Chickpea and Sweet Potato Koftas

- Preparation Time:	20 minutes	- Per Serve:	1440 kJ (345 cal). Protein 13 g. Fat 15 g. Carbohydrate 39 g. Sodium 290 mg. Potassium 530 mg. Calcium 110 mg. Iron 3 mg. Fibre 8 g.
- Cooking Time:	30 minutes
- Serves:	4-6

Ingredients:

400 g orange sweet potato (kumera), peeled and diced (you will need 200 g cooked sweet potato)
240 g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1 small red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup soy flour
½ cup fresh peas
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tsp canola oil
1 lebanese cucumber
4 pita bread rounds,
cut into quarters
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup low-fat plain yoghurt
1 cup firmly packed fresh mint

Cook the sweet potato in boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Blend in a food processor with the chickpeas, onion, garlic, ginger, cumin and lemon juice until smooth.
Add the soy flour and process until combined. Stir in the peas.
Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls, then flatten with your hand. Dip into the flour, shaking off any excess.
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the koftas in batches and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes each side or until golden brown. Drain well on crumpled paper towels.
Using a vegetable peeler, cut the cucumber into ribbons.
Serve the koftas with the pita bread, tahini, yoghurt, mint and cucumber.

Extract from Signs of the Times, November 2006.



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