Crispy, creamy, beautifully seasoned potato cheese fritters, packed with halloumi, garlic, green chilli and lime. Zingy coriander pesto to dip.
This recipe is similar to one I tried from Prashad at Home by Kaushy Patel, of my favourite cookbooks. Prashad is a British-Gujarati restaurant just outside Leeds, making some truly spectacular vegetarian food. The family behind the restaurant are also responsible for Bundobust in Leeds, which produces food so delicious it makes me squeal. Literally.
My tweaks are swapping the paneer for halloumi and adding some of Prashad’s own garam masala – made from over twenty spices and roasted on very low heat for two weeks. It brings extraordinary flavour to everything it touches, not least these lovely balls.
If you’re feeling particularly naughty (as I usually am), you can also squish these fritters in a Potato cheese fritter sandwich (pictured below). Great for leftovers.
These fritters are extremely easy to make and are packed with flavour and cheesy delight. British-Indian food at its best, I think. Oft requested in our home.
Zingy coriander pesto to dip.
Potato halloumi fritters
Ingredients
potato halloumi fritters
- 4 baking potatoes
- 1-2 packets halloumi (depends on how cheesy you like things!)
- 1 lime juice only
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 heaped tbsp cornflour
- 3 heaped tsp garam masala
- 6 heaped tbsp semolina or fine polenta/cornmeal
- 1 litre frying oil
coriander pesto
- 1 lime juice only
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 50 g peanuts
- 100 g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks
- 6-8 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
for the fritters
- Put the baking potatoes in a large pan (no need to peel) and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, then simmer until just tender – a knife should slide in without significant resistance. Set aside to cool.
- Grate the potato on the large holes and transfer to a large mixing bowl. I just chop up any skins that don't get grated and add to the mix – there's lots of nutrition in those skins and it doesn't affect the final texture. Grate the halloumi and add to the potato.
- While the potatoes are cooking, juice the lime into a small bowl and crush the garlic into the juice. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- Add the garlic and lime to the potato mix and sprinkle over the cornflour and garam masala. Season with 1 tsp flaky sea salt (1/2 tsp fine salt) and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir everything together (a large fork is useful).
- Take a bit of potato mix into your hands and gently roll into an even ball. Don't roll too vigorously, as this will cause the ball to fall apart. Repeat with the rest of the balls. Sprinkle the balls with semolina and gently roll to coat each ball.
- Preheat the oven to 100℃ to keep the fritters warm as you fry them in batches. Cover a baking tray with a few layers of kitchen roll ready for the cooked fritters. Heat the frying oil in a large pan over high heat to 180℃. Carefully add 5-6 balls to the oil (watch for splashing oil!) and fry, turning occasionally, until well browned and crispy. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven while you fry the rest of the fritters.
- Serve immediately with coriander pesto for dipping.
for the pesto
- Juice the lime into a small dish and add the crushed garlic, set aside for 20 minutes.
- Add the peanuts to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the coriander, garlic and lime juice and blend until well broken down. With the blender running, drizzle in enough oil to make a pesto.