• Sweet potatoes: Peel and chop them. Place them in the pot, cover them with water, and cook them until soft (about 15 minutes, but check). Drain them well and mash them roughly with a fork, and add salt and pepper.

  1 lb sweet potatoes + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
• Shrimp: Defrost the shrimp completely, pat them dry with kitchen towels, and chop them into small pieces.

  1 lb sweet potatoes
• Cook shrimp: Heat the oil in the pan. Sauté the finely chopped onion until translucent (2-3 minutes), add the shrimp, and the spices. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, transfer them to a large bowl, and let them cool for a few minutes.

  1 tablespoon olive oil + ½ medium onion + ½ teaspoon cumin + ½ teaspoon coriander + ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Combine: Add the mashed sweet potatoes to the shrimp, then add the breadcrumbs and finely chopped herbs. Mix well and adjust the taste. The mixture should be sticky but soft. If it feels too soft to hold, add a little more breadcrumbs - but don’t overdo it.

  6 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs + a small bunch of cilantro + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
• Shape the cakes: Flour your hands lightly and shape 20 cakes. As you do that, press them lightly to flatten - they shouldn’t be round.

  ½ - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• Chill: Place the shrimp cakes on a large plate and refrigerate them for 30 minutes until they are firmer. You can also cover them with plastic wrap and chill them for several hours until ready to fry and serve.
• Coat the cakes: Mix the coating ingredients on a shallow plate or in a bowl. Carefully turn the shrimp cakes in the mixture to coat them well.

  5 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs + 1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds + 1 tablespoon oregano + ½ tablespoon thyme + ½ tablespoon sumac
• Cook the shrimp cakes: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Fry the cakes over medium-high heat in 2 or 3 batches, without overcrowding the pan, adding a bit more oil between batches if needed. Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, then flip carefully with a spatula and cook for another 2 minutes, or until nicely browned and crispy. Place them on kitchen towels to absorb excess oil.

  3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Tahini sauce:

• Combine all the sauce ingredients except the water in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water and whisk to combine. Add a little more water if the sauce seems too thick.

  1 cup Greek yogurt + 3 tablespoons tahini + 1 teaspoon mint + 1 large garlic clove + 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice + 2-3 tablespoons cold water