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Maakouda (potato fritters)
Maakouda: garlicky mashed potato patties with cumin and parsley, egg-dipped and fried
Few street snacks are as loved in Morocco as maakouda, golden patties of mashed potato seasoned with garlic, cumin, turmeric and plenty of parsley and coriander, dipped in beaten egg and fried until crisp outside and fluffy inside. At sandwich stalls in Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier they are split into half a baguette or a round of khobz with harissa, chopped tomato and onion, and in Ramadan they appear on the iftar table beside harira. At home they make a great lunch with a salad. Chef's tip: cook the potatoes in their skins, then peel and mash them while hot and leave the mash to steam dry for 10 minutes; dry mash holds together, while wet mash, the classic mistake, falls apart in the pan.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the patties
- 2 ¼ lb floury potatoesunpeeled, scrubbed
- 3 garlic clovescrushed
- 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp coriander leavesfinely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
For coating and frying
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 2 eggsbeaten with a pinch of salt
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor shallow-frying
To serve
- 2 tsp harissa (optional)
- 2 baguette or khobz (optional)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Put 2 ¼ lb floury potatoes in a pot of salted cold water, bring to the boil and simmer until a knife slides through easily.
25 minStep 2: Drain, peel while hot (hold them in a tea towel) and mash until smooth. Spread the mash in the bowl and leave to steam dry for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Mix in 3 garlic cloves, 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, 2 tbsp coriander leaves, 1 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper. Taste: the mash should be well seasoned, since frying mutes it.
Step 4: With damp hands, shape into 12 patties about 7 cm across and 2 cm thick. Chill for 15 minutes if they feel soft.
15 minStep 5: Heat 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, about 1 cm deep.
Step 6: Dust each patty lightly in 3 tbsp plain flour, then dip it in 2 eggs and let the excess drip off. Lay straight into the hot oil.
Step 7: Fry in batches without moving them until a deep golden crust forms, then turn carefully and fry the other side.
6 minStep 8: Drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot, on their own or tucked into 2 baguette or khobz with 2 tsp harissa, tomato and onion.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does maakouda (potato fritters) take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of floury potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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