Indonesian Potato And Beef Perkedel

Servings: 15
Ingredients:

2 lb Baking potatoes, boiled and
-mashed
1 1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Freshly ground pepper
2 ts Ground coriander
1/8 ts Nutmeg
1/4 c  Chopped parsley leaves
1 lg Egg
2 tb Peanut oil, plus more for
-deep frying
4    Shallots, finely chopped
2    Garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb Lean ground beef.

Not too long ago, there was a bit of discussion about potato
pancakes. (I’m still smarting from all the verbal flack I got about
my love of instant mashed potatoes… ;-} ) Here’s a recipe with a
twist from Indonesia. This is traditionally served with soto ayam a
kind of chicken soup.

In Indonesia, these fritters are served as part of a rijstaffel
(rice-table) or as a side dish to embellish a main course. You will
find they work well as a delicious appetizer for a Western meal.

Mix together the mashed potatoes, 1 teaspoon of the salt, half the
pepper, the coriander, nutmeg, parsley and egg.

Preheat a wok until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, the shallots
and garlic; saute until soft. Add beef and stir to break up clumps;
brown until meat is no longer red, about 2 minutes. Season with
remaining salt and pepper. Cool.

Combine the meat with the potato mixture. Form into 16 balls and
flatten them into cakes about 2 inches round by 1 inch thick. Set on
a tray. Refrigerate, if not fried immediately.

Pour 2 inches of oil into a preheated wok. Heat to 365F. Add 4 or 5
cakes, or as many as will fit into the pan without crowding or
reducing the temperature of the oil. Deep fry, turning occasionally
until golden brown, about 3 minutes. (If preferred, the cakes may be
pan-fried in a flat skillet.) Remove to paper towels to drain. Serve
hot or at room temperature.

Makes 15 cakes.

Joyce Jue, San Francisco Chronicle, 5/13/92.

Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; May 19 1992.