Name: Sweet Potato Falafel with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce
Prep time: 16 min
Cook time: 38 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 5 servings
Ingredients: 0.5 tablespoon ground flax seeds; 2 tablespoon hot water; 2 null sweet potatoes ((about 18 ounces, total)); 2.5 teaspoons ground cumin; 2 teaspoons ground coriander; 2 cloves garlic (, minced or pressed); 0.33 teaspoon cayenne pepper ((to taste)); 1 teaspoon salt; 0.25 cup minced parsley; 2.5 tablespoons lemon juice ((from 1 lemon)); 1 cup chickpea flour (or besan); 0.5 teaspoon baking powder; 1 tablespoon sesame seeds ((optional)); 0.5 cup plain non-dairy yogurt; 2 tablespoons tahini; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1 clove garlic (, pressed); 0.25 teaspoon salt; 1 pinch red pepper; 4 teaspoons ketchup; 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

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1

Mix the ground flax seeds (0.5 tbsp) with hot water (2 tbsp) and set aside to thicken.
2

Pierce potatoes (2 sweet) several times with a fork and place on paper towels in microwave. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, turn over, and then cook for another 2 minutes. Check for tenderness, and if not cooked all the way through, cook in increments of 30 seconds until tender. Set aside to cool until easy to handle; peel and place in a large bowl.
3

Preheat oven to 400F. Mash potatoes (2 sweet) well with a masher or a fork. Add the flax mixture, seasonings (including minced parsley (0.25 cup)), and lemon juice (2.5 tbsp) and stir well. Mix the chickpea flour (1 cup) with the baking powder (0.5 tsp) and add it a little at a time to the sweet potato mixture. Stir until well-combined. Batter should be stiff; if not, add [chickpea flour] a tablespoon at a time until batter is thick. (If the batter is too stiff to blend in all the flour, add [water] a tablespoon at a time.)
4

Oil a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Use a cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon to make about 20-22 little mounds of dough on the baking sheet (dipping the scoop in water every now and then will help prevent the dough from sticking to it). Flatten the balls to about 0.5 inch thick and 1.5 inches wide. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (1 tbsp), if desired.
5

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until bottoms are medium brown. Serve hot with vegan yogurt-tahini sauce. These keep well and can be reheated briefly in the microwave.
6

For Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to around 375F. Make sure the basket is hot before placing the falafel in it in a single layer (you may need to cook in batches if your air fryer is small.) Check after 10 minutes to see if the falafel are beginning to brown. Check every minute and remove when they are medium brown.
7

For the Vegan Yogurt-Tahini Sauce: Mix all plain non-dairy yogurt (0.5 cup), tahini (2 tbsp), lemon juice (2 tsp), garlic (1 clove), salt (0.25 tsp), red pepper (1 pinch), ketchup (4 tsp), and water (2 tbsp) well in a small bowl. Add additional seasonings to taste.