In a medium bowl, toss the diced potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the canola oil.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the potatoes to the pan. Sauté the potatoes for about 15 minutes until they are browned. (Periodically while sautéing, add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pan to keep the potatoes from sticking.)
Once the potatoes are browned, add in a ½ cup of water and cover pan. Allow the potatoes to steam for 2-3 minutes until they're tender. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the potatoes to cool a bit.
Make the fritter batter:
Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, 2 teaspoons of the curry powder and the remaining teaspoon of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
In a separate small bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, dried onion and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.
With the mixer running on low, slowly add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl. When the batter is combined and smooth, stir in the cooked potatoes.
Fry the fritters:
Place a cooling rack lined with paper towels near the cooking area. Have a large, metal slotted spoon or metal tongs ready.
Pour vegetable oil in a large heavy duty pot or pan to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat, until a bit of batter dropped in the oil bubbles and cooks. I found the ideal temperature to be about 330° F.
Gently drop a tablespoon-sized portion into the heated oil and fry the fritter until it's golden brown, turning it often with slotted spoon or tongs to brown it on all sides: about 2-3 minutes.
The batter should spread enough in the oil to allow the fritter to cook through. Check the first few you do after they’re drained: if they’re raw in the middle, then thin the rest of the batter with a little milk.
Once the fritters have browned, remove them from the oil with the slotted spoon to the paper towel-lined rack. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Make the dipping sauce:
To make the dipping sauce, combine the sour cream, honey and remaining ½ teaspoon of curry powder in a small bowl. Serve it with the warm fritters.
Makes about 20 fritters.
Notes
It's important that the fritters brown up quickly, but not so quickly that the middle stays raw. To achieve this, keep your oil between 330° and 350°F. The easiest way to control your oil temperature is with an inexpensive digital thermometer like this one.
Another tip to ensure the fritters cook all the way through is to keep the batter thin, like the consistency of pancake batter. It will spread better once it hits the oil which allows the insides to cook through quickly.