Using only three simple ingredients – minced beef, potato and eggs, you can feed a family of 4-6 for under $20. Which makes these Beef Potato Cakes the perfect meal to whip up, as it can be easily modified.
If you are trying to make your groceries go the the extra mile, pickling is also a great way to extend the life of your vegetables. This easy refrigerated pickle cucumber cuts through the grease and tops this pea sprout salad with it’s tangy sharpness. No dressing needed.
WHAT INSPIRED THESE BEEF POTATO CAKES
I know this is ridiculous but.. Vincent van Gogh, came to mind while I was in the kitchen, trying to figure out what to cook. Well, to be more specific it was his dark and moody “Potato Eaters”. You know, that depressing painting of a poor family huddled over their meagre meal of potatoes.
Singapore has been in DORSCON Orange for more than a month now (since 7 February 2020), at the time of this post. While we’re not facing any imminent food shortage, toilet rolls are back on shelves (what the heck was up with #toiletpapergate you guys?) and we’re all managing pretty well, this experience has reminded us all just how precious food is.
So under these circumstances, my prudent self is now focussed on figuring out ways to stretch our supplies and to make the most out of what we’ve got.
The potato has long been used as a starchy filler or as a side dish in both Asian and Western cuisines. Packed with nutrients (Vitamins C & B6, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, niacin, folate) and antioxidants, they taste great steamed, boiled, grilled, roasted or fried.
DID YOU KNOW? In a bid to prove its super powers, this man ate nothing but potatoes for two whole months! So nutritious and life-giving is the humble potato, that the United Nations believe it could eliminate world hunger by 2030.
With 1kg potatoes in one hand, 500g of minced beef in the other and me wondering why Vincent van Gogh cut off his ear (he gave it to this chick as a gift, by the way… Gross!), it became strangely clear that the dish I was going to attempt would be… beef bergedil or Beef Potato Cakes.
I know. Totally random. But hey, you take inspiration where you can find it. Haha!
WHAT IS BERGEDIL (BEEF POTATO CAKES)?
Bergedil is a deep fried potato cake popular in Malay and Indonesian cuisine as a side dish. Also known as begedil or perkedel, it can be made with or without minced meat. It is derived from a Dutch dish called frikadeller, which are basically fried meatballs. Unlike it’s predecessor, bergedil’s main ingredient is potato, as it was far more economical to make.
DID YOU KNOW? The Dutch colonized Indonesia for over a century (1800-1945), and influenced a few other dishes including pineapple tarts.
You can make these Beef Potato Cakes any size you want. Smaller as a side dish or as a topping on mee soto, another popular Malaysian/Indonesian dish. Or bigger as a main dish with a side salad, as I have chosen to do. I consider Beef Potato Cakes a complete meal, as it contains protein and carbohydrates.
It seems the traditional method of making this rather greasy but tasty Beef Potato Cakes involves a lot of frying. A lot! First slices of potatoes are fried then mashed. Then minced meat is separately fried and added to the mashed potatoes. This meat and potato mixture is then formed into patties and … guess what…. deep fried all over again. Yikes!
While this recipe for Beef Potato Cakes is inspired by bergedil, I’ve approached it a little differently. It may not taste the same as what you might find at an authentic Indonesian restaurant. However, these are pretty darn good and use less oil! That’s a win for me.
This portion of ingredients will make 12-14 medium-sized Beef Potato Cakes. Just fry what you are going to eat and store the rest. The uncooked patties will keep for about 1 week in the refrigerator.
FEEL FREE TO MODIFY THESE BEEF POTATO CAKES
Beef Potato Cakes are really just minced beef and potato. You can easily modify it by substituting the Asian spices with whatever you have at hand. I reckon, thyme or oregano would go well (of course not together with the curry leaves!).
EASY PICKLED CUCUMBER SALAD
The primary advantage of pickling food is longer shelf life. I habitually pickle my chillies and red cabbage (they are great in wraps, tacos and as a salad topping). This pickled cucumber salad is the perfect accompaniment when eating it with something rich. The sharp sourness cuts through the grease and balances the flavours.
It tastes better the longer you let it sit, but it may lose its crunchiness along the way. It can be stored for a week in the refrigerator.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
With the world in a panic over the Covid-19 pandemic, lots of us have become overnight homebodies. Please, resist the urge to hoard. If we all do our part, we’ll get through this together. So instead of panic buying, buy what you need. If you buy smart and plan your meals, you will get extra mileage from your food supplies.
With these concerns in mind, I will be sharing more budget-friendly recipes, providing substitutes where possible. We need to get creative with whatever is in our pantry and with what is easily available.
I hope my “pantry raid” dishes give you a starting point from which to create something delicious for your loved ones.
