Sasha's Kitchen: Indian-Spiced Hanukkah Potato Latkes

Tonight is the second night of Hanukkah, the eight day long Jewish festival of lights. Traditionally, Jews make potato latkes - basically fried grated potatoes to celebrate Hanukkah. While traditional latkes are fun, I like to make my potato pancakes for the holiday with a bit of a twist. Last year I made these sweet potato chipotle latkes with Swedish lingonberries, which are still my favorite. We made those for Thanksgiving as the sweet potato side dish and they were amazing, as usual. Click here for the recipe.

This year for Hanukkah, however, I decided to do my latkes with an Indian spice variation, inspired by Floyd Cardoz's recipe from Tabla. Sadly, Tabla is closing its doors soon after a great run in New York, but its recipes live on. Anyhow, based on their recipe, I loosely crafted my own using my favorite Indian spices. You can find my inspiration recipe here. My changes - I prefer it with a couple eggs, added the cumin and left out the chat masala.

Both of these recipes are reasonably healthy if you fry them in Canola Oil, as I did - or at least a lot healthier than they would otherwise be! Happy Hanukkah!

Sasha's Indian Inspired Potato Latkes
4 large Idaho potatoes
2 eggs
2 Macintosh Apples
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 cup diced fresh cilantro
2 T grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
pepper to taste
1/2 of a diced jalapeno pepper (optional- I left it out this time)
Canola oil for frying

First, grate the potatoes. Then, peel and grate the apples and mix in the grated apple mush with the potatoes.  Mix in the grated ginger, cumin, coriander, eggs, and diced cilantro. Stir in the blue cheese crumble, and the diced jalapeno if you choose to add it. Allow the canola oil (about 1/3 of a cup to start) to heat up in the pan and then fry the latkes in the oil on both sides until done, cooked through and browned.

How should you serve these? The best way would probably be with an Indian chutney, maybe slightly on the spicy side. I didn't feel like making chutney tonight, so I used some Fig-Pear jam from Hurd Orchards, with a little bit of sour cream, which was also a delicious combination. Yum! The spices were great with the potatoes and a bit of apple - it really jazzed up a holiday tradition.

Sasha's Kitchen: Indian-Spiced Hanukkah Potato Latkes

Sasha's Kitchen: Hanukkah Sweet Potato-Chipotle Latkes With Lingonberries

Here's my take on the traditional Hanukkah food - the potato latke. These were a big hit in my house tonight. I don't often make them because I absolutely hate grating potatoes, but tonight's batch was definitely worth the elbow grease.

Sasha's Sweet Potato-Chipotle Latkes With Lingonberries

4 grated medium sweet potatoes
1/4 cup all purpose flour
5 eggs (adjust so the recipe is not runny, depending on the size of the potatoes - you could use anywhere from 3 to 6 eggs)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 grated onion
3 teaspoons chipotle puree
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Top with lingonberry preserve

Mix ingredients well and fry in hot oil. I prepared the mix and Brad fried them. The kicker here - and the reason that this recipe is a winner is the lingonberries, a type of Swedish berry or preserve. They are a bit hard to find (you can buy them online, at Wegmans or Whole Foods, or apparently also at Ikea according to the receptionist at Aquavit who I spoke with this morning). I went to Whole Foods, although I love the idea of newly minted college graduates picking up some lingonberries with their ready to assemble desks, with only Swedish assembly instructions. Lingonberries are, in fact, a Scandinavian delicacy and the combination tartness/sweetness of the lingonberries is perfect with the sweet potato and chipotle. It is a stellar combination of flavors. Do not substitute any other preserve, as if will not be the same.

Happy Hanukkah!!!

Sasha's Kitchen: Hanukkah Sweet Potato-Chipotle Latkes With Lingonberries