These Lebanese fried potato chunks, aka batata harra, are infused with chopped cilantro, fresh crushed garlic cloves, lemon juice, and chili peppers (optional).
Batata harra literally translates to spicy potatoes in Arabic, and this popular Lebanese fried potato dish is often served as part of a mezze platter. Mezze are appetizer dishes in Lebanese cuisine, like baba ganoush, labneh, hummus, and fattoush, to name a few.
How To Make Batata Harra
Finely mince the garlic.
Chop the cilantro. Set aside.
Peel and boil the potatoes in salted water for 5 minutes. Let them cook down a bit and then cut them into potato cubes.
Heat the frying oil. Add the cubed potatoes. Add garlic and cilantro one minute before removing them from the oil. Place on paper towels to soak up the excess oil.
Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top of the finished dish to make these Arabic potatoes zing! Add spicy chili flakes for some heat.
Recipe Tips
Boil the potatoes for a few minutes before frying. This is a super important step that will guarantee you'll get perfectly cooked cubes when you serve.
Add the flavorings and seasonings toward the end. Add the cilantro and garlic during the last minute of frying so that they'll just slightly cook. This allows the flavors to blend together without the risk of getting a burnt herb or garlic flavor.
Cooking Variations
Double frying: This is the most popular way to prepare this dish in Lebanon. Basically, you can fry the potatoes alone and then set them aside. Make the spicy garlic cilantro sauce in a frying pan with a little olive oil and add the potatoes back in. The potatoes will be crunchy and crisp and covered in the delicious sauce.
Parboiling and frying: This is the method I use. It ensures you get the same crunch and crispiness as the double-fried version minus all the extra fat. Basically, I boil the potatoes for a few minutes, then fry them and add the flavorings to mix everything together.
Baking (and Air Fryer): In a bowl, mix the cubed potatoes, garlic, salt, black pepper, chopped cilantro, and olive oil together. Add them on a parchment paper baking sheet in a single layer. Roast at 425 ℉ (220 ℃) for about 30 to 40 minutes. Adjust the time for the air fryer because every air fryer is different.
Spice Variations
I've made batata harra countless times and experimented with different spices. Here are the ones I found work most:
- Cumin: Just a dash gives this a pretty cool twist.
- Paprika: My favorite addition to these. It gives it a mild spicy flavor that's subtle.
- Red chili peppers: This is great to add if you love extra spicy flavors. You can also crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
- Jalapeño: Just a few pieces add a little kick.
- Red or green pepper: These add perfect spice and sweetness to balance things out.
How To Serve
- Serve these spiced potatoes with some garlic labneh (Labneh b Toum) drizzled with olive oil.
- I know friends who serve batata harra with a wide array of hot and cold mezze dishes. These include cold salads like fattoush and tabbouleh and hot dishes like fried za'atar and cheese rolls and Lebanese sausages (makanek).
- Where I come from in North Lebanon, we serve batata harra alongside fried fish, and it's super popular with seafood in general.
- Always serve these up with a few lemon wedges on the side. They taste absolutely wonderful with a little lemony flavor.
📋 Recipe
Batata Harra (Lebanese Fried Potato Chunks)
Ingredients
- 5 large potatoes
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 4 tablespoon chopped cilantro coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt you can add more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- lemon wedges
- chili peppers optional
Instructions
- Finely mince the garlic. Chop the cilantro leaves. Set aside.
- Peel the potatoes and boil them in salted water for 5 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the water. Let them cool down a little bit then cube them.
- Heat up the frying oil. Fry the potato cubes until golden brown. One minute before the cubes are done, add in the chopped cilantro, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Place on paper towels to soak up excess oil.
- Mix everything together. Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes from the oil. Squeeze lemon juice on top just before serving (optional).
Farah says
Melt in your mouth deliciousness
Lily says
Thanks for the comment