Maakouda (معقودة)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide heavy frying pan
• •Potato masher or food mill
• •Cooling rack or paper towels
• •Wide tray for shaping

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook potatoes

   Put the potatoes in salted water and boil until a knife slips through without resistance, about 18 to 22 minutes. Drain them very well, then return them to the hot empty pot for 2 minutes, shaking gently, so the last water dries off. This is the why of maakouda: dry potato holds its shape and fries clean.

2. 2

   Mash and season

   Mash the potatoes while warm until mostly smooth, with a few small pieces left for body. Add the garlic, coriander, parsley, cumin, paprika, turmeric, black pepper, salt, beaten eggs, and 60g flour. Mix with a spoon, then with your hand, until the mixture holds together softly. Taste a little and correct the salt; la balance est dans les yeux, and also in the mouth.

   If the mash feels loose, add flour one spoon at a time. Stop as soon as it can be shaped, or the fritters will turn heavy.
3. 3

   Shape patties

   Dust your hands with flour and shape the mixture into small patties, about 6cm wide and 1.5cm thick. Lay them on a floured tray and dust the tops lightly. Keep them modest in size; small patties set before the crust gets too dark.

4. 4

   Fry golden

   Heat 1cm of oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Fry the patties in batches, without crowding, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep gold and firm enough to lift. Turn them once, gently. If the oil is too fierce, the outside browns before the middle settles; if it is too tired, the potato drinks it.

5. 5

   Drain and serve

   Lift the maakouda onto a rack or paper towel and salt them while the surface is still glossy. Serve hot or warm with khobz, harissa if your table likes heat, and lemon wedges if you want brightness. Make more than you think you need.

Chef Tips

• •Use floury potatoes, not waxy ones. They mash dry and hold together, which is what keeps the fritter tender inside instead of gluey.
• •Cumin must smell alive. Toast whole cumin and grind it if you can; tired cumin gives you color and almost no voice.
• •Maakouda is often eaten in bread, especially from street stalls. Split warm khobz, add two fritters, a little harissa, and olives or salad on the side.
• •Don't crowd the pan. The oil temperature drops, the crust softens, and then you start blaming the potato.

Advance Preparation

• •Boil and mash the potatoes up to 1 day ahead, then chill them covered. Season, shape, and fry the next day.
• •The patties can be shaped 4 hours ahead and kept in the refrigerator on a floured tray. Fry them just before serving for the cleanest crust.
• •Leftovers reheat well in a hot oven at 200°C for 8 to 10 minutes. Avoid the microwave; it softens the crust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 255g)