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Peel the sweet potato and cut it into flat, skinny sticks about 2 inches long, 1/4 inch wide, and 1/8 inch thick.
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(Think of them as short lengths of very thick fettuccine.)
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It is okay if the sticks are not all the same length, or if they come out a little rough looking.
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In a large bowl, dissolve the slaked lime paste in the water.
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Add the sweet potato sticks and set aside to soak for 4 hours.
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Pour oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches into a wok or a 5-quart Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat to 350F on a deep-frying thermometer.
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(If you dont have a thermometer, stand a dry bamboo chopstick in the oil; if small bubbles immediately gather on the surface around the chopstick, the oil is ready.)
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Put a wire rack on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet next to the stove.
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While the oil is heating, make the batter.
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In a bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, rice flour, salt, and turmeric.
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Use a rubber spatula to gradually stir in the water to make a smooth, thick batter.
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Drain the sweet potato and add to the batter, mixing to coat well.
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The batter will seem gluey.
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14
Fry the fritters in batches to avoid crowding them in the pan.
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15
Using 2 large metal spoons, scoop up about 1/4 cup of the batter into 1 spoon and flatten it with the back of the second spoon.
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Arrange 3 shrimp on top, pressing them gently into the batter to ensure they stick.
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Lower the spoon just to touch the oil, and then use the second spoon to slide the fritter gently into the hot oil.
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Fry the fritters, turning once, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until they are crisp and golden orange and the potatoes are cooked through.
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Use a skimmer or slotted spoon to transfer the fritters to the rack to drain.
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Before serving, use kitchen scissors to cut the fritters into quarters, making sure that each piece gets some shrimp.
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Serve with the vegetable garnish plate and dipping sauce.
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To eat, tear a piece of lettuce roughly the size of your palm, top with a piece of fritter, add cucumber slices and a few herb leaves, shape into a bundle, and dunk into the dipping sauce.
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23
Vietnamese cooks often use shell-on small shrimp in foods because the shells contribute fragrance and crunch.
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Small white shrimp (61 to 70 shrimp per pound), which have very thin shells, are ideal.
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25
You will find them at Asian and Latin markets.
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26
For the crepe recipes on pages 274 and 277, you may peel the shrimp first if you dont like the idea of chewing on the shells.
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Be sure to leave the shells on when making these sweet potato fritters, however, or they will dry out.
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28
For details on trimming the feet and tail, see page 115.
