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Traditional and basic potato kúkú is a very simple recipe made of 5 eggs to 2 large potatoes, plus grated onion and spices, mixed and fried in patties or all poured in the fry-pan, cut into wedges and flipped. But that is not how my Mother made it. She thought it was too plain and something was missing. She made ‘stuffed’ potato kúkús. I don’t know anyone else who could make stuffed potato kúkús. Each time she made them, she stuffed with different ingredients. I liked the meat filling best. Everyone wanted to know if my mother had a secret, why her kúkús didn’t fall apart while frying. I don’t think my Mom ever thought of it as her secret. That was just how she made them. To this day, neither my sister nor I know what her recipe was or how she made them. We never paid attention.
I made an attempt to see if I could make the ‘stuffed’ kúkú. The first time was a disaster. However, it turned out to be a great trial for me to learn where the problems were. This recipe uses only 1 egg and very little oil.
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Stuffed Potato Kúkú | Kúkú Sibzamini túpór کوکو سیبزمینی توپر
Recipe by: Fae’s Twist & Tango (fae-magazine.com)
INGREDIENTS
For the potato kúkú
• 2 large (700 g) high starch potatoes[1] (russet potatoes)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• pinch turmeric
• 1 large egg
• 2 ~ 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
For the stuffing
(For vegetarian, fill with mushrooms, butternut squash or your own creation… and don’t forget caramelized onion!.)
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 200 g / 7 oz ground beef or turkey
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• 5 cm medium-sized carrot, chopped finely or grated (for color)
• ¾ ~ 1 cup water
• seasoning: ½ tsp each of – salt, cumin, tomato paste, hot pepper paste, Italian bread crumbs, minced parsley stems[2]
DIRECTIONS
For the potato kúkú
◊ Boil the potatoes with skin until a thin, sharp knife goes through like going through butter.
Peel the skin and mash the potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl. Add salt, pepper, turmeric and mix well.
Cover the bowl with paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes. With a silicone spatula, scraping the sides of the bowl, fluff the mashed potatoes. Repeat this 2 more time. Microwaving process evaporates excess liquid in the potatoes, almost by 200g, so that the patties do not fall apart during frying. Let the mashed potatoes cool down.
For the stuffing
◊ While the potatoes are cooking… Heat a small sauce pan on medium-high and add oil. When hot, add meat and onion and saute until the meat starts browning. Lower heat to medium, add carrot, water, and cook for 15 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low, add all seasoning ingredients, mix well and cook for another 15 minutes or longer, until all liquid has evaporated but not scorched.
To make stuffed kúkús
◊ In a small bowl, beat the egg briefly with a fork and add to the cooled mashed potatoes. Mix well with the spatula. Make 8 equal, tight balls.
◊ Note the photo below: Flatten a ball on your palm (not too thin) and form a reservoir. Put on a plate/board. Add a ball of meat mixture (as much as fits, no more than ¼ of the meat) Make another reservoir and place it as a lid. Press the edges to tightly seal the rim. Don’t press the center of the patties. Make three more patties.
◊ Note the photo below: In a fry-pan, eye-ball and add 2 ~ 3 Tbsp oil. Heat the oil on medium. When oil is hot, place two patties (not all 4 as space is needed to flip carefully). Two flat, large spatulas are needed. When one side is browned, holding one spatula in each hand, carefully lift one patty and flip it onto the other spatula. Then, using the first spatula, push/slide the patty into the oil to brown the other side.
◊ Serve with Persian vegetable pickles and/or a generous amount of salad.
~ ! نوش جان • Noushe jan! ~
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[1] Potato starch content varies, which affects the texture in cooking:
♦ High-starch potatoes, such as russets, have a light, mealy texture. Once boiled, they are ideal for mashing.
♦ Medium-starch potatoes, such as Finnish yellow and Yukon gold, contain more moisture so they don’t fall apart quite as easily as high-starch potatoes.
♦ Low-starch potatoes, such as round red, round white, and new potatoes, are often called waxy potatoes. They hold their shape better than other potatoes when boiled, making them perfect for potato salads or tossing with seasoned butter as a side dish.
[2] When parsley leaves are used for cooking, don’t discard the stems. Finely chop them and freeze them in sealed sandwich plastic bags for future cooking needs.
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So, what’s cooking in your kitchen?
