General Tso’s Latkes
What’s a Jew to do when Hanukkah and Christmas overlap? General Tso’s Latkes!
Shalom! I was a little perplexed when I found out Hanukkah started on Christmas Eve this year. Because I want latkes (duh) but also I want Chinese food! Because moo shu and movies are what we do on Christmas, right? And then it hit me as hard as a spinning dreidel landing on Bubbe’s dining room table. I’ll make Chinese food inspired latkes!! Paired with Pomegranate Fortune Cookies and you’re good to go. General Tso’s Latkes it is!
I’m so happy to be back in Austin after my Sweet Noshings Cookbook Tour. Though I’m going to miss the heck out of meeting all y’all! It’s been fun hearing your baking, Bubbe and entrepreneurship stories. And having you try to set me up with your sons. I’ll really miss it all!
With my new found free time I plan to cook more for fun, catch up on sleep, and learn a new hobby (harmonica? Golf? Hacky sack? But for now, latkes.
General Tso’s Latkes are perfect for Merry Jew Year’s Eve-ukkah! There is no chicken in these them, but they are twice-fried (oh yeah) in cornstarch and light sesame oil and then topped with a General Tso’s pepper sauce. Yum!
Potato, pot-ah-to. Latkes on their own are pretty tasty!
But then I fried them one more time. Extra crunchy. Spicy sauce time!! You could also use this sauce on chicken, salmon, rice, with a spoon. Ta da!
General Tso’s Latkes
Ingredients
- For General Tso’s Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon light sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 2-4 dried red chiles seeded and chopped (these are hot!!!)
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tablespoons green onions diced (greens and whites)
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper diced
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper diced
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- For Latkes:
- 5 cups 2 pounds russet potatoes, washed and peeled
- 2 tablespoons onion minced and dried well
- 2 clove garlic minced
- 2 large eggs whisked
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose or gluten-free flour or matzo meal
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more for seasoning
- ½ cup light sesame oil or other high-heat oil
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
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First, make your sauce. Head sesame oil in a large saute pan. Then add ginger, chiles, garlic, green onions and bell peppers and saute until the peppers start to soften.
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Then add in remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes until thick. Set aside. Warm before serving.
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Now, latkes time. Start by shredding your potatoes with a grater into a bowl of ice water. Let sit for 10 minutes. Remove potatoes, squeezing out the moisture into the water. Dry potatoes very well with towels. Let water sit 10 minutes for starch to accumulate on the bottom. Carefully drain water, reserving the white starch on the bottom.
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Place potatoes in a large bowl, dry again very well. Then add in the onion, garlic, egg, flour and salt and reserved starch and combine.
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Meanwhile, heat up sesame oil in a large saute pan. Scoop two tablespoon dollops of the potato mixture and flatten lightly and fry until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Then flip and fry the other side. Season immediately with salt and drain on a rack over paper towels. Repeat with remaining latkes.
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Coat latkes in cornstarch and refry them until golden brown.
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Serve latkes hot with warm General Tso’s Sauce.
15 Comments
These look so yummy! And what a great spin on a classic recipe.
Thanks!!
This looks delicious. Very creative my chef friend
Thank you!
Guuuuurl!!! Yes, this is everything! My favorite latke recipe of 2017 (unless we’re talking about putting ice cream on a latke, of course) 🙂
Of course I meant 2016 but 2017 is already on my mind!!!
HAHA I didn’t even notice! Maybe these will be the best latkes of next year too! 🙂
Aw thanks! I’ll take favorite savory FTW!
These are probably delicious with the Wasabi Cream Sauce from the deep fried matzo balls! I’m definitely making the wasabi sauce for my normal latkes, may just have to make these as well!
Love that idea! You’re hired!
Love the refrying of these latkes! Happy Hanukkah!
Hi Amy,
A fellow Austinite! I’m originally from Philadelphia and always looking to expand my Jewish community in Austin! This recipe sounds delightful! I’m celebrating Christmas with my inlaws this year and am torn between eating a traditional Christmas meal and missing my Jewish Christmas Chinese food tradition! I will definitely be trying this recipe!
Keep the recipes coming!
Aw you should have gone to the Mazel Ball! Yes, definitely do both!!
is this your own general tsao recipe? it was incredible and the biggest hit at my latke party.
Chrismukkah celebrator with plenty of Chinese leftovers from yesterday very excited to make this new idea <3