Lazy Potato Chops (Beef & Potato Kebabs)
Growing up, we used to eat bateta champ (potato chops) which were these deep fried balls of potato filled with spiced beef. Yes, I am drooling also! They are delicious.
Those do take a bit of time to make and can be finicky. I am pretty lazy so I let my mom make them. These are my take on them and I find it so much easier and less time consuming. Instead of wrapping the potato around the beef, I just mix it all together and call it a day. I am sure there is a better name for them but let’s just go with what I call them…lazy potato chops!
I cook these in my air fryer but they would work well baked and of course you can deep fry them also.
Serve these kebabs with a side of my green chutney and tamarind chutney. Both are delicious!
Recipe for Lazy Beef and Potato Kebabs:
Ingredients Needed:
3-4 large potatoes
1-2 teaspoons of salt or to taste
1 ¼ - 1 ½ lbs ground beef
1/2 to 1 tablespoon each ginger and garlic paste
1-2 blended green chilis (serrano or similar) or cayenne powder to taste
A few small handfuls of chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder (Here is my homemade version)
1/4-1/2 medium onion diced
1 bunch (about 5-7) green onions diced
Juice from 1 lemon
Olive oil or canola oil spray
1/2-3/4 cup semolina OR bread crumbs to coat kebabs
2-3 eggs beaten for egg wash
Servings Made: 25-30 kebabs
Time to Prep: 30-40 minutes
Time to Cook: 12-15 minutes per batch in air fryer (usually takes me two batches)
How to Make:
Boil potatoes in a large pot of salted water until cooked through. Drain, and allow potatoes to cool down, then peel and roughly mash them up. Add some salt to taste and set aside.
Add beef to a large pot on the stove and cook over medium high heat. You don’t need to add oil as the beef usually has enough fat inside to cook well.
Pro tip - if you want to make this with ground chicken or turkey, add 2 tablespoons of oil before adding the meat.
Cook for about 3-5 minutes, using a spoon or meat masher to break up the beef into small pieces. Add ginger and garlic paste, mix, then add blended green chili if using. You could add cayenne powder to taste instead as well. Cook this for a few minutes to brown the beef and add some salt and 1 tablespoon or so of chopped fresh cilantro. Continue to cook for a few minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.
When the water has reduced to almost nothing, turn off heat, add garam masala powder and more salt if needed. Stir well to combine and set aside to cool to room temp.
Once beef mixture is cool, add diced onions, chopped green onions, and a few tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Mix then add potatoes and lemon juice. Using your hands, form kebabs into ovals.
Pro tip - if you want, chill this mixture in the fridge for at least 30 minutes as this will help form the kebab shape.
Place bread crumbs or semolina onto a plate and roll kebabs in crumbs to coat outsides evenly.
Once kebabs are all coated, place them in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. This will help them retain their shape when you cook them.
To cook, dip kebabs in beaten egg wash and place into a greased air fryer basket. Spray tops with some oil and air fry at 385°F for 12-15 mins until golden brown. You can flip them about 2/3 of the way through cooking and respray with oil.
Alternatively, you could shallow or deep fry them in oil or even bake in the oven.
Serve with chutney and fresh lemon wedges!
Enjoy!
