Potato occupies an awkward spot in Syrian cuisine.
It is not a true vegetables in the way we use vegetables in our cooking. We don't have the concept of meat and two veg. Instead vegetables are either cooked in some sort of a stew and served as a main or cooked in olive oil and served as a vegetarian side dish. Potato does not fit either.
Potato is not our main source of carbohydrates. Rice and bulger occupy that spot.
We don't use it to thicken soup. We don't use it as a pasty filler. We don't make hash brown with it... etc
As a results potato is often neglected in many Syrian kitchen. I know many Syrian households that never used potato other than chips!
But look a bit under the surface and you would find amazing uses of the humble spud. One of my favourite dishes of all time is my chicken and potato bake with garlic, lemon and oil. Another favourite of mine is a simple breakfast dish of boiled eggs, boiled potato, salt and pepper swimming in olive oil. Another great dish is potato salad and I don't mean the one smothered in mayonnaise, but a fresh sharp salad with tomato, parsley lemon and olive oil. Something similar to my artichoke salad.
Today's recipe is a very nice and simple mezze dish. Potato with olive oil garlic and coriander. Most people fry the potato cubes however I prefer them boiled. They absorb the olive oil and take on the garlic and coriander aroma.
Ingredients:
Two large potatoes cut into an inch cubes
4 garlic cloves (use more or less to taste)
A handful of coriander
Olive oil 5 tbsp
Boil the potatoes in salted water.
Heat the olive oil on low heat. Add the garlic and coriander and remove immediately from the heat. You just need them welted. If you burn your garlic throw it and start again.
Add the potato. Mix well and season to taste.