Purple Yam Pancakes

These savory pancakes are made with purple yams, also known as ube or water yams, and filled with ground meat and chicken. I am serving them with a spicy mushroom sauce. If you prefer it less spicy, use fewer chiles.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 638 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ pound ground beef
• 1 onion
• ½ large onion
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 6 large tomatoes
• water as needed
• 1 ¼ cups vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons salt (Optional)
• ½ large onion, chopped
• ½ pound ground chicken
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon chile powder
• 1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (Optional)
• 2 pickled jalapeno peppers
• 12 large mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 large bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 5 large fresh hot chile peppers, stemmed
• 1 cube vegetable bouillon (such as Maggi®)
• 3 purple yams, cut into wedges

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook and stir mushrooms and 1/2 chopped onion until soft and translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add butter.

Step 2

Combine tomatoes, bell pepper chunks, onion, chile peppers, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cilantro, and garlic in a blender; blend until almost smooth.

Step 3

Stir blended tomato mixture, vegetable bouillon cube, thyme, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper to the skillet with the mushrooms and stir until well combined. Add vegetable broth, soy sauce, and enough water to make a sauce. Cover and simmer until sauce has thickened, 30 to 35 minutes.

Step 4

Combine purple yams, flour, 1 onion, eggs, 2 teaspoons salt, and garlic powder in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until blended. Fold red bell pepper into batter using a spatula and season with paprika, chile powder, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Mix until well combined.

Step 5

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the skillet. Spoon some of the ground beef and some of the ground chicken on top of each pancake; cover with a few more spoonfuls of batter. Cook pancakes until evenly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover skillet and let pancakes cook over low heat until beef and chicken are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with mushroom sauce.