Sweet Potato and Apricot Rolls with Mint Yogurt Sauce

These were so yummy that I had to share them. I got the recipe from http://foodandspice.blogspot.com/search/label/Chickpeas

I served them with a small green salad on the side. They are sweet, tangy and savory all in one little package. The mint yogurt sauce is a little spicy when it is first mixed together but after it sits it mellows out.


Sweet Potato and Apricot Rolls with Mint Yogurt Sauce

For the Mint Sauce:

1 cup of plain yogurt
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 cup of finely minced fresh mint
juice from one small lemon

For the Rolls:

1 medium sweet potato
1 cup of cooked chickpeas (1/3 cup dried)
4 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup of dried apricots, finely chopped
4 tablespoons of pine nuts
1 - 2 fresh red chillies (or cayenne peppers), finely chopped
1/4 cup of fresh basil, finely chopped
1/4 cup of fresh dill, finely chopped
lots of freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup of cornmeal
1/2 - 1 cup of breadcrumbs
1/2 cup of unbleached white flour
oil for frying (I used peanut oil)

Whisk together the ingredients for the Mint Sauce and refrigerate.

Peel the sweet potato, cut into slices, place in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly and cook until soft. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl, along with the cooked chickpeas. Mash the chickpeas and sweet potato together until well combined.

Stir in the green onions, apricots, pine nuts, red chili, dill, basil and salt and pepper. Now stir in the egg. Add the cornmeal and 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs. Add more breadcrumbs until the mixture is slightly moist and holds together.

Shape into roughly 3" long croquettes. Roll each portion in the flour.

In a heavy frying pan or pot, heat roughly 1/2 inch of oil over medium high heat. When it is hot, put the rolls in the oil, and fry for roughly 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn the rolls every few minutes so they evenly brown. Drain on paper towel. Serve with the mint yogurt sauce.

Yields roughly 14 - 16 croquettes.