Potato Patties

Cooking Instructions

Two hours before dinner, boil the potatoes in their jackets.

While potatoes are boiling, drain split peas. Then boil them in a 1 - 2-quart pot with 3 cups cold water and 1/2 teaspoon salt for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and drain in a colander or strainer, shaking it to get out as much water as you can, and invert peas in bowl. Cover the bowl.

In a skillet heat 2 tablespoons oil over a medium flame. When very hot, add the fenugreek seeds, and when they begin to change color (5 to 10 seconds), put in the onions, continuing to fry about 2 minutes until the onions begin to turn brown at the edges. Add the parsley and green chili, and stir another 2 to 3 minutes. Next, put in the drained split peas and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Keep stirring and cook for about 5 minutes, until all the water has evaporated and the mixture in the skillet seems to become one lump. Cover and set aside.

Peel and mash potatoes with a fork or hand masher. (Do not use a whipping gadget or an electric mixer. Don't add butter.) A few lumps will remain, but don't worry - just get the potatoes as smooth as you can. Add 2 teaspoons salt and mix thoroughly.

To form patties: Divide the mashed potatoes into 12 balls. Divide the split pea mixture into 12 portions. Flatten each potato ball on the palm of your hand, put a portion of the split pea stuffing in the center of it, and cover the stuffing with the mashed potato by bringing the outer circumference to the center. Make a ball again. Flatten it gently to have a patty about 3 inches in diameter. Make all the patties this way, covering them on a platter if you are not going to be eating soon. (You can prepare this much of the recipe from a few hours to a day ahead.)

Cooking these patties is an art in itself. In India they are cooked on a tava, a large, slightly curved iron griddle. If you have a griddle, it is really the ideal utensil to use. If you don't, use a heavy-bottomed skillet, but remember to cook only two or three patties at a time. If you crowd them it becomes difficult to lift and turn them.

Since these patties are cooked like pancakes with very little oil, use only enough to coat the bottom of your skillet or griddle, and heat over medium-low flame. Add a few potato patties and cook them slowly - about 8 to 10 minutes on each side. When one side turns a golden red, carefully work your spatula under it without breaking the hard crust and drop it over on its unfried side. Add another teaspoon of oil, swirling it around. Fry this side for 8 to 10 minutes also, until it has formed a red-brown crust. If the patties brown too quickly, lower the heat.

Note: Since these have to be served hot, and since you may not be able to make many at a time in a skillet, you could use two skillets.

To serve: Place on a heated platter and serve hot. These patties are marvelous for snacks. They are usually served with Tomato Tamarind Chutney, or Fresh Green Chutney with Chinese Parsley and Yogurt.

Or you could serve them as part of any meal. I once cooked a rather pleasant lunch of chicken breasts broiled with just butter, salt, pepper, and lemon. I also made a simple romaine salad and we had these potato patties. It was wonderful!