Potato Cakes For Lunch #DesiStyle

Also known as pancakes, grilled or baked, potato cakes are a no-brainer. Eat with chickpea salad or fish fingers. They literally go with everything. 

Makes 20* • Halal/Vegetarian • Total prep/cooking time 45mins • Cook at 190ºC for 12-15mins



Ingredients
• 650g mashed potatoes • 40g butter/margarine
• 50ml milk • 50g plain flour
• 1/5 teaspoon paprika • 1 level teaspoon salt + pepper
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder/ or level teaspoon red chilli flakes
• 1 heaped teaspoon cumin (whole or ground)
• 1 level tablespoon garam masala (ground)
• 1 level tablespoon tomato powder
• 1 level tablespoon ground coriander
• Handful chopped fresh coriander or parsley
• 2 whisked eggs
• Oil/butter for shallow pan frying

*This recipe yields around 20 smaller-than-palm-sized patties. Just half the ingredients to make, well, half.

Method
1. SQUISH butter into hot mash and add a little milk for a lump-free mixture. [Note: for creamier mash keep some of the starchy boiled water. For a fluffier mash, drain completely and add more milk].

2. CHUCK in all the herbs and spices, increasing or reducing as preferred. Mix thoroughly with a fork. Taste a spoonful now to check the flavours. Cool completely to shape easily.

3. COMBINE the flour (or 1 egg) to make a denser mash that holds shape. If it's too soft stick the mixture in the freezer for 5mins.

4. SHAPE into individual patties on a cold dry surface with your palms to flatten. If cooking later on place the potato cakes onto oven trays lined with baking paper.

5. DIP into whisked eggs if shallow pan frying only. You could coat with bread crumbs here before baking. Whizz 3 end slices of bread in a food processor for 2+minutes until fine. Pat the potato cakes into crumbs on both sides then fry.

6. BAKE in a pre-heated oven (otherwise it takes like, so much longer) flipping halfway until both sides are browned and a little crisp.

GRILL on high heat flipping halfway again.

FRY with enough vegetable/olive/canola oil or butter in a wide pan to steep the cakes and cook on medium-high heat until golden brown. Flip carefully.

7. EAT!

Oh, and what makes these "Desi" ergo Pardesi ergo Pakistan-Indiany? Me!


Peace + eco-jihad.
Zaufishan, The Eco Muslim