Batata Harra (Lebanese Spicy Potatoes)

Ingredients

• 1 kg potato, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into small dice
• 6 garlic, finely chopped
• 2 fresh chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 40 g fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. 1.

   Rinse and dry the potatoes — Put the potato cubes in a bowl of cold water and leave them for 10 minutes to wash off the loose surface starch. Drain and dry them properly in a clean cloth — any water left on them steams instead of crisping.

2. 2.

   Coat the potatoes for roasting — Heat the oven to 220°C with a large baking tray inside it. Toss the dry potatoes with the cornstarch, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the salt and the black pepper, then tip them onto the hot tray in a single layer with space between the cubes.

3. 3.

   Roast until crisp — Roast for 35 minutes, turning the cubes once at the halfway point, until they are deep gold, blistered at the corners and sound hollow when tapped with a spoon.

4. 4.

   Fry the garlic and chilli — Near the end of the roasting time, fry the red pepper in the remaining olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until it softens at the edges. Add the garlic, fresh chillies, chilli flakes and ground coriander and cook for 60 seconds only, just until fragrant — browned garlic turns the whole dish bitter.

5. 5.

   Toss everything with lemon — Take the pan off the heat, tip in the hot potatoes with the cilantro and lemon juice and toss hard for a few seconds. The residual heat is enough to wilt the herb without cooking it, so it stays bright green and raw-edged. Serve straight away, while the corners are still crisp.