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What a fabulous recipe! I was blown away! I am half German and my mother learnt (probably from my German grandmother) how to make potato cakes. I have been making them ever since.. I did vary them by stuffing large pieces of mozzarella in the middle and making some other small changes, but this idea is FABULOUS! Compliments to your mother and to you
Wow, Afra, great variations! I love to try with cheese and maybe even some chile poblano with it. Have you posted any? I’d love to see your creations.
How did I miss this Fae? I’m not sure that I’m receiving a notification of your postings in my Reader. I try not to be notified by emails, as I would be getting about 50 plus emails a day……just trying to think how I can go about it, unless I open up a separate email account just for blogs? Anyway, I wanted to say that we make these too, and call them “potato cutlets”. It’s a very popular Goan dish. It was interesting to read your version. I’ll have to try putting the mashed potatoes in the microwave to remove more of the moisture content. They look so very yummy, I was real excited when I clicked on it, and then further found out that it is the very same method that I use. I’ll have to post mine sometime :). Great job dear Fae, thanks for sharing your culture and cuisine with us as always
You are very kind to me, Loretta. I hadn’t heard ‘Goa’ for the longest time. Somehow, nostalgically pleasant to hear it. I love it when I hear of cultural and food similarities. As for the notification, if you were following this blog before I switched form WP.org, you should see my posts in the ‘Reader’. If not, and you don’t want another e-mail in your inbox, the other option is to ‘Like’ my Facebook fan page.
Shape of the patties turned out absolutely PERFECT!
Love your ‘real’ images … made me drool profusely
Thanks a ton for a crazy-good recipe. We make potato cakes in a lots of varieties. This weekend it’s gonna be your recipe. I don’t think I can wait that long. Let’s do it tonight, sista! LOL
Hugs <3
Hello, Hello, dear Nusrat, So good to see you! I love your comment (“real’ images). So, precise! 😀 ))) These patties are fun to make, delicious and are conversational pieces. Let me know what your family liked them. Hugs back at you, <3 😀
http://wp.me/p5ysBG-GN
Fae, I nominated you for most versatile blogger award. Check it out if you’re interested!
Congratulations, Darie, on receiving the Versatile Blogger Award! Thank you very much for your generosity for nominating me, and the kind, touching mention. <3 Fae.
Just to let you know that in occasion of one of our Italian friend visit I made your stuffed potatoes. Unfortunately it made them for dinner, the light was horrible and my guest too hungry… but they were amazing! I hope to be able to make them very soon. p.s I’ve steamed potatoes, the outcome was ok!
Than you, Margherita, for letting me know that ti all worked fine, and steaming the potatoes works too. xo Fae.
Fae, these look amazing. I think these are something my family will love!
Hi Sheryl, We requested and loved it when my Mother made them. 😛
These look fantastic – I’d love to try out the veggie version with mushrooms and caramelised onions!
Hi Natalie, I haven’t yet, but the next time I make them, I am planning to use mushrooms and crispy caramelized onion too!
Hello Fae, thanks for visiting our blog. I love this kind of food, a bread, pastry or dumpling of some kind, stuffed with something yummy – and these look great! Very like the Kolduny from Belarus Bunny cooked in Week 1 of our blog! (See post titled 16 Countries Down…….to go)
Just goes to show you how vastly different cultures can come up with similar ideas/solutions when given similar ingredients. Cheers Mims
Dear Mims, I agree. Thank you for visiting and leaving a lovely comment.
These look so yummy, Fae! I am getting hungry looking at your photos!
Thank you, Nancy! They were so~ goo~d! 😀 )))
Ahhh, comfort food does not get any better than this, Fae! You are making me so very hungry with this post! Thanks for the wonderful recipe! 😀
Thank you so much, Julianna. Now I’m hungry too. 😀 )))
What a fabulous hearty meal idea. I know my boys would be all over this recipe! Sharing, of course!
Sharing, of course! 😀 ))) I think your boys would love these kukus!
OMG! My mouth is watering Fae…. I want to try this recipe asap. Btw I don’t have a microwave, do you think it will be ok anyway? I can steam the potatoes, instead of boiling them…. what do you think?
I have never steamed potatoes. Would it be as dry as baked potato wrapped in aluminum foil? If so, it should work. To be able to stuff the mashed potato, you want it to form like a dough. Make a small test patty.
