This recipe is from the Israeli restaurant, "Orna and Ella" in Tel Aviv, Israel, which closed in 2019. (Makes 30 latkes)
For the latkes: 1 ¼ kg (2 ¾ pounds) sweet potato (750g ( 1 pound 10 ounces)after peeling and boiling) 2 tablespoons soy sauce ¾ cup (100g) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper Butter for frying
For chive sauce: ¾ cup chopped chive stalks 250g sour cream 1/3 cup (80ml) mayonnaise Freshly ground salt and pepper
Preparing the latkes: Peel the sweet potato and chop into large pieces. Cook sweet potatoes in a pot of boiling water (or steam) until they are completely soft. Place the sweet potatoes in a strainer for an hour or two until they are drained of all water (they can also be left overnight in the fridge to drain).
Transfer sweet potatoes to a bowl and add the soya sauce. Knead using hands. Add flour, sugar, salt, and pepper, and continue gently mixing by hand until a dough is formed (remove hard or black pieces along the way). The dough will be soft, cohesive, and slightly sticky. If it is runny, add a small amount of flour. Refrain from excessive mixing, which would lead to the dough becoming too sticky.
Preparing the sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients, and add salt and pepper to taste. If mayonnaise is not homemade, it is preferable to add a touch of mustard and lemon to the sauce.
Frying: On a medium flame, heat butter in a Teflon pan. There should be enough butter to grease the pan properly. Using a pastry bag, tablespoon, or wet hands, place latkes in the pan. It may take a few latkes to learn how to work with this unique, sticky dough. Fry the latkes on both sides until they are golden but not burnt, ensuring they are firm enough to retrieve with a spatula. Rest latkes on a paper towel and serve with the sauce on the side.
If latkes are not eaten immediately, cover them with cling wrap and store in the fridge for a maximum of two days. Reheat in a preheated oven at medium heat (180C, 350F), being careful not to dry them out. Do not reheat latkes in a microwave.
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