Purple Sweet Potato Latkes with Kimchi

Happy Christmukkah to all who celebrate! Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah as well as Christmas Eve, so this interfaith gal is all kinds of celebratory!

I know I say this every year, but I think these sweet potato latkes with kimchi are my new favorite latke combination! An ode to Pacific and Korean flavors, we usually feast on some sort of Asian cuisine on Christmas Day. But since Christmas deliciously falls on Hanukkah this year, why not blend the 2 together and make a tasty cultural latke!

The beauty of this recipe is the flavor combination. The purple sweet potato latkes are as you would think, like a sweet potato, though a bit starchier in my preference and therefore they fry up beautifully. The sweet potato edges get crispy and the middle a bit soft with an outer savory layer and sweeter middle. Then roughly chopped kimchi is layered on top, saving a bit of the kimchi juice to stir into sour cream. And let me tell you…kimchi sour cream is a HUGE must do!

For more flavor pack, sliced green onions, cilantro and one of my favorite spice mixes, furikake is sprinkled all over the latkes and the dip. If you’re not familiar with furikake (actually used with Japanese food as a rice garnish), it’s a seasoning mix filled with seaweed, bonito flakes and sesame seeds. It’s salty and savory and honestly, I use it on everything!

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Purple Sweet Potato Latkes with Kimchi

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time45 mins

Servings: 10 -12 latkes

Author: Samantha Ferraro

Ingredients

Latkes

• 1-1 1/2 lb purple sweet potato or 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into large pieces
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup matzo meal
• 1/4 large red onion
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Canola or vegetable oil for frying

Toppings

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 Tb kimchi juice
• 1 cup kimchi roughly chopped
• 1-2 green onions sliced on diagonal
• Furikake seasoning for garnish
• Fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

• To make the latkes, add the sweet potato and onion to a food processor fitted with a shredding blade (or you can shred by hand).
• Add mixture to a bowl of cold water and allow to soak for 5-10 minutes. This will help crisp up the potato. Then using a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the mixture really welel to get a smuch moisture out as you can.
• Then in another bowl, add the potato mixture with the matzo meal and eggs and salt and pepper and mix everything together well.
• Heat a large skillet with enough oil to coat the bottom on medium-high heat. Stop a piece of potato in the oil and if it sizzles, it's ready. Then use a tablespoon to spoon mixture into the hot oil. I can usually fit 4-5 latkes.
• Fry latkes on first side until they turn a deeper purple color, about 3-4 minutes and then carefully flip over and finish cooking on the other side for another 2-3 minutes.
• Once done, place cooked latkes on a towel lined baking sheet to drain and sprinkle with a bit more salt on top.
• Next, make the sour cream dip by mixing the sour cream with kimchi juice. Taste for seasoning.
• To assemble, lay out the latkes on a platter and top with chopped kimchi, green onions, cilantro and sprinkle furikake.

Happy Christmukkah everyone and happy frying! Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season filled with tasty eats, big smiles and full hearts!