I’ve loved potatoes ever since I was young. And growing up, my school cafeteria had all types, from potato mash with gravy to jacket potatoes. But my favorites were Potato Smileys! I’ve recreated them from my childhood – they’re crispy, fried, golden-brown happy faces, and they go wonderfully with homemade curry ketchup. Use a straw for eyes and draw a smile with a knife, then enjoy. Just like I did as a kid – nothing tastes better than nostalgia!
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 24 smileys |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 24 smileys |
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 to 2 teaspoons mild curry powder
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Pinch garam masala
- 4 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 3 large Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and left whole (or russet potatoes) (about 2 pounds total)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 liter vegetable oil, to deep fry (about 4 1/4 cups)
Instructions
- For the curry ketchup sauce: Heat a small skillet with the olive oil over medium heat and cook the onions until translucent and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until lightly golden.
- Add the curry powder and toast another 30 seconds or so until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook until deeper red and caramelized, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the pepper, salt and garam masala and toast for another few seconds.
- Add the maple syrup, white wine vinegar and 1/4 cup water and leave to cook until bubbling, about a minute.
- Transfer into a blender, add 1/4 cup water and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 1/2 cup.
- For the potato smileys: Place your potatoes in cold salted water in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cook until they are tender but not mush, and just falling off the tip of a knife, 10 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and leave to cool. When cool enough to handle, grate the potatoes.
- Mix the grated potatoes, cornstarch, garlic powder and sweet paprika in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well until it forms a dough. Roll into twenty-four 1-ounce balls (about 30 grams) of the potato mix. Shape the balls into chunky rounds that are about 3/4 inch thick.
- Use a paper straw or something small and circular to make the eye holes and then a knife to carve the smile. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment and leave in the fridge for an hour to set.
- Heat 2 inches of oil in large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to 375 degrees F (180 degrees C).
- Deep-fry the potato smileys in batches until golden brown and crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on a plate lined with a paper towel or a baking sheet with a wire rack and then dig in! Serve with the curry ketchup sauce.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 24 servings |
| Calories | 95 |
| Total Fat | 7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 110 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 24 servings |
| Calories | 95 |
| Total Fat | 7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 110 mg |
Reviews
I was excited to try these. Unfortunately, they were not good. I had a feeling they weren’t going to hold together in the oil. If I wasn’t dropping them into oil, I would have added a little water to bind them. They fell apart and they didn’t taste good. I don’t love to fry my food anyway. Not worth the time or the mess.