Mouth Watering Latkes with Tamarind Chutney
A healthier latke recipe with sweet tamarind-date chutney that incorporates zucchini, sweet potato and cauliflower making it more nutrient-rich. Try this Indian twist on a classic Jewish dish!
Equipment
- Blender
- Grater
Ingredients
Latkes:
- 2 cups cauliflower,stems removed 180g
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled 24 g
- 1 zucchini
- ½ sweet potato, peeled 130g
- 3 cloves garlic, minced minced
- 2 green onions, minced
- 1 cup spelt flour or all-purpose flour can be subbed
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tbsp paprika
- ½ tbsp herbes de provence
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- ⅓ tsp pepper or to taste
- ¼ cup oil for frying I use avocado oil
Tamarind Chutney:
- 6 dates, pitted
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- ⅛ tsp fennel seeds
- ⅛ tsp ground cumin
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp black Indian salt or sea salt
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or cane sugar
- ½ cups hot water
Instructions
Tamarind Chutney:
- Submerge dates in water and soak for around 1 hour. Discard water.
- Blend soaked dates and all other chutney all ingredients on high speed.
Latkes:
- Prepare vegetables (cauliflower, zucchini, potatoes, sweet potatoes) by grating them with a stand grater or food processor. Cauliflower will crumble but that's okay.
- Add all latke ingredients (except frying oil) together in a large bowl and mix well. The mixture should be sticky with the flour well incorporated. If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit of water (approx. ¼ cup).
- Pour enough oil into a skillet to fill about 1/4-inch deep; heat over medium-high heat.
- Using a heaping tablespoon or an ice cream scooper, grab spoonfuls of the vegetable mixture, form into a ball one at a time. Using your hands press the ball together to form a flat disc before adding them into the hot skillet; slightly flatten the latkes into the oil with the back of your spoon so they are evenly thick.
- Cook in hot oil until browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Drain latkes on a plate lined with a towel.
Notes
*Use medjool or deglet noor dates. I personally used deglet noor because they are less expensive, but both work well. If you use medjool, you can reduce the amount by one since they are typically larger.
!Tips for frying:
I like to fry with minimal oil but the skillet makes a big difference here. Frying at medium to high heat will give the crunchiest results but can cause oil to smoke or latkes to stick. Use a cast iron or thick bottomed skillet to ensure even heat distribution. Non stick pans also work well but may require you to work at a lower heat. Try one at a time to get the technique right.
I like to fry with minimal oil but the skillet makes a big difference here. Frying at medium to high heat will give the crunchiest results but can cause oil to smoke or latkes to stick. Use a cast iron or thick bottomed skillet to ensure even heat distribution. Non stick pans also work well but may require you to work at a lower heat. Try one at a time to get the technique right.