Hannukkah brings potatoes to the forefront with its iconic latke. But here is an apostatic version, without the frying oil but bursting with flavor from kimchi, scallions, sesame seeds… Enjoy!!


Special tools:
Parchment paper or silicone silpat; Food processor or grater.
Ingredients
- 1 cup kimich + 1 tbsp gochujang (if kimichi is not already too hot), finely diced in processor
- 1 lb potato (if organic, no need to peel), coarsely grated
- 4 scallions + 1/2 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 1/3 cup besan + 2 tbsp oil + salt to taste + pepper
- Filling: 1/2 cup goat cheese + 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- Garnish: microgreens
Mix all the first four ingredients well. Line a baking tray with parchment or silpat: you need this to help you roll. Make a mat of the mix on the parchment, about 1 cm in thickness. Loosely pat it down and level off the edges. Bake in the middle rack, at 400 F for 25 mins. Check on it for the last 10 minutes, to rotate the sheet or pull it out of the oven if already done.
Dot with goat cheese and sesame seeds. To serve either just cut into squares, or, roll and slice. Sprinkle with microgreens and serve with sour cream or yogurt.
Notes, hints, tips:
- The combination of kimchi and potatoes is inspired from The Week’s latke recipe by Evan Bloom. I am not sure if fermented kimchi is kosher, but nevertheless.
- Besan is chickpea flour and is available at Asian (Indian) groceries, or you can simply order over the internet.
- You can use eggs instead of besan.
- I simply use the processor bowl as the mixing bowl by first using the blade to process the kimchi; then the coarse grater to grate the potatoes. For the classical latke, one laboriously squeezes out the water from the potatoes– here I don’t and I simply use besan to absorb the excess liquid while providing an additional layer of flavor.




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