Batata Harra

Batata Harra (Lebanese Spicy Potatoes)

Crisp golden potato cubes tossed with garlic, chilli, lemon and a generous handful of fresh coriander - a staple mezze across Lebanon. Quick to make and best eaten hot.

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •800 g (1¾ lb) waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or Charlotte, peeled and cut into 2 cm (¾ inch) cubes
• •80 ml (⅓ cup) neutral frying oil, sunflower or vegetable; or use light olive oil
• •4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• •1 tsp chilli flakes, Aleppo pepper (pul biber) is traditional if available; adjust to taste
• •30 g (1 cup packed) fresh coriander, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
• •2 tbsp lemon juice, about 1 lemon
• •1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• •1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing, optional

Steps

1. 1 Place the cubed potatoes in a bowl of cold water and soak for 10 minutes to remove excess starch. Drain and pat completely dry with a clean tea towel - dry potatoes crisp better and won't spatter in the oil.
2. 2 Heat the frying oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes in a single layer (work in two batches if needed) and fry, turning occasionally, for 15–20 minutes until deep golden and crisp outside, tender inside. A knife should slide through a cube with no resistance; the centre should read at least 95°C / 205°F on an instant-read thermometer.
3. 3 Lift the potatoes out onto a plate lined with kitchen paper and season lightly with salt.
4. 4 Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan. Reduce heat to medium, add the sliced garlic and chilli flakes, and fry for 30–60 seconds until fragrant and the garlic is just turning pale gold - do not let it brown or it will turn bitter.
5. 5 Return the potatoes to the pan and toss for 1 minute to coat in the garlicky oil.
6. 6 Remove from heat. Add the lemon juice, most of the coriander and a pinch of salt; toss well. Taste and adjust salt, chilli and lemon.
7. 7 Transfer to a serving plate, scatter with the remaining coriander, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil if using, and serve immediately while the potatoes are still crisp.