Begin by cooking the sweet potatoes. The fastest way to do this is in the microwave. Prick
the skin of each potato with a fork. Wrap one potato in a paper towel, place it on a plate,
and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Carefully remove it from the microwave, squeeze it to
make sure it’s soft in the center, and the allow it cool as you cook the next one. When the
potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them open and scoop the flesh into a large bowl.
Slice the green onions and roughly chop a handful of cilantro (about 1/8th of a bunch). Add
the green onions, cilantro, frozen corn kernels, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper to the bowl
with the cooked sweet potatoes. Stir until well combined. You can taste it at this point and
adjust the seasoning as desired.
Add the breadcrumbs, cornmeal, and egg to the bowl. These ingredients will bind the mixture
together and keep it from falling apart while cooking. Stir until evenly combined. Cover
the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb moisture.
After the sweet potato mixture has refrigerated, it’s time to cook. Add enough vegetable oil
to fully cover the bottom of a medium skillet. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until the
surface appears wavy (if it begins to smoke, remove it from the burner immediately and turn
down the heat). Shape the sweet potato mixture into small patties (about 2-3 Tbsp each) and
cook about 4 at a time in the hot oil. Cook until golden brown on each side; about 2 minutes
per side. After cooking, place on a paper towel covered plate to drain. Add more oil to the
skillet as needed