Serves 1

Stuffing

• 1/4 cup of Corn oil
• 3 md (1-1/2 cups) onions, chopped
• 1 lb Ground beef
• 1 tablespoons of Salt
• 1/2 tablespoons of Pepper

Potato Fritters

• 3 lb Potatoes, cooked in jackets until soft
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoons of Salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tablespoons of Ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tablespoons of Pepper
• 1 cup of Matzoh meal
• Oil for frying

Passover is a time when the Afghan Jews must be inventive & thrifty in their cooking. In Afghanistan matzoh matzoh meal was prepared at home by pounding sheets of home-made matzoh, using a heavy brass mortar & pestle. In the United States, it is purchased in well-sealed cartons - but my Afghan cook assured me that nothing was lost in the transfer.

1. Heat oil in a skillet & stir-fry onions over moderate heat until golden. Add beef, salt, & pepper, & stir-fry until mixture is dry & all liquid has evaporated. Cool.

2. Peel potatoes & mash them well. Mix together all fritter ingreds to prepare dough.

3. Shape 1/2 cup of potato dough into a circle in palm of hand. Place 1 generous tb stuffing in center & fold the dough over into a slightly flattened sausage shape 3-inches long, 1-inch wide, & 1-inch thick. Pan-fry in oil over moderate heat until brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels & serve warm. Makes abt 25 fritters.

NOTE: Afghan believe that if an egg has a strong aroma, beating it removes odor. Was this aroma due to lack of refrigeration?