Cheese Corn Potato Balls

Cheese Corn Potato Balls is a perfect starter or appetizer for kids and adults alike. It is very easy to make and tastes so good. I had some left over cheese in my refrigerator and wanted to try a new appetizer for a get together. I came up with this recipe after browsing a lot of recipes. I wanted to add both potato and corn with the cheese but was not sure how it will turn out until I made it. It is a big hit and everyone loved it. I used the left over mozzarella and Italian cheese blend in this recipe. You can substitute them with any of your favorite cheese. About the bread crumbs, it is