Baked Yam Crisps and Dip

Baked yam crisps and dip is another recipe in my plant based snacking series.  I see at theme loading here! I believe snacking is good for you if you make those snacks count.  This recipe is a snack that can give you an extra dose of raw vegetables without even thinking about it, as the dips are made with fresh ingredients that you can likely source locally. It is also one of those comfort food recipes that work when you want to graze in front of the TV or while surfing online. For the crisps I used puna yam, which is also called the African yam and it is a staple ingredient found in most West African homes. It is baked, fried, boiled and it can be pounded or dried to make a flour. It is also one of those tubers or root vegetables that can last quite a while without any special storage. Again, that’s one of the reasons why it can be found in so many homes.

I decided on yam crisps mostly because I didn’t have any tortilla chips on hand at the time I felt inclined to snack on something. These yam crips are also baked versus fried and are great for scooping up dip. Trust me! The two dips I served the yam chips with are pico de gallo dip and the avocado crema dip from the corn cakes recipe in my previous post. Both dip recipes are simple and quick to prepare and can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.

Pico de gallo, also know as salsa fresca or salsa cruda, is a salsa often used in Mexican cuisine. It can be served as a side and used on salads as well.  The avocado crema is a great way to get avocado on your plate as it is a healthy fat. To add to it’s creaminess I included a few cashews, but if you have access to plant based yoghurt, you can use that too.

This plant based vegan pasta Baked Yam Crisps and Dip recipe is;

• Plant-based
• Vegan
• Gluten free
• Dairy free
• Soy free
• Egg-free
• Refined sugar-free
• Spicy
• Easy to make
• Baked
• Uses simple ingredients

If you try out this recipe definitely let me know in the comments below and share your creations on social using the #PFFPlate. Looking forward to seeing what you make of this recipe.

Print Recipe

Baked Yam Crisps & Dip

Serves: 2 Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

Yam Crisps

¼ medium white puna yam

3 tbs tapioca starch or cornstarch

2 tbs avocado oil

1 tsp sea salt

 

Pico de Gallo

4 medium roma tomatoes

1 small red onion

2 red chilli peppers

2 small key limes

1 small bunch fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves

Black pepper to taste

Salt to taste

 

Avocado Cream

See the Corn Cakes & Avocado Crema post

Instructions

Yam Crisps

• Preheat oven to 200C/420F
• Cut the yam into round 2 inch slices, peel off the skin and rinse in cold water
• Take each 2 inch slice and slice it into very thin chips. A mandoline can also be used to create even slices. 
• Once sliced place the yam slices back into bowl of water and leave them to soak for at least 20 minutes
• After 20 minutes drain the water and rinse the yam 2 - 3 times until the water is clear. Place the slices in a single layer on a paper towel lined tray or flat surface and dry them off by dabbing with paper towel
• Place the dried yam slices into a large bowl, add the avocado oil,toss to coat
• Sprinkle in the the salt and cornstarch in batches into the bowl with the yam slices and toss to combine making sure both sides of each slice is coated. Repeat the process until the dry ingredients are well mixed  and distributed. 
• Lay the yam crisps in a single layer on a parchment lined baking tray
• Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, turning them over half way through
• Once baked, remove the chips from the oven, place them in a serving dish, sprinkle extra salt as needed while they are still hot, cool and then serve

Pico de Gallo

• Dice all the fresh ingredients and place in a bowl
• Rough chop and add the fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
• Mix the ingredients together, squeeze the limes and add the lime juice
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes for the flavours to marinade together

Avocado Cream

See the Corn Cakes & Avocado Crema post