Spicy potatoes with lemon and herbs is so delicious and easy to make. It’s got a great kick to it with a deep flavor profile that’s so unique yet so comforting at the same time.
I saw this recipe first in Sami Tamimi & Tara Wigleys book Falastin and was immediately drawn to it because
a) I had all the ingredients available which means no additional stop at the supermarket and thats always a plus and
b) the combination of crushed coriander seeds and crushed cumin seeds is always a winner from my experience.
Sami Tamimi, in my opinion is a trailblazer in bringing authentic Palestinian food onto the table of so many. Palestine is a culinary goldmine because of its rich culinary history and the variety of the regions landscape. Some areas are by the sea and heavy in seafood dishes, other areas are in the mountains while others are more desert climate. Sami coauthored the cookbook Jersuleum with Yotam Ottelenghi where he explores the vibrant city of his hometown, Jerusalem. Both of his cookbooks have been an excellent source of inspiration.
I made very minor adjustments to this recipe only because of what I had available. I used Yukon gold potatoes instead of the recommended baby new potatoes, and cut them into small wedges. Generally speaking, Yukon gold potatoes are usually my potato of choice for most potato dishes because they are so buttery and delicious. I use them in this potato thyme gratin dish and they literally melt in your mouth.
Can I use ground coriander and ground cumin instead?
No, not if you want to achieve the same results. Yes you can toss the potatoes in the ground coriander and ground cumin or one or the other and I’m sure it will taste great. However, I do think the seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar and pestle ideally are best for optimal flavor.
If you like this potato salad you will also enjoy these potato dishes
- potato parsley dip
- sweet potato crostini
- chicken with 40 cloves of garlic (the potatoes come out amazing in this dish)

This roasted potato dish is full of flavor with a little bit of a kick!
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
- 8 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1/2 jalapeño thinly sliced, add more or less based on how much heat you enjoy
- 1/4 tsp Aleppo pepper optional
- 6 camprani tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 lb gold Yukon potatoes
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh dill chopped
- Preheat the oven to 425
- Put the oil into a saucepan and add the crushed coriander and cumin seeds for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two.
- Add the jalapeño, Aleppo pepper and tomatoes until the tomatoes are soft
- Add potatoes, sugar, salt and a generous amount of pepper and give it a good stir for a minute or two then transfer to the oven for 30-40 minutes.
- Toss in lemon zest, lemon juice, cilantro and dill
Leave a Reply