About this Dish
Sweet potato fritters, fried until golden, a popular Malawian street snack.
History & Origin
Mbatata cakes are a beloved snack sold by street vendors across Malawi, made from mashed sweet potato mixed with flour and fried in small patties.
IngredientsServes 4
🍠Sweet potatoes, 500g peeled and grated
🌾Plain flour, 4 tablespoons
🥚Egg, 1 large beaten
🧅Small onion, 1 finely grated
🌶️Fresh red chilli, 1 small finely chopped
🧂Salt, 1 teaspoon
🌿Fresh coriander or parsley, small handful finely chopped
🫙Vegetable oil, enough for shallow frying, about 150ml
Method
1
Grate the peeled sweet potatoes using the coarse side of a box grater, then place the grated flesh in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This step is important — excess moisture will make your cakes fall apart in the pan.2
Transfer the squeezed sweet potato into a large mixing bowl. Add the grated onion, chopped chilli, and fresh coriander, stirring everything together well.3
Add the beaten egg, flour, and salt to the bowl. Mix until a sticky but manageable mixture forms. If the mixture feels too wet, add another tablespoon of flour.4
Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy frying pan over medium heat. You want enough oil to come about halfway up the sides of the cakes — around 1cm deep.5
Take a heaped tablespoon of mixture and gently flatten it into a small patty in your hands, roughly 1cm thick. Carefully lower it into the hot oil. Fry in batches of 3 or 4, never overcrowding the pan.6
Fry each cake for about 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp on the outside. Lift one to check the colour before flipping — it should be a rich amber brown.7
Remove the cooked cakes with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot as a snack on their own, or with a simple tomato and chilli dipping sauce.User Reviews
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