What’s for Dinner: [Mashed] Potato Fritters

Since several people have asked me what is for iftari around here, I thought I would share some of my family favorites… starting with the recipe for [Mashed] Potato Fritters that I made [and shared] yesterday. I’ll be honest and say that Ami makes most of the “typical” iftari food… while I make more of the “fun” stuff.

Most nights in the month of Ramadan we have typical iftari around here [along with whatever else I felt like making that day]. [Mashed] Potato Fritters [pakoray] are one of those things that we typically end up making only in Ramadan for iftari and is definitely one of my favorites. After popcorn chicken of course!

This is how I make mine:

I took [4] potatoes, peeled them, and washed them. Add about enough water to cover them 1/4th of the way.
Next, pop it in the microwave for about 10-15 minutes until they are soft enough to mash. You could also do this, of course, on the stove.
Drain excess liquid, but leave some in to keep the potatoes moist.
Mash the potatoes!
As you are mashing them, to your potatoes, add: salt, black pepper, paprika, chaat masala, and cumin powder. Make sure all the potatoes are mashed and the spices are mixed in very well.
Let it cool before forming them into balls to fry. While you are waiting, work on the batter to coat them.
For the batter to fry: to gram flour [besan], add salt, black pepper, garlic, ginger, cumin powder, paprika, and baking soda water. Add enough water to leave it a thick consistency to be able to coat the potatoes. Leave the batter covered until you are ready to use it.
After the mashed potatoes are cooled enough to work with, form them into balls [as big or as small as you want them].
Heat your oil up in a skillet. Enough to cover the potato balls at least half way up.
Coat each of the potato balls in the batter and fry them until them are golden brown.