Potato Chop

TIME1 hour MAKES6 potato chops PORTION
0.5x 1x 2x 3x

A staple from my childhood, this is my families version of the Iraqi dish potato chop/chap/kubbi. Think of it like a dumpling, but instead of a dumpling wrapper the meat is wrapped in mashed potato, crumbed, and then fried.

Growing up, we most often had potato chop alongside bamya assam and yellow rice.

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 potatoes
  • 500g minced chicken (could also use beef or lamb)
  • 1 onion (diced)
  • 1 tbsp ginger (minced)
  • 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
  • 1 chilli (finely diced)
  • 1/2 tomato (diced)
  • 1 tbsp parsley or coriander (finely diced)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 egg
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Vegetable oil

STEPS

  1. Peel and boil the potatoes until soft, and then mash and leave to cool in the refrigerator.

  2. Heat a oil in a frying pan and add the onions. Fry until softened, then add the ginger and garlic paste and chilli and fry until fragrant.

  3. Add the tomato, and fry until the mixture resembles a sauce or paste.

  4. Add the minced meat, and cook until browned. Add salt and pepper to taste, and then remove from the heat and mix in the diced herbs and lemon juice. The minced meat mixture should not be too saucy — it should be quite dry.

  5. Take a portion of the cooled mashed potato, and flatten it to form the shape of your palm. If the potato is too sticky grease your palm with some oil. Cup your palm a little to form a pocket.

  6. Add a tablespoon and a half of the cooled mince mixture to the center of the flattened potato pocket. Enclose the filling by drawing up the sides of the potato and cover the filling completely so no minced meat is visible. Continue the same process with the rest of the mashed potato and mince.

  7. Heat a generous amount of oil in a wide frying pan. Roll each of the potato chops in some egg and then breadcrumbs before frying until the each potato chop is golden brown.

potato chop frying