Pilus

(Indonesian sweet potato puffs)

These scrumptious little sweet potato fritters are a popular snack on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. Mashed sweet potatoes are mixed with flour, egg and a touch of brown sugar, and spoonfuls of the mixture are dropped into hot oil. The lightly sweet, browned puffs are a perfect accompaniment to an Indonesian meal.

Image by Martin Kingsley

4 to 6 servings

Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks -- 1 pound
Flour -- 1/4 cup
Egg, beaten -- 1
Brown or palm sugar -- 1 1/2 tablespoons
Salt -- 1 teaspoon
Oil for deep frying

Method

Place the sweet potatoes in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and cover with water. Set the pot over a medium flame and simmer until cooked all the way through, around 8-12 minutes.
Drain the cooked sweet potatoes and mash them or put them through a ricer. Return the potatoes to the pot and cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, for another 5-6 minutes, until they begin to dry out. Remove the potatoes from heat and allow to cool.
Beat in all the remaining ingredients except for oil until smooth. Add more flour if the batter is too moist to hold its shape on a spoon.
Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large skillet to 350-360°F. Drop large spoonfuls of batter into the oil and brown on both sides, turning occasionally. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and finish with the remaining batter.
Serve with a sambal or sriracha chile sauce.