Indonesian potato & beef perkedel

Yield: 15 Servings

Ingredients:

2 lb Baking potatoes boiled and -mashed
1 1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Freshly ground pepper
2 ts Ground coriander
1/8 ts Nutmeg
1/4 c Chopped parsley leaves
1 lg Egg
2 tb Peanut oil plus more for -deep frying
4 Shallots finely chopped
2 Garlic cloves minced
1/2 lb Lean ground beef.

Instructions:

Not too long ago there was a bit of discussion about potato pancakes. (I'm still smarting from all the verbal flack I got about my love of instant mashed potatoes... ;-} ) Here's a recipe with a twist from Indonesia. This is traditionally served with soto ayam++a kind of chicken soup. In Indonesia these fritters are served as part of a rijstaffel (rice-table) or as a side dish to embellish a main course. You will find they work well as a delicious appetizer for a Western meal. Mix together the mashed potatoes 1 teaspoon of the salt half the pepper the coriander nutmeg parsley and egg. Preheat a wok until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil the shallots and garlic; saute until soft. Add beef and stir to break up clumps; brown until meat is no longer red about 2 minutes. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Cool. Combine the meat with the potato mixture. Form into 16 balls and flatten them into cakes about 2 inches round by 1 inch thick. Set on a tray. Refrigerate if not fried immediately. Pour 2 inches of oil into a preheated wok. Heat to 365F. Add 4 or 5 cakes or as many as will fit into the pan without crowding or reducing the temperature of the oil. Deep fry turning occasionally until golden brown about 3 minutes. (If preferred the cakes may be pan-fried in a flat skillet.) Remove to paper towels to drain. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 15 cakes. Joyce Jue San Francisco Chronicle 5/13/92. Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; May 19 1992.