Batata Harra is a Lebanese side dish of crispy, golden-hued diced potatoes with cream interior, doused in a zesty-garlicky dressing and speckled with fresh parsley.

What is Batata Hara 

Batata means potatoes and Harra means spicy so together this Batata Harra means spicy potatoes.

Batata Harra is a popular Lebanese dish made with fried potatoes, garlic, cilantro, chili peppers, and various spices.

The name “Batata Harra” translates to “spicy potatoes” in Arabic. It’s a simple yet flavorful dish that is often served as a side dish or appetizer in Lebanese cuisine.

The potatoes are typically cubed and fried until crispy, then tossed with a mixture of garlic, cilantro, chili peppers, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices such as paprika and cumin. The dish can vary in spiciness depending on personal preference, and it’s commonly enjoyed with pita bread or as part of a mezze platter.

My Story with Batata Harra 

My first and best experience of Batata Harra was at a Lebanese restaurant with the name of “Autre Part”.

“Autre Part” was located in Algiers, the Algerian capital where I lived for almost a year.  Back then, I was a newly-wed with, admittedly, mediocre culinary skills.

To save the day, my husband and I were loyal customers at “Autre Part” restaurant. We became so familiar with the waters over there, to the point where they didn’t oppose sharing with us one or two of their recipes secrets.  An epic “Batatta Harra” (or spicy potatoes hot salad) was one of them.

 

Aiming for a fiery food experience, you can augment the heat in this dish by increasing the amount of cayenne. Yet I like mine to be moderately fiery.

When I entertain, I fancy serving Batata Hara as part of a Mediterranean spread or as a side dish next to Kababs.

Batata Harra Hero Ingredient 

Traditionally, sumac is the hero spice in this recipe, it adds a distinct lemony flavor and gives the potatoes an edge and exotic streak. Sumac is a levantine pantry staple, that is rich in Vitamin C and is used in marinating protein and spiking bland vegetables. Luckily, excellent qualities of sumac are now available on Amazon. Check this Ziyad product. In addition to sumac, I like the peppery note of sweet paprika and occasionally the heat of cayenne.

How to Cook Batata Harra  

If you can crack an egg, then you can probably make Batata Harra. The key is to serve this dish sizzling hot or warm so the potatoes are still crispy.

No need to deep fry the potatoes.  There is a healthier way to achieve that crispy exterior that meets a creamy interior.  Boil the potatoes first in enough water, until you can easily pierce it with a knife. Let it cool and then peel the skin. Dice the potatoes and rub them with enough oil and spices and then oven fry them in a preheated oven at 400 F/200 C, or shallow fry or air fry them before dousing them in the dressing.

Check More Lebanese/Levantine Recipes on My Blog 

You might also like these vegan Levantine recipes:

• Fatayer Sabanekh

• Zaatar Manakeesh 

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Batata Harra

Recipe credit to the restaurant “Autre Part”, Algiers. 

Serves 4 people

INGREDIENTS

• 4 big russet potatoes or 15 new potatoes
• 1/4 cup canola oil

For the Dressing 

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed or 1 tablespoon garlic powder 
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1  1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2  teaspoon sumac
• 1/4 cayenne pepper, optional
• salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS 

1. Prepare the dressing.  In a mixing cup, add the oil, lime juice, vinegar, spices, and crushed garlic and set aside.
2. Boil the potatoes.  Bring the potatoes, skin on, to a vigorous boil, over high heat, in a heavy bottom pot half-filled with water.  Don’t overcook the potatoes. They should slightly soften but stay firm. Discard the water. Let the potatoes cool off.  Peel and slice in one-inch thickness. Dice the slices.
3. Shallow fry the potatoes.  In a shallow frying pan, heat the canola oil, when it starts to sizzle add the diced potatoes. Coat them in oil and stir them around until they are golden and crispy. Remove the diced potatoes with a slotted spoon to the serving dish. Or you can simply oven bake them in a preheated oven at 400F/200 C.
4. Pour the dressing over the hot potatoes and serve immediately.

NERMINE’S NOTES:

• This dish is best served warm.