Batata Harra (Lebanese Spicy Potatoes)
Batata Harra; Lebanese Spicy Potatoes; is a crispy, zesty, garlicky & spicy potato breakfast dish. It's the utmost comforting & delicious meal
Ingredients
- 1 lb baby potatoes washed and quartered
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ tsp 7 spices
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or to taste
- 1 ½ tbsp shatta Middle Eastern Chili Paste
- lemon wedges for serving
- ¼ cup cilantro or parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- First, boil the potatoes. Peel and chop them up into small cubes or quarters (if you're using baby potatoes)
- Take a large pot and fill it with water. Let it boil on high heat.
- Add the cut potatoes and cook until fully tender. You can check by using a fork and break the potato. This will take around 10 to 12 minutes.
- Drain the water and set potatoes aside.
- Transfer the potatoes to an air fryer or to a baking sheet and air fry or bake until crispy. If you're using the oven, bake them at 450F for 10 minutes. If you're using the air fryer, air fry at 400 for 5-8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, to a pan, add the olive oil on medium high heat.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté. Ensure that the garlic changes its color to golden and becomes fragrant. It will take around 2-3 minutes.
- Add your crispy potatoes to the sautéed garlic.
- Toss in the seven spices along with shatta, Aleppo pepper, cumin and salt. Ensure to give all the ingredients a good mix.
- Mix until potatoes have a nice coating of spices. Let the potatoes and spices cook at medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. It will help all the flavors to meld together. Taste the spice level and balance it if you need it according to your taste.
Serve:
- Batata harra needs a good squeeze of lemon juice before serving, along with freshly chopped cilantro or parsley. It balances all the flavors and adds brightness.
Notes
Pro Tips
- Be sure to pat dry the potatoes after boiling or air dry them for a few minutes. It will ensure the perfect crisp even after cooking with garlic and spices.
- You can adjust the level of heat in Batata harra by using less or more pepper and Shatta.
- Be careful while garlic sauté step as it can burn quickly. Make sure it is in golden color, not brown. It will taste bitter if it turns brown.
- If you're using russet potatoes or golden potatoes, it's best to peel them. I find that baby potatoes are fine to keep the skins on.
- Bake or air fry the potatoes after boiling them to ensure they're crispy. If you prefer, you can drain them, and add them to the garlic along with more oil to crisp up instead.
Nutrition
Calories: 259kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 4gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 798mgPotassium: 705mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 221IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 2mg
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