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Latkes are synonymous with Channukah but you don't need a special occasion to eat Fancy Hashbrowns. At their best, they straddle the line between the best of french fries, and homefries with crispy edges and creamy centers. Potatoes are really a vessel for flavor so we add Korean flavors of scallions and red pepper. Kimchi goes especially well, the tartness and spice will cut through the fried flavor.
Pajeon are Korean scallion pancakes. They're batter based which makes them light and airy compared to the latkes. By incorporating some more of the pajeon batter we can lighten the latkes without taking away the crunch of the potatoes.
This Latke recipe places firmly in the top right quadrant of Eater's Flavor / Texture matrix with crispy edges and bold flavor:
Preparation
Step 1
Peel the potatoes casually. They don't need to be perfect, we just want most of the skin off. Use a food processor to shred the potatoes, and carrots. Unfortunately the scallions are too delicate for the food processor so we'll cut them by hand separately. Julienne the scallions into thin strips about the same size as the potato strips. It may be easier to cut them crosswise into 4 even pieces first.
Pro tip: If you don't have a food processor... just buy some frozen latkes and skip to step 4. You could make latkes with an old-fashioned knuckle buster but you shouldn't.
Step 1a
Moisture is the enemy of light crispy fried food. We can minimize the moisture of our potato mix by wrapping the shredded vegetables in cheesecloth and wringing out the extra moisture into a small bowl. Save the liquid.
Pro tip: Use a spoon or dowel as a tourniquet to maximize the pressure you can squeeze.
Step 1b
Once you're done with the shredding and squeezing you'll notice that the extracted liquid has separated, with potato starch settling to the bottom. Carefully pour off the water and add the starch back to the potato mix. Add in the salt, eggs, and pajeon mix. Combine until well integrated.
Step 2
Heat the oil over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering but not smoking. The mix is a little loose so we'll form the pancakes and lay them straight into the oil. Use a soup spoon or small ice cream scooper to pick up evenly sized amounts of the potato mix. Form them into tight balls in the palm of your hand, and then press the ball flat. Gently lay the pancake into the oil laying the pancake away from you to prevent oil splattering on you. 2 minutes per side should be enough to achieve GBD status.
Pro Tip: Turn the heat up slightly before you add the latkes because the cold potato mix will cool down the oil.
Step 3
There's no wrong way to eat a latke (or anything) but it wouldn't be an authentic Jewish dish if there wasn't room for debate. In every family there is team sweet and team savory. The best way to understand this debate is in song form: Applesauce vs. Sour Cream
