightfully satisfying light meal.

Sweet Potato and Apricot Croquettes with Mint Yogurt Sauce

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Turkish Published on September 23, 2008 Tender fried sweet potato and dried apricot rolls are slightly sweet, slightly spicy, a little tart and wonderfully flavorful Preparation: 30 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes + cooking time for sweet potato Print this recipe Sauce: 1 cup plain yogurt 1 clove garlic, crushed 1/4 cup minced fresh mint juice from 1 small lemon (2 tablespoons) Rolls: 1 medium sweet potato 1 cup cooked chickpeas (1/3 cup dried) 4 green onions, finely chopped 1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped 4 tablespoons pine nuts 1 to 2 fresh red chilies, seeded and finely chopped 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped 1 teaspoon sea salt fresh ground black pepper 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1/2 cup cornmeal 1/2 to 1 cup breadcrumbs 1/2 cup unbleached white flour oil for frying Instructions: Whisk together the ingredients for the sauce and refrigerate. Peel the sweet potato, cut into slices, place in a small saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and cook until soft. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the chickpeas and mash the chickpeas and sweet potato together with a fork or potato masher until well combined. Stir in the green onions, dried apricots, pine nuts, chilies, basil, dill, salt and plenty of black pepper. Now stir in the egg. Stir in the cornmeal and 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs. Add more breadcrumbs until the mixture is slightly moist and holds together. Shape the mixture into 3-inch long croquettes. Roll each portion in the flour. Heat a 1/2 inch of oil in a heavy frying pan or saucepan over medium high heat. When hot, gently place the rolls in the pan and fry for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Turn the rolls every few minutes so they evenly brown. Drain on paper towel. Serve hot or warm with the mint yogurt sauce. Makes 14 to 16 croquettes

Other Turkish recipes from Lisa's Kitchen you might enjoy:
Wilted Spinach with Pine Nuts and Lemon Yogurt Dressing
Turkish Yogurt Hummus
Feta and Olive Scones
Turkish Barley and Apricot Porridge
Turkish Sour Cherry Pilaf