Bataat Abu Humar Adanee [Adeni potatoes with red chilly and tamarind sauce] –بطاط ابو حمر عدني
May 12, 2012 by lamyaalmas
I don’t think I have ever met an Adeni who does not like this dish. It’s from among the street food sold in Aden. Some even sell it from their homes. I remember in our street in Aden, there was a woman–we used to call her “Gidda Um Al Bataat” [meaning the grandma who sold potatoes], who lived at the end of the row of houses who made and sold them. They were irresistible, just absolutely delcious. Sisters used to meet at her place, for a chat and a spicy bowl of Bataat Abu Humar. Oftentimes the sisters residing in the same building would meet on the terraces and cluster round a big pot of this. Today more and more sisters from the rest of Yemen have been introduced to this dish, and so far none have I met who haven’t told me they don’t like it. So, let’s start Bismillah. You will need [to serve 4-5 people]:
1) 1-1 1/2 lbs of small potatoes [any kind would work, but I found some small red potatoes at my local farmers market]
2) Fistful of unsweetened tamarind soaked in 2 cups of water and strained [make sure to let it soak overnight]. You can also use some concentrated Tarmarind from any Middle Eastern or South Asian store. If you use the concentrated kind use 1 tbslp ONLY.
3) 1/2 cup of red chilly sauce [soak some dry red chillies in water overnight and then place in blender and blend well. Store in an airtight container int he refrigerator]
4) 3 tblsp of ‘ushar [pickled lemon]–optional
5) salt to taste
6) chopped cilantro for garnish
7) 3 tbslp of Canola oil [vegetable or corn oil would work as well]
In a pot full of water boil the potatoes until soft, but not mushy. Make sure they don’t fall apart. Once done run through a sieve and cool the potatoes with some cold water to stop the cooking process. You can either peel the potatoes or leave the peel one like I did, and halve. Then in a pot under medium high heat add the oil and the red chilly pepper. Let it simmer for 3 minutes. Then add the pickled lemons, and the tamarind and let simmer for another 3 minutes. Add salt, potatoes and half a cup of water and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot. If you like it a little spicier you can add some green red chill–pickled or regular. Enjoy.
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Posted in Snacks | 23 Comments
A Yemeniyah's Recipes 
Salam :)
I’ve heard of this dish many times before and always wanted to try it out and now I can because here’s the recipe (FINALLY!! YAY!) Jazaki Allahu Khairan habibti! Just one question, the ‘ushar, how do I make it?
Salaam Jass :)
I am sure you have heard about it. When anyone from Yemen knows I am Adeni they always ask me, “Do you know how to make bataat abu humar!” Too funny. Waiyakum.
You know, the ushar is optional because it takes time to make. I am waiting for the weather to get hotter here so i can make a little and take pics and post the whole process insha Allah. But briefly here, take some lemons and cut them into quarters, but when you cut them don’t cut all the way through. So, leave them intact–they open up like a flour. Then mix some turmeric and salt [less turmeric or else it will be bitter] and then fill the insides of the lemons. Put them in a glass container and leave them out in the sun for 3-4 weeks, depending on how hot it is. The hotter it is the faster they will pickle. Once you see a thick juice ooze out of them, cut up some carrots, and green chilly peppers and add to them. Also add some black seed. Leave for another week or so [again time depends on hot hot the weather is]. After that week, fill it to the brim with regular white vinegar and leave in the sun again until the sauce it is is in thickens. Then add the final touch with is, pour it out into a bowl and mix in some red chilly sauce and fill it into glass bottles and enjoy for months to come :)
Thanks lamya for the recipe …. but the one you make with your own hands always taste the best ;)
Awwww. Yallah come on over and I’ll make it for you. I was actually enjoying bowl after bowl yesterday and thought of you and said, “If only Aqbal was here, we would be licking the pot clean.” Miss you habeebtee.
Love you
Lamya
what can i use if i cant find tamarind paste
Hmmm that’s a difficult one. Can you find just regular unsweetened tamarind and soak it for a few hours in warm water. Then squeeze out the tamarind fruit and use the water. You can run it through a sieve as well.
This is always made with tamarind.
Hope this helps Nancy.
Thank You i actually just asked my frined shes purerto rican and said she knows a mexican place who may sell them. Thank You Very Much. you dont know how happy i was to see your blog i couldnt any yemeni recipes.
I made this yesterday and it came out delish just like the way its made in yemen, also can you tell me how to make it a lil more sauce in it but with the sauce still thick? Thank you
Alhamdullilah Jameli. Yes, if you follow the instructions insha Allah it turns out just the way that you remember it in Yemen. I am glad that it turned out. If you want to make a little more sauce in it, add more of the liquid ingredients that is the chilly sauce and the tamarind. If you only add water it will we watery and you will sacrifice taste. Hope that makes sense.
Lamya
ASA! What is the reason they call it Bataat Abu Humar
Moosah
Moosah–
Humar spelled “حُمَر ” in Arabic is the Adeni word for Tamarind. So, it takes it’s name from the addition of this fruit to the potatoes I guess. I didn’t invent it, it’s been called that for as long as i can remember in Aden.
Lamya
Thousand Shukran we call red Ahmar or Hamra I know these is dialect language that makes the difference in terminology
God bless you sister
Moosah
Another question is to making Usher is same way of our fellow North Africans brothers?
Moosah
after soaking the tamarinds i use the water that was soaked or do i need to squeeze the seeds out and use the tamarind as well.would that also make it a little more soupy. i got a bit confused there i was only squeezing out the tamarind.
Squeeze them, it will make it nice and thick and will intensify the flavor. Hope that makes sense.
The ones I had in Aden has more of a brown sauce — what should I add to the red sauce to make it a bit more brown (my ashar wasn’t ready yet)
jazakallah kheeeeeeeeeeeeer!
Yes they add more tamarind to th sauce than the red chilly. I like the balance between the two. To make it browner add more tamarind and not too much chilly sauce.
Wa Iyakum Zainab.
Lamya
I tried this recepi but it didnt come.out right I used the tarmarind you.get from indian store its a solid.block but u.pull.it.apart. When I made it the humar was not red or thick it was brown n watery . When not much water was added
Hannah how did you deal with the tamarind? Did you soak it for a while and then take out the seeds and the solids and use the thick tamarind sauce [that results from soaking it for hours] in this dish?
I can’t tell where the excess water is coming from if you are saying that you did not add water–because the ingredients in this dish are very specific and do not produce water at all. Indeed you have to add water for it to turn out soupy. So, where is the excess water coming from? Did you soak the tamarind in too much water, or is your chilly pepper very runny?
Lamya
What is this eaten with? I mean is it eatne just plain or some bread is served with it.
Hello!
It is eaten just plain. Like a snack!
Lamya
It is eaten plain. Like a snack.
Lamya
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