This traditional Afghan dish, called Bolani, is made of potatoes that are seasoned with spices and herbs, stuffed inside a flatbread, and pan fried until golden and crispy!
Bolani is a delicious crispy flatbread dish, similar to parathas, and can be made with a variety of fillings, including potatoes, pumpkin, lentils, and meat. This recipe for potato bolani includes fluffy mashed potatoes, lots of cilantro, green onions, jalapeños, and some spices. To keep it easy, I used a popular hack that’s been viral and makes the whole process much faster…the raw tortilla hack!
Using raw tortillas instead of making the flatbread from scratch cuts the cooking time down by half, uses less dishes, and takes less work. All you have to do is add the filling to your favorite raw tortillas and then fry in a little bit of oil until golden. No activating yeast and kneading the dough & then waiting for it to rise and rolling it out. Simply use pre-made tortillas and you’ll be ready to eat this in no time!
To serve, enjoy potato bolani with some yogurt, tzatziki, or cilantro chutney. Whether it’s tea time, snack time, or meal time, bolani compliments anything it’s paired with and even serves great as a meal of it’s own.
Note: I make my cilantro chutney to taste and eyeball everything. Here are rough measurements and ingredients if you want to try!
– 3-4 tbsp plain yogurt
– handful cilantro
– about 1/4 tsp cumin powder
– pinch of salt
– 1 tbsp tamarind/imli chutney
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Potato Bolani
Ingredients
- 2 lbs yellow/gold or russet potatoes – peeled and cut into pieces
- 1 cup cilantro – chopped
- 1 cup green onions – chopped
- 1 serrano or jalapeno- chopped
- 1.5 tsp coriander
- 1.5 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp black pepper
- salt to taste
- 8 raw tortillas
Instructions
- Add the potatoes to a pot of boiling water and boil until fork tender and cooked through. Then drain the water and transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cilantro, green onions, serrano or jalapeno, and spices to the same bowl. Using a fork, mash the potatoes while mixing everything together until combined. Then taste and adjust for salt if necessary.
- To assemble, evenly spread some of the potato mixture to one half of a raw tortilla, leaving some space around the edges.
- Using your fingers, spread a little bit of water throughout the edges of the tortilla and then fold the dough over (semi circle shape). Pinch and seal the edges together.
- Heat a little oil in a large pan over medium high heat. You can spritz with cooking spray or use cooking oil.
- Add the bolani to the pan and fry for a few minutes until the bottom is golden brown. Spray the tops with a little cooking spray or lightly brush with a little oil and then flip and continue frying until golden. Repeat with the remaining bolani.
- Cut the bolani into triangles, serve with chutney or yogurt and enjoy!
Notes
- 3-4 tbsp plain yogurt
- handful cilantro
- about 1/4 tsp cumin powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp tamarind / imli chutney
