Recipe#25133

Title: Indonesian Potato and Beef Perkedel

Joyce Jue, San Francisco Chronicle, 5/13/92.
  
  Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; May 19 1992.

Yield: 15 servings
 
      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.
 
  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.