These potato fritters have a golden-brown crust and a soft, fragrant centre. Celery leaves, fried shallot and nutmeg give the perkedel their flavour; a quick sambal made with bird’s eye chillies and lime adds a fresh kick.
Perkedel kentang are small potato fritters eaten in Indonesia as a snack or as part of a rijsttafel. Recipes vary from household to household and from one occasion to another: the potatoes may be boiled first or fried, and the herbs and binders vary. This version uses boiled floury potatoes, fried shallot and celery leaves. The result is a familiar, savoury flavour, with nutmeg and white pepper in the background.
Floury potatoes help make a soft, cohesive mash. Boil them until tender in salted water, then leave them to steam dry for a little while after draining. This last step matters: excess moisture makes the mixture slack and the fritters harder to shape. Mash the potatoes with a fork or potato masher, but don’t make them completely smooth. A little texture gives the centre a pleasant bite. Cook the shallot gently until soft and lightly golden; raw shallot would taste sharper and add more moisture to the mixture.
Celery leaves bring a fresh, green flavour that goes well with potato. Use leaf celery or finely chopped celery leaves; parsley works too, though it changes the aroma. White pepper and a small amount of nutmeg add warmth without overpowering the shallot and herbs. Taste the mixture before stirring in the egg, because after that you can still adjust the seasoning, but it’s not as easy to taste.
Don’t make the fritters too large: small, even portions cook quickly and are easier to turn without breaking. Keep the frying fat over medium heat. If it’s too hot, the outside browns before the centre is warm; if it’s too cool, the fritters absorb more oil and become less crisp. Let them drain briefly on paper towels after frying. The sambal is deliberately simple: bird’s eye chillies, lime, salt and a little sugar bring heat, acidity and balance. Adjust the number of chillies to your taste.
Serve the perkedel straight away as a starter with the sambal on the side, or serve them with rice and other dishes. You can shape the fritters ahead of time and keep them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to fry them. Cool leftovers promptly, store them covered in the refrigerator and use within three days; reheat them thoroughly in an oven at 180 °C so the outside firms up again.
Boil the potatoes in a pan of plenty of water with 1 tsp salt for 15–20 minutes, until tender. Drain and leave them to steam dry in the warm pan for 2 minutes.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Fry the shallot for 4–5 minutes, until soft and lightly golden. Leave to cool briefly.
Roughly mash the potatoes in a large bowl. Mix in the fried shallot, celery leaves, white pepper, nutmeg and the remaining ½ tsp salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Mix the beaten egg into the potato mixture. With damp hands, shape it into 12 small, slightly flattened fritters about 5 cm wide.
Pound the bird’s eye chillies with a pinch of salt in a mortar until finely crushed. Stir in the lime juice and sugar, then set the sambal aside.
Heat the frying oil in a frying pan to a depth of about 1 cm over medium heat. Fry the fritters in batches for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Turn them carefully with a spatula and drain on paper towels.
Serve the perkedel warm with the sambal.
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