Thanks a lot Fea… I usually steam when I make gnocchi…. I will try and I will let you know! Thanks a lot for your reply!
Fae, I love Kuku Sibzamini, have never made it “tupor,” and now I’m totally excited to try your delicious recipe. I also love the new look of your blog, very tasteful!!
Thank you, Homa jan. Please do give it a go, and let me know how it went. 😀 )))
This looks great. I hope to try it soon! My husband, a potato lover, is sure to love it!
Hello dear Martine, Yes if your husband loves potatoes like me, he will definitely love this patties with surprise inside.
These look fantastic, Fae! I must try them.
Hi Tonette, So good to see you. It is fun to make them. Your grandchildren may enjoy making them with you.
I’ve never heard of these, they look awesome Fae. Delicious, so glad you perfected this. I have to try making them.
I was glad too, Suzanne. 😀 ))) I had a feeling of accomplishment, and considering, oh boy, it tasted fabulous! 😉
These look really yummy Fae. I will be trying this recipe soon.
Hi Anto, I’m sure you will think of specific flavor of yours.
Did they taste like your mother’s? Sometimes we spend our whole life thinking we have time and then we regret we lost so much time!
I love this recipe, Fae, and I could eat thousands of them! Bravissima!
– I think so, Francesca. My Mother was always easy on the salt and rarely used spices. And yet, she created tastes and flavors. I like experimenting and using spices.
– Yes, by the time we realize, it is late sometimes.
– I can eat a few too, myself! 😀 )))
These look yummy, Fae. I don’t eat meat, but the vegetarian option sounds great!
Oh yes! Can you imagine it with mushrooms and crispy caramelized onions! 😛
Oh my Fae – these look so good I will have to make them soon. How interesting to put a filling between the potato mixture
I think so too, Judi! 😀 ))) I’m sure you will come up with your twist! 😛
I love these Fae! They look delicious and I really like the name of them too.
Yes, one will never forget the word kuku. I’m so glad that it refres to delicious dishes like fritatta (the difference is, fritatta uses more eggs than the vegetable/other ingredients).
This looks really. I am a potato lover and adding meat just brings it up to another level of goodness.
Oh Sweet Dee Marie, you are my kind of gal! Yum!
I saw it on facebook and wanted to check the recipe. This sounds delicious! I will try it later:) thanks for sharing!
Hello and Welcome, dear Olaga. I am so glad you did check out the recipe. It sure is a fun dish.
I like the sound of the potato cakes minus the filling!
Do you have the full recipe for the basic kuku for this non meat eater, Fae?
Thinking of you, I always add the vegetarian options in my recipes, whenever possible.
Check the ‘stuffing’ ingredient section.
If you care for simplest, basic potato kuku recipe…
• 2 large (700 g) high starch potatoes
• 3 large eggs
• up to ½ tsp each of turmeric, salt and ground black pepper.
◊ Make mashed potato in any way you are comfortable with, i.e. boil with skin, cut,boiled & drained, microwaved…
◊ Add eggs and seasoning to the mashed potatoes, mix well and fry in small patties with some crust.
You can be creative and add small pieces of vegetable of color, i.e. carrots, green peas, leek, etc or other spices for fun, i.e. cumin, curry, herbs, ect.
😛
Perfect, the basic recipe sounds lovely
thank you xx
This looks so absolutely delicious Fae
My mom-in-law used to make this and it was called Shikampur. She used lamb mince though.
Hi SKD, Which wonderful country is your Mother-in-law from?
Shikampor in Farsi means stuffed (literally, belly full/filled/stuffed). Thank you for bringing it up, as I forgot to put the ‘stuffed’ part in Farsi (tupor means filled inside). 😀 ))). Whenever my Mom made these, she delighted part-takers. I think lamb goes beautifully! 😛
LOVE THIS!!! I will be trying this recipe this weekend for sure……looks fab!
Hi Diana, I love fun foods and this is one of them. Give it you twist and you’ll love it!
What a great sounding recipe Fae
I’m definitely to try this. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Linda. I know you will put your creative twist to it. Enjoy!
Hi Fae,
They look delicious and I can almost taste them. This takes me back to my childhood too, mum would make these same kuku. Lovely as main meal, and a little afternoon treat. We’d devour them with khiarshoor or torshi. Thank you for sharing.
Yes, Simi jan, I know exactly what you are talking about. Moms are great!