Batata Harra is the perfect side dish, snack, or appetizer to any meal-especially a middle eastern one! It’s packed full of flavor and simple to make, consisting of fried potatoes, a tangy and spicy tomato sauce, and lots of fresh herb to finish it up.
To start, peel and chop russet potatoes. The size they will be is up to you, but make sure they’re cut uniformly so they fry evenly! I decided to make mine quite small just because I like little bites of food—but a larger heartier bite would also go wonderfully.
Heat up oil in a pot or fryer on medium to medium high heat. Once it begins to shimmer, add in your prepared potatoes. Cook while mixing occasionally to ensure even cooking and to prevent any burning. Once the potatoes are golden brown on the outside and and cooked through on the inside (poke it with a knife of fork to make sure it’s tender), remove from the oil and set aside.
Remove the excess oil from the pot (you can save it in a container to fry something else another time) and leave only about a tablespoon or two. Then add a heaping tablespoon of tomato paste and toast in the pan for a minute. Add in chili flakes, a sprinkling of salt, and cayenne pepper to taste.
Add back in potatoes and mix until all the potatoes are coated with the tomato paste mixture. Then squeeze over fresh lemon juice from half a lemon and finish off with freshly chopped cilantro or parsley (or a mixture of both). And your batata harra is ready to enjoy!
There are so many variations to this dish. There is truly no one way to make batata harra. For example, the potatoes can be air fried instead of fried in lots of oil. Sweet potatoes are an interesting alternative to white potatoes, and the sweetness pairs well with the spicy seasoning! Chili powder can be used instead of flakes for a more complex flavor. And even a garlic aioli can be made to top this separately! The possibilities truly are endless—and I hope you take my guide and make this dish your own 🙂
Ingredients
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2-4
- 2-3 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into even cubes
- Oil for frying
- 1 heaping tbsp tomato paste
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Juice from half a lemon
- Chopped cilantro and/or parsley
Directions
1. Heat oil in a frying pot on medium high. Once the oil is ready, add in prepared potatoes.
2. Cook stirring occasionally until potatoes are golden and tender. Remove from heat and set aside
3. Remove excess oil from pot, leaving only 1-2 tbsp. Then add in tomato paste and toast, stirring
4. Next add in all the spices—chili flakes, salt, and cayenne. Mix together before adding potatoes back in
5. Stir together potatoes until completely coasted in the tomato paste mixture. Then squeeze on fresh lemon juice and top with chopped parsley or cilantro
6. Serve warm and enjoy!