Potato Salad- like pita off the corner in brooklyn

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Thu, Jul 07 2011, 9:13 pm

zigi wrote:

its not sweet, its really good potato salad! it has peas eggs potatos.

That sounds like a russian potato salad. It has potatoes, eggs, carrots, sweet peas, and pickles. Dressing is mayo and salt/pepper.

thekosherchannel ↓

Fri, Jul 08 2011, 1:03 am

I wonder if the mystery taste and color come from saffron? It is quite pricey, but you don't need much and it gives a dish a very distintive flavor. If that is it, then they probably dissolve a few threads of saffron in a bit of water or maybe the vinegar before adding.

~TheKosherChannel.com~

↑ Mommy3.5

Fri, Jul 08 2011, 1:13 am

ra_mom wrote:

If it's not cumin (though I do think it might be cumin mixed with other mediterranean spices so that the cumin doesn't dominate), then I think it's a nice Dijon mustard with the mayo and spices.

like schwarma spice, also yellow!

↑ thekosherchannel ↓

Fri, Jul 08 2011, 1:20 am

I just had a revelation: I bet it's AMBA, which is tamarind and mango pickle and is a common middle eastern condiment

~TheKosherChannel.com~

de_goldy

Fri, Jul 08 2011, 11:35 am

Why don't you just ask them. Say, "why is it yellow?"

gryp

Fri, Jul 08 2011, 12:13 pm

Food coloring? Smile

↑ maze ↓

Fri, Jul 08 2011, 12:17 pm

so I tried with a drop of cumin and it gave a nice flavor boost- but it's not the same taste.
as for the color- I think it's just a lot of eggs, but I still can't get the flavor right.

Simple1 ↓

Fri, Jul 08 2011, 12:22 pm

Maybe you need someone with the talent of Todd Wilbur to help you figure it out: http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/home.php
Wink

↑ Simple1

Fri, Jul 08 2011, 12:24 pm

de_goldy wrote:

Why don't you just ask them. Say, "why is it yellow?"

Maybe you can do that - it's not like your asking for the recipe, just that you want to know what you're eating.

There might be only enough yellow spice to make it yellow, but another spice (without color) that gives it the distinct flavor. I think I remember that one of the yellow spices doesn't actually add so much flavor, maybe it was saffron but I'm not sure.

smoms

Fri, Jul 08 2011, 1:35 pm

Maybe curry powder? Yellower but milder than cumin.

kesher

Fri, Jul 08 2011, 1:40 pm

I am from out-of-town and have never tasted this but could it be something odd like chicken soup mix powder? I know people who put it into the craziest stuff.

↑ maze ↓

Fri, Jul 08 2011, 3:14 pm

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I'm going to try with the curry, and the chicken soup mix and whatever else.
and simple, I could use his help Smile

↑ maze ↓

Sun, Jul 10 2011, 4:25 pm

So I tried with curry and chicken soup mix- but it doesn't really taste like it.
thanks for the suggestions everyone.
Today I got more of the original-but it tasted a little off- which was disappointing.
But, I did taste a lot of mayo, and a lot of eggs -which probably gave the color, and not sure what else. It's not as yellow as I thought, so I don't think there is any turmeric or other yellow spice. Plus zigi, you were right. There are peas as well as carrots-both cooked and probably from a can.
Next time I make potato salad I'll add a lot of eggs. and just make it simple with mayo and salt like sv suggested.
Also, the potatoes are really soft without being mushy. How long do you boil your potatoes when you make potato salad? (Mine came out a little hard. I used red potatoes- but I don't like over-cooking them because then it turns into mush.)

↑ ra_mom ↓

Sun, Jul 10 2011, 8:45 pm

maze wrote:

Sounds like it's Russian potato salad like SV said.

SV wrote:

zigi wrote:

its not sweet, its really good potato salad! it has peas eggs potatos.

That sounds like a russian potato salad. It has potatoes, eggs, carrots, sweet peas, and pickles. Dressing is mayo and salt/pepper.

I would use 3 potatoes, 3 eggs, 3 pickles, 1/2 - 1 drained can of mixed peas and carrots, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. (And possibly 1-2 tsp sugar.)
Mix everything while potatoes are still hot so that the mayonnaise mixes well and becomes really creamy with the potatoes.
About over cooking- Scrub potatoes and rinse well. Place in pot with water, bring to a boil, lower heat, then boil (uncovered) for 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and allow to cool for only up to 10 minutes so that they are not too hot to handle. (During the 10 minutes (or less), measure out the mayo and prepare all ingredients so you can mix it together quickly once cubed.) Peel potatoes. Cube. Mix together while potatoes are still hot.

Last edited by ra_mom on Sun, Jul 10 2011, 9:17 pm; edited 1 time in total

↑ maze ↓

Sun, Jul 10 2011, 9:08 pm

ra_mom wrote:

maze wrote:

Sounds like it's Russian potato salad like SV said.

SV wrote:

zigi wrote:

its not sweet, its really good potato salad! it has peas eggs potatos.

That sounds like a russian potato salad. It has potatoes, eggs, carrots, sweet peas, and pickles. Dressing is mayo and salt/pepper.

I would use 3 potatoes, 3 eggs, 3 pickles, 1 drained can of mixed peas and carrots, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste.
Mix everything while potatoes are still hot so that the mayonnaise mixes well and becomes really creamy with the potatoes.
About over cooking- Scrub potatoes and rinse well. Place in pot with water, bring to a boil, lower heat, then boil (uncovered) for 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and allow to cool for only up to 10 minutes so that they are not too hot to handle. (During the 10 minutes (or less), measure out the mayo and prepare all ingredients so you can mix it together quickly once cubed.) Peel potatoes. Cube. Mix together while potatoes are still hot.

Thanks RA! I will try this soon

↑ ra_mom ↓

Sun, Jul 10 2011, 9:16 pm

I'm thinking that I would only do 1/2 can of peas and carrots.
And that I would add 1-2 tsp sugar, which you won't be able to detect once you season with salt and pepper to taste, but which will bring out all the flavors.

cheder40

Sun, Jul 10 2011, 10:22 pm

in Yerushalayim they use a can of peas and carrots some mayonnaise israeli pickle juice salt and pepper the carrots turn the potato salad a yellowish color. see if this works.

↑ maze

Tue, Jul 12 2011, 12:26 pm

I made potato salad yesterday and used yukon gold potatoes-about 4 medium, 3 eggs, a little salt to taste, and was thinking about adding sugar but left it out, little more than 1/2 cup mayo, and maybe 1/4 can peas (I didn't have a can of peas and carrots)
I blended the egg yolks (hard boiled) with the mayo- that made it creamy and yellow and then added hot potatoes- cubed like RA suggested, and it was really good. I chopped up the egg whites into small pieces and added everything else. I don't know if it's the exact same taste as the schawarma store, but I really like how it came out.
(Mine came out even yellower than theirs- so maybe they just used white potatoes, and more mayo to egg ratio)
So thank you everyone for all the suggestions!

↑ ra_mom

Tue, Jul 12 2011, 1:15 pm

Glad to hear! Smile

Strawberry2

Tue, Jul 12 2011, 2:39 pm

Here in Israel there is a clear plastic container of something yellowish (I think a darker yellow) that sephardim add to food to make it yellow. It's not cumin, guess I can check the name the next time I go shopping if it helps anyone.

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