SWEET POTATO FALAFEL & YOGHURT

They’re increasingly ubiquitous on the high street but falafel are also an excellent source of minerals and vitamins. Here’s Kate Percy’s sweet potato recovery adaptation…

Falafel have been a staple in the middle eastern diet for centuries and are eaten on their own, as part of a mezze or tucked into pitta bread with salad, accompanied by a yoghurt or tahini sauce. They’re an excellent source of minerals, including iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium, and are also rich in slow-releasing carbs, protein, fibre, Vitamins A, C and B vitamins: all really good stuff to fuel your training. Eat as a weekend post-workout snack to help your muscles repair and supercharge the immune system.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced 1tsp cumin seeds 1tsp coriander seeds 1 x 400g can chickpeas 2cm cube fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1tbsp lemon juice 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed 1 small green chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped ½tsp salt 2tbsps plain, or gram flour 1 courgette, finely grated

Freshly ground black pepper Good handful fresh coriander and/or mint leaves, chopped

2tbsps sunflower or rapeseed oil

For the yoghurt sauce

½tsp ground cumin ½tsp ground coriander ¼tsp chilli powder 250g natural yoghurt

PREPARATION

Prep time 10mins Cooking time 5mins

Equipment needed Chopping board Sharp knife Food processor or blender Pestle & mortar Non-stick frying pan

METHOD

Boil the sweet potato in plenty of salted water for 10mins until just tender, then drain. Dry fry the cumin and coriander seeds for 1min and roughly crush with pestle and mortar or spice grinder. Put the chickpeas, sweet potato, spices, lemon juice, garlic, green chilli, fresh ginger, salt and pepper into a food processor and blend until semi-puréed. Mix in the flour, the courgette and the coriander and/or mint. Form little patties 3cm in diameter and 1cm thick and leave in the fridge for 30mins to firm up. Meanwhile prepare the yoghurt sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. Heat 2tbsps of sunflower oil or rapeseed oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the patties for 2mins on each side. Serve with yoghurt sauce or stuff into pitta breads along with crisp salad leaves and more sauce.