Blogging Marathon# 38: Week 3/ Day 3
Theme: One Dish, Different Countries
Dish: Iranian/ Jewish — Potato Latkes
Then one day my son came back home and asked me if I had ever made latkes. He said they read a book in school that mentioned about latkes and he wanted me to make them for him. Then I realized I could make pancakes for this week’s marathon — 2 birds at 1 shot.
Latkes are basically potato pancakes that are shallow fried and served with variety of condiments. Potato pancakes are associated with cuisines of many European and Middle Eastern century old-traditions including Austrian, Belasurian, Iranian, Jewish etc. Latkes are eaten by Jews during Hannukah festival.
I made chunky apple sauce to go with the potato latkes. A lot of recipes online have eggs in them and I wanted to add it only if I really had to.
I was able to shape the pancakes just fine without egg and did not add it. This post from the Shiksha in the Kitchen gives lots of tips on making crispy pancakes. One of which is to use the potato starch that sinks to the bottom after draining the grated potatoes. Here’s how I made the pancakes:
Potato Latkes
Crispy and delicious Jewish Potato Pancakes aka Potato Latkes. This recipe has no egg and is completely Vegan. Serve with chunky apple sauce for a delicious meal.
Ingredients
Steps
- Grate potato and onion using the large holes on the grater. I read somewhere that the acid in onions stops discoloration of potatoes. Alternately you can use the food processor to shred the veggies — this will be helpful when working with a larger batch.
- Place the grated veggies in a colander that is inturn placed on a plate or bowl to catch the excess liquid.
- Use your hands to squeeze as much as liquid as you can from the grated potato & onions. Collect the drained liquid and let it stand for a few minutes so that the potato starch settles in the bottom.
- Add the squeezed out potato & onions to a mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients and the potato starch. Mix well.
- Heat 2tbsp oil in a nonstick pan; scoop ¼cup of potato mixture into the skillet and spread it a little bit. Cook on medium flame until the bottom is golden. Press with spatula lightly to crisp up the edges. Flip gently and continue cooking until golden and crispy on the second side.
- Remove the pancakes onto an inverted wire rack that is placed on a paper lined plate. Serve immediately.
Recipe adapted from Vegetarian Times.
Chunky Apple Sauce
Crispy and delicious Jewish Potato Pancakes aka Potato Latkes. This recipe has no egg and is completely Vegan. Serve with chunky apple sauce for a delicious meal.
Ingredients
Steps
- Heat 2tsp oil in a saute pan on medium-high flame; add apples and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the ground cinnamon and cloves, mix well. Cover, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 15~20 minutes.
- Add 1~2tbsp water and break the apples lightly. Uncover and cook for 10 more minutes or until the applesauce thickens.
- Stir in sugar and cook for 2 more minutes or until the sugar has dissolved.
- Finally add the lemon juice and turn off the heat. Cool completely and store in the fridge for later use.
This is my favorite and super apple sauce
Am in love with that chunky apple sauce, latkes are my all time favourite..
Potato latekes looks very delicious and so perfectly made 🙂 Feel like grabing them from the screen !!
Wow yummy pancakes. Snaps look stunning
love that sauce pavani! I have bookmarked these pancakes for ccc! they look absolutely yum!
I had done these for my ABC series, and yes those were eggless as well..:)..your pictures are so inviting..
They look stunning Pavani. Crisp and intact, perfect pancakes. 🙂 Applesauce with a potato pancake is very interesting.
looks so interesting..very tasty Latkes
never seen eggless latkes before but yours look awesome
never seen eggless latkes before but yours look awesome
Love those crispy latkes and the apple sauce sounds wonderful as well.
I’m not sure how to separate the squeezed out liquid from the potato starch that settles at the bottom of the bowl. How much will there be?
Hi Unknown, when the potato water is set aside for a few minutes a layer of potato starch forms at the bottom. It is not a lot, may be about 1~2tbsp. You can slowly drain all the water from the top leaving the sediment behind and use it in the latkes. Hope this helps.
Good Morning!Wow just what I’ve been looking for this morning to spice up breakfast. I saw your marathon comment and wss wondering..do you run?Have a great day! Marna Marie’ Strauss
Wow! I’ve recently had to go eggless with my husband because he somehow developed an egg allergy at 30 years old. This recipe is amazing! We weren’t missing the egg at all. I really think that the starches helped hold the latke’s together. I didn’t only add the starches but the water too, and they were perfect for us!