The chances we get to have one on one time with our adult children seem to get rarer the older they get.  Nothing needs to be resolved or shared; it’s more a time that you are simply together.  It’s a time to shed a tear while giggling through it, or just finding out a little bit more of their lives.  I find these bits of time very precious, and look forward to the circumstances that allow them to happen.

This is what we were doing while we talked one afternoon, figuring out what to add next, what would happen if we did this?  Anyhow, somehow the recipe worked out, and we had that time together.

The rest of the family arrived home later and ate any remaining patties, with lots of chatter and happiness.

Click here for printable version.

Ingredients

2½ lb yams (about 1 kg)

1½ t chili powder

salt & pepper

olive oil for roasting yams, frying garlic & ginger, and frying patties

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1½“ cube fresh ginger, chopped

3 T 1 tin chickpeas (19 oz / 540 ml), drained & rinsed

4 green onions, trimmed and chopped

lemon juice

1 T cumin

¼ – ½ c flour (use amaranth for gluten free)

1½ c frozen peas, thawed

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°

Peel and cube yams into ½” pieces.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Toss yam pieces with about a tablespoon of oil.

Sprinkle with the chili powder and some salt & pepper to season and mix.

Roast yam pieces for 35 minutes, until fork tender.  Stirring half way through roasting time.

Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes.

In a small skillet, heat 1 T of oil over medium heat.

Add in the chopped garlic and ginger.

Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add in the chickpeas and continue cooking for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In to the bowl of a processor add: the cooled yams and pulse until coarsely mashed.

Add in the chickpeas, garlic, ginger, chopped green onions, lemon juice, cumin and ¼ c flour. 

Process until well incorporated, but not puréed to a paste.

Use a bit more lemon juice if the mixture is too dry, and a bit more flour if the mixture is too wet.

Turn the mixture into a bowl, and gently stir in the peas.

Form the patties, by taking a small handful, about ⅓ of a cup, and gently form into a ½” thick patty.  If the mixture is too sticky to form easily into patties, you can skip this step and go right to cooking them.  It is preferable to form the patties prior to cooking, but not essential!

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Cook the patties in batches, leaving enough room around each patty so they’re not overcrowded.  If you weren’t successful in forming patties spoon the same amount into the pan and flatten slightly with the back of the spoon to create patties.

Cook until golden brown and turn to cook the other side.  About 3 – 4 minutes for each side.

You may need to add a bit more oil for each batch.

Serve with a bit of chipotle mayonnaise, or mayonnaise that you’ve stirred a bit of lemon juice & Tabasco into.