It’s really starting to feel like springtime here in New Zealand, finally the sun is out, the skies are blue and the t-shirts are coming out of the closet 🙂 With the arrival of the warmer weather I have been swapping the usual soups or roast veg for crisper, fresher meals teamed with salad.

Wanting to use up some left over potatoes and kumara in the pantry I stumbled across a great recipe that inspired a little creation. Veggie fritters are super adaptable and this simple vegetarian recipe is no exception.

Steamed potato and kumara are teamed with rice and simple flavours to create tasty little veggie fritters coated in panko breadcrumbs for extra deliciousness. Served up with a colourful and fresh pea and wasabi mash for a great family meal or casual weekend lunch.

If you can’t find panko or for a vegan version use fine breadcrumbs instead. The veggie fritters recipe could be adapted to included carrot, peas, corn or really any veg you can steam up and mash.

Flavour with your favourite ingredients to make little cakes perfected to your own taste. If you like, for a child friendly version, simply omit the chilli and wasabi. We served these little vegetarian veggie fritters with a crisp salad for a great Sunday night meal, or try teaming with chips {fries} for a vegetarian alternative to fish & chips… enjoy 🙂

Veggie Fritters w/ Wasabi Pea Mash
Preparation time: 40mins // Serves 4-6

Veggie Fritters

• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1½ cups vegetable broth
• 400g (14 oz) potato, peeled & chopped
• 275g (9 oz) kumara (sweet potato), peeled & chopped
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 4 garlic shoots or 1 garlic clove, finely diced
• 1 chilli, diced
• ¼ cup coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped
• 2 tbs sweet chilli sauce
• 1 lemon, zest
• 2 free-range eggs (or equivalent in egg replacer)
• ½ cup non-dairy milk
• 1 cup plain flour
• 2-3 cups panko breadcrumbs or fine breadcrumbs

Pea Wasabi Mash

• 3 cups fresh or frozen peas
• ½ an avocado
• ¼ – ½ tsp of wasabi (to taste)

Place the rice and broth in a saucepan and bring to the boil, keep covered and simmer over a very low heat for approximately 15 mins or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, strain and set aside to cool.

Steam or boil the potato and kumara for approximately 15 mins or until tender, strain and mash, set aside to cool slightly.

Once the rice and vegetables have cooled combine with the shallots, garlic shoots or garlic, chilli, coriander, lemon zest, sweet chilli sauce and season with Japanese or black pepper and salt to taste.

Combine all ingredients well, adding a little flour to bring the mixture together if need be. Form the veggie fritters mixture into patties.

Combine the eggs or egg replacer with the non-dairy milk and set aside. Place the flour in a shallow dish and the breadcrumbs in a separate shallow dish.

Carefully dunk each veggie fritters into the flour, then the egg and milk mixture and finally in the breadcrumbs, coating well.

Heat 3cm of sunflower oil in a frypan and cook the veggie fritters in batches over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Set aside and keep warm.

Meanwhile boil the peas in plenty of water for 3 minutes, strain and in a bowl mash the cooked peas with the avocado and wasabi to taste.

Serve the veggiecakes with wasabi pea mash, lemon wedges and a crisp salad and/or chips {fries}. Perfect for a casual dinner or Sunday lunch, in a sandwich or burger or packed in your lunchbox.