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Zana · May 17, 2012

Aloo Balls (Potato Balls)

Source : Cynthia Nelson, former Contributing Writer to About.com Latin Caribbean Food

Aloo (Potato) Balls are a popular street food in the English-Speaking Caribbean, where there is a heavy influence of Indian food. These spicy mashed-potato balls are also made and served at Hindu and Muslim religious functions.

Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 18 - 20

Ingredients:

POTATOES

2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and boiled in salted water
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (white and green parts)
1 Tbsp finely minced cilantro or culantro * (optional)
Minced hot pepper to taste
2 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

BATTER

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
Water

Preparation:

POTATOES

Mash the potatoes until smooth and then add in all the ingredients (except oil for frying).
Be sure to check for salt before adding extra given that the potatoes would already have been cooked in salted water.
Form the mashed potatoes into 2-inch diameter balls or the size of golf balls.
Set aside.

BATTER

Mix the dry ingredients together and then add enough water to make a crepe-like batter.

COOKING

Add oil to a deep frying pan for deep frying and heat until 350 degrees F.
Dip balls into batter one at a time and add to heated oil.
Do not overcrowd pan.
Cook on both sides until golden or lightly brown on both sides.
Drain on paper towels.
Repeat until all the balls are cooked.
Serve hot or at room temperature as is or with some savory chutney or pepper sauce.

* Culantro is a very important spice herb grown in Puerto Rico, Caribbean and Central America. Culantro in Spanish has other names in English like Puerto Rican coriander, Black Benny, Saw leaf herb, Mexican coriander, Saw tooth coriander, long coriander, Spiny coriander, Fitweed, spiritweed, Culantro, Recao, Shado beni (Trinidad), Chadron benee (Dominica), Alcapate (El Salvador), Cilantro habanero, Cilantro extranjero (Mexico). It is used for the preparation of stews, salsa, sofrito, seasoning herb for meat, and is sold in cans or frozen in Latin America and Asian cuisine.

May 17, 2012	#52
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	Aloo Balls (Potato Balls) Source : Cynthia Nelson, former Contributing Writer to About.com Latin Caribbean Food Aloo (Potato) Balls are a popular street food in the English-Speaking Caribbean, where there is a heavy influence of Indian food. These spicy mashed-potato balls are also made and served at Hindu and Muslim religious functions. Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 25 minutes Yield: 18 - 20 *Ingredients:* POTATOES 2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and boiled in salted water 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (white and green parts) 1 Tbsp finely minced cilantro or culantro * (optional) Minced hot pepper to taste 2 tsp ground cumin 2 Tbsp oil Salt to taste Oil for deep frying BATTER 1 cup all purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric Salt and pepper to taste Water Preparation: POTATOES Mash the potatoes until smooth and then add in all the ingredients (except oil for frying). Be sure to check for salt before adding extra given that the potatoes would already have been cooked in salted water. Form the mashed potatoes into 2-inch diameter balls or the size of golf balls. Set aside. BATTER Mix the dry ingredients together and then add enough water to make a crepe-like batter. COOKING Add oil to a deep frying pan for deep frying and heat until 350 degrees F. Dip balls into batter one at a time and add to heated oil. Do not overcrowd pan. Cook on both sides until golden or lightly brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all the balls are cooked. Serve hot or at room temperature as is or with some savory chutney or pepper sauce. * Culantro is a very important spice herb grown in Puerto Rico, Caribbean and Central America. Culantro in Spanish has other names in English like Puerto Rican coriander, Black Benny, Saw leaf herb, Mexican coriander, Saw tooth coriander, long coriander, Spiny coriander, Fitweed, spiritweed, Culantro, Recao, Shado beni (Trinidad), Chadron benee (Dominica), Alcapate (El Salvador), Cilantro habanero, Cilantro extranjero (Mexico). It is used for the preparation of stews, salsa, sofrito, seasoning herb for meat, and is sold in cans or frozen in Latin America and Asian cuisine.