Turkish potato salad (Patates salatasi)

Potato salad is universal, every country has a version that is special. These salads are simple, nutritious and built to please a crowd. This Turkish version is all this.

Süzme is a very thick and creamy yoghurt that is found in Turkey. It is usually plain and mixed with garlic and/or some herbs as a side for fritters (see Mücver), or with grilled kebabs and meats. The magic is in the smooth creaminess of the yoghurt. We can use Greek yoghurt as a suitable substitute.

This potato salad is special. The creamy yoghurt is light, as compared to the French mayo-based salads and the addition of radish and mint adds subtle flavours that are lovely. I generally like to use baby potatoes and keep the skin on for additional texture. Make extra of this salad as it is a crowd-pleaser.

This is the third cookbook from Sevtap Yüce, one that deals with street food and barbecue from Istanbul. This book is about Sevtap travelling back to her home and visiting her favourite haunts to collect recipes. They are generally easy recipes but pop with style and flavour. The mood is simplicity, and the book covers both traditional and some unusual recipes.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

2 lb potatoes, large or baby

6 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 onion, finely diced

Juice of 1 lime, plus to taste

Salt, to taste

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons süzme or Greek yoghurt

2 tablespoons cream

3 tablespoons parsley, minced

2 tablespoons mint, minced

1 small radish, thinly sliced into half-moons

Boil the potatoes in water with salt till they are cooked through and soft, about 30 minutes for the baby potatoes or 45 minutes for the large potatoes. Cool and peel the potatoes if desired. i like to leave the potatoes with their skin for both nutrition and texture. Cut the large potatoes into chunks and the baby potatoes into halves.

Mix the potatoes with all the ingredients well, except the radish. Taste for salt. Garnish with some mint and radish. Serve at room temperature.