KK TiKKi Latke is the creation of Judiann Carmack-Fayyaz, the chair of Slow Food East End. This latke honors an amazing biodynamic farmer on the East End, the late KK Haspel, who was a forward thinker, generous of spirit and a true advocate of children, education and growing food.
KK’s produce always tasted better, more alive and filled with her amazing energy,” says Judiann. “Slow Food East End’s recently published FoodBook, that advocates adding vegetables to most dishes, is another influence to my recipe, which celebrates the plentiful harvest of many delicious and nutritious vegetables that have a lot of spice to it, just like KK. Brooklyn meets Bengal.
KK TiKKi Latkes
Ingredients
1 pound potatoes (5 potatoes, baked potatoes work well)
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2-3 hot green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas (defrosted if frozen)
1 or 2 carrots, grated
1/2 cup or butternut squash or red pumpkin, finely diced
1/2 cup cauliflower, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
Garnish:
mango pickles, raita, or apple sauce
Directions:
Peel potatoes and coarsely grate by hand (or in a food processor with grating attachment), transferring to a large bowl of cold water as grated. Soak potatoes 1 to 2 minutes after last batch is added to water, then drain well in a colander. (I used a salad spinner)
Spread grated potatoes on a kitchen towel and roll up jelly-roll style. Twist towel tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible. Transfer potato mixture to a bowl and stir in egg and salt.
Put peppercorns and fennel into a clean coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder. Place the ginger, chillies, and the above pepper/fennel mixture into a food processor. Add 1/2 cup water and make into a paste.
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a medium pan over medium heat. When hot, add vegetables, spice paste, salt and sugar. Stir and cook for approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat. When slightly cooled, fold vegetable mixture into potato/egg mixture.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 4 , spoon 2 tablespoons of potato mixture per latke into skillet, spreading into 3-inch rounds with a fork. Reduce heat to moderate and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes. Turn latkes over and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Add more oil to skillet as needed. Keep latkes warm on a wire rack set in a shallow baking pan in oven.
Tip: KK TiKKi Latkes may be reheated on a rack set over a baking sheet in a 350F oven for about 5 minutes.
Recipe by Judiann Carmack-Fayyaz
See all the other latke recipes here at 8 Days of Latkes.
