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Sekai Gohan
Batata Harra: Lebanese Potatoes with Cilantro, Garlic and Lemon
Ingredients
Potatoes and parboiling
| Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Potatoes | 2 lb (900 g) | Peel and cut into 1 inches (2.5 cm) cubes |
| Water | 2 quarts (2 L) | For parboiling; use a pot in which the potatoes are covered |
| Salt | 10 g | For parboiling; discard this water |
| Olive oil suitable for cooking | 1 tbsp (15 ml) | For coating the potatoes; another cooking oil also works |
| Salt | 2 g | Seasoning for the potatoes |
Flavored oil and finish
| Ingredient | Amount | Substitutes & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil suitable for cooking | 2 tbsp (30 ml) | For the flavored oil; 3 tbsp (45 ml) together with the potato oil |
| Garlic | 5 cloves (about 20 g) | Finely chopped |
| Coriander seed | 1 tsp | Crush coarsely; if ground, add 1/2 tsp just before turning off the heat |
| Chile flakes | 1/2 tsp | For milder heat 1/4 tsp; red chile only, not a blended chile mix |
| Cilantro | 20 g | Chop the leaves and tender stems; 15 g for the flavored oil, 5 g for the finish |
| Lemon juice | 3 tbsp (45 ml) | 2 tbsp (30 ml) for the flavored oil, 1 tbsp (15 ml) after the heat is off |
| Salt | 1 g | For the flavored oil; 3 g together with the 2 g seasoning |
| Lemon | 1/2 | Cut into 4 wedges, to add at the table |
Steps
1Cut the potatoes and aromatics
For about the first 10 minutes, cut all the ingredients to size. While the oven preheats to 220°C (430°F), peel the potatoes and cut into 2.5 cm cubes. Leaving large chunks makes the cooking uneven. Rinse the cilantro under running water, blot dry, chop the leaves and tender stems finely and divide into 15 g and 5 g. Finely chop the 5 cloves of garlic as well. Crush 1 tsp coriander seed coarsely. Divide the 45 ml lemon juice into 30 ml and 15 ml, and cut the 1/2 lemon for serving into 4 wedges.
2Parboil the potatoes
Bring 2 quarts (2 L) water to a boil over high heat in a pot, then add 10 g salt and the potatoes. When it returns to a boil, reduce to medium and boil 8–10 minutes, keeping a gentle boil. A bamboo skewer should slide easily into the outside, with a little resistance left at the center. Starchy potatoes should be tested with a skewer even before 8 minutes. Don't simmer until they fall apart. Drain in a colander and discard the water, taking care with steam and hot water.
3Dry the potatoes and spread on the baking sheet
Leave the potatoes in the colander for about 3 minutes to let the steam escape. Return them to the emptied pot, add 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil and 2 g salt, and shake lightly to roughen the surface a little. Stop when the oil is evenly distributed and the cubes keep their shape. Spread them on the baking sheet in one layer with gaps between pieces. If they overlap on a small sheet, divide between 2 sheets. Check top-to-bottom browning partway through. Don't shake so hard that you crush the potatoes, and don't move them to the sheet with water still pooled in them.
4Brown in the oven
Bake in the 220°C (430°F) oven for 20 minutes, turn with a spatula and bake 8–15 minutes more. Partway through, turn the baking sheet around and check for uneven browning. It is done when several sides are golden and a bamboo skewer goes in to the center without resistance. If a white hard core remains, add 5 minutes at a time and check. Pulling off potatoes stuck to the sheet by force breaks them, so turn them with a thin spatula once they have browned. Here too, the center and the browning matter more than the time.
5Make the flavored oil and combine with the potatoes
Shortly before the potatoes finish baking, put 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil in a skillet and set over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, crushed coriander seed and 1/2 tsp chile flakes and warm for 30–45 seconds. Stop when the garlic aroma rises and just before it takes light color. Don't brown the garlic too much is the one point of this step; it must not become black grains. Then add 15 g cilantro, 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice and 1 g salt, stir for about 10 seconds and turn off the heat. When adding the lemon juice, lower the heat so the oil doesn't spatter, keep your face away and add it quietly. If you substitute ground coriander, add it just before turning off the heat. Next add the baked potatoes and toss gently for about 30 seconds. Finally add the remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice and 5 g cilantro, stir for about 20 seconds, and plate while hot.