Sweet potato cakes with crispy tofu and pea pesto

For the sweet potato cakes, preheat the oven to 200°C. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 3cm chunks. Place in a baking tray, drizzle with the olive oil and season with the paprika, cumin and cinnamon. Bake in the preheated oven until tender, about 30 minutes.

While the sweet potatoes are roasting, make the pesto. Blanch the peas in a small saucepan of boiling water over high heat. Refresh in iced water, then drain well.

In a food processor, combine the peas with the basil, avocado, walnuts, lemon juice and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the 60ml (¼ cup) olive oil and process until a thick paste forms. Season with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, and add more lemon juice if desired. Set aside.

Remove sweet potato from oven. Turn oven down to 100°C. Allow the sweet potato to cool for a while, then mash with a fork. Add the remaining sweet potato cake ingredients, except the oil, and mix well with a fork. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions, then roll into balls between your palms. Flatten each ball with your hand to about a 1cm-thick patty.

In a non-stick pan on medium heat, fry the sweet potato cakes in a little oil in batches until golden, turning once, about 5 minutes. Carefully place on a wax paper-lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.

For the tofu, place the slices on paper towel, cover with more paper towel and press gently to release as much liquid as possible.

Pour a little oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat and fry the tofu until crispy and golden on both sides, about 5 minutes.

Serve the sweet potato cakes topped with a dollop of pesto and slices of crispy tofu.