Yam Balls

Ingredients

• a big piece of white yam, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 medium onion, finely grated
• 2 Atarodo, finely blended
• 1 teaspoon of curry powder
• 1 teaspoon of thyme
• 1 cube of Knorr, crumbled
• Salt to taste
• 2 eggs, beaten (1 for the yam mixture, 1 for coating)
• 1 cup of breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying OPTIONAL FILLING:
• a big handful of minced beef, seasoned and fried (or corned beef)

Method

1. 01

   Boiling the Yam. Place the yam chunks in a pot of salted water. Boil for 20 to 25 minutes until very soft and easily pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly. Mash the cooked yam while still hot until completely smooth with no lumps. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

2. 02

   Seasoning the Mash. Add grated onion, blended Atarodo, curry powder, thyme, crumbled seasoning cube and 1 beaten egg to the mashed yam. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly combined. Taste and adjust salt.

3. 03

   Shaping. Take approximately 2 big tablespoons of the yam mixture and flatten into a disc in your palm. If adding a filling, place a small amount of cooked minced meat or corned beef in the centre, then fold the yam around it, rolling into a ball. If not adding filling, simply roll into smooth balls.

4. 04

   Coating. Dip each yam ball in beaten egg, then roll in breadcrumbs to coat completely. For extra crunch, repeat the egg and breadcrumb step.

5. 05

   Frying. Heat vegetable oil to moderate-to-hot heat in a deep pan. Fry the yam balls in batches for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden-brown all over. Do not overcrowd the pan.

6. 06

   Draining & Serving. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with a pepper sauce or ketchup.

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