Easy Potato Latke / Pancake / Galette (Aloo Tikki)

Happy Hanukkah or Chanukah everyone! Last week, it was ‘Hanukah week’ in Akira’s daycare and they were doing activities related to that. One of the days they painted ‘Potato Latke’. Being still new to all the festivals and traditions here, I thought to myself – What is a Latke? I had never heard of it before, so I started reading more about it. It is actually very similar to the Indian ‘Aloo Tikki’, which is a very popular street food/snack item in northern part of India. Coming from the eastern part of India, I grew up loving potato. So I had the instant urge to try a latke recipe.

Most of the recipes I looked for had multiple ingredients and eggs. Also, you had to soak them to avoid discoloration and then drain them well before frying. So I decided to make my own recipe for the latke based on my aloo tikki recipe, keeping the traditional flavor profile for it. The trick is to just the partially boil or steam the potatoes and cool them before grating. This way you avoid any browning and there is no draining required. So you end up with crisp exterior and soft interior for the latkes. Also, the boiled potatoes stick together, so there is no need for any binding agent. You just need some spice and herbs to spruce it up!

I also pan fried it, instead of deep frying it. This meant lesser oil, but not too less as you want the right texture. I served it the traditional way using sour cream. But you could just eat it on its own, like Akira was doing it as soon as I took it out of the pan. Or maybe just some ketchup…

Steps for making the Potato Latke

1. Boil Potatoes

Boil the potatoes till they are partially cooked so that they are soft to touch, but don’t give in completely. If you cut the potato in half, you should not see any raw potato. Let the potatoes cool down before peeling. You can also boil them a day ahead and keep them in the refrigerator. This makes peeling and grating easier.

Also remember to use the russet or baking potatoes, as they fry better.



2. Grate Potatoes

After peeling the potatoes, use a hand grater with large holes on top of a bowl to get the shredded potato.



3. Season Potatoes

This latke just needs salt and pepper, but the parsley and chives lend it a fresh flavor. In the Indian version, we add coriander/cilantro to the aloo tikki.

Add the salt, pepper, parsley and chives to the grated potatoes. Now using a hand or a spatula mix them gently to combine.



4. Pan Fry the Potato Patties

Set the pan on the stove on medium-high heat. Coat the pan with olive oil around 2-3 tablespoons.

Now grab a handful of the grated potato and shape them to make a flat patty from it. The thinner you make it, the more crispy it will be. I actually made around 12 patties from the 2 potatoes.

Now place the patties in the oil, when the pan is hot. Turn down the flame to medium heat and let it cook till you see it getting golden brown at the bottom, around 4-5 minutes. Once golden brown, flip the patties and let it cook on the other side for another few minutes. At this point you might want to add more oil if required, as mine soaked most of it.



Once cooked on both sides transfer to a dish lined with paper towel to soak some of the oil 😀

Now enjoy it with sour cream and chives or any other way you like your latkes!

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Easy Potato Latke / Pancake / Galette (Aloo Tikki)

Get crispy golden potato latkes with this easy single ingredient vegan recipe. No browning or squeezing of potatoes!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12-15
Serving Size: 1-2
Ingredients
• 2-3 large russet potatoes
• 1 tsp salt or as per taste
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 5-6 tbsp olive oil
• 4-5 sprigs of chives, finely chopped (optional)
• half a bunch of parsley leaves, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
1. Boil or steam the potatoes till they are partially cooked, with no raw center. Keep them aside for cooling before peeling. You can store them hours or days ahead in a refrigerator.
2. After peeling the potatoes, grate them using a hand grater with large holes in a bowl.
3. Add the salt, pepper, parsley and chives to the grated potatoes in the bowl.Combine them gently.
4. Place a pan over the stove on medium-high heat and coat it with 3 tablespoons of oil, around 1/8 inch. Take a handful of grated potatoes and shape them into flat patties. Once the pan is hot, place the patties in the oil. Cook on medium heat until the latkes are golden brown at the bottom, around 4-5 minutes. Flip them to cook the other side, another few minutes. Transfer to a dish lined with paper towel, while making rest of the batch.
Notes
* Boil or steam the potatoes in advance. You can store them in refrigerator for upto 3-4 days.
* The latkes can be made a day ahead in advance. Reheat for a short time in a 425 degree oven before serving.
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https://www.fanciersworld.com/easy-potato-latke-pancake-galette-alootikki/

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