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Sekai Gohan
Deruny: Ukrainian Grated Potato Pancakes (Деруни)
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Yukon Gold potatoes | 4 large (about 2 lb) | The body of the pancake, grated raw |
| Small yellow onion | 1 (4 oz) | Grated with the potatoes; its juice helps keep the raw grated potato from discoloring |
| Large egg | 1 | Binds the batter |
| All-purpose flour | 3 tbsp | Holds the batter together |
| Fine salt | 1 tsp | Seasoning |
| Baking soda | 1/4 tsp | Not interchangeable with baking powder |
| Grapeseed oil | 2–3 tbsp for the first batch | For pan-frying; add more only as needed for later batches |
| Sour cream | To serve, as you like | Served alongside, not part of the batter |
Steps
1Grate the potatoes and onion over a sieve
Peel the 4 potatoes and the small onion. Set a sieve over a bowl, and grate the potatoes and onion on the fine, star-shaped side of the box grater, alternating between them, so the grated mixture falls into the sieve and the juices drip into the bowl.
Keep your fingertips away from the teeth, and don't force the last small piece of potato or onion against the grater; set it aside instead. Wear gloves, and use a guard or holder that fits your grater, since gloves alone don't make grating safe.
2Pour off most of the liquid and keep the starch
When you've finished grating, lift the sieve and look at the bowl. Pour off most of the liquid, but keep the white starch that has settled at the bottom. Return the grated potato and onion to the bowl and mix them with the starch.
Don't rinse the potato, and don't throw out the starch. Recombining the starch with the grated mixture is part of what holds the pancakes together.
3Mix in the egg, flour, salt and baking soda
Add the egg, 3 tbsp flour, 1 tsp fine salt and 1/4 tsp baking soda, and mix well. The batter should be thick but still liquid enough to spoon.
Raw potatoes vary in moisture, so your batter can look looser or firmer than expected. Don't add extra flour.
4Warm the oil over medium heat
Pour 2–3 tbsp grapeseed oil into a large nonstick skillet and warm it over medium heat. Don't heat it until it smokes. Judge by medium heat and a gentle shimmer.
5Spoon in the batter and brown both sides
Drop about a heaping tablespoon of batter into the pan for each pancake, leaving space between them so you can get the spatula in to flip. Don't crowd the pan.
Cook until the underside is golden brown, then flip and cook the second side until golden brown too. Plan on about 3–4 minutes per side over medium heat. Time depends on your heat and how thick the pancakes are, so go by the color on both sides as well as the clock. Make sure they are cooked through to the center. Don't serve pancakes with raw potato, raw egg or raw flour left inside. Heat until the center reaches 167°F (75°C) for at least 1 minute.
Don't turn the heat up to finish faster. Higher heat can brown the outside before the inside is cooked.
Flip once the first side is evenly golden, then brown the second side 6Cook the rest and serve warm with sour cream
Repeat with the remaining batter, adding a little more oil only when the pan needs it. Serve the deruny warm, with sour cream alongside or spooned on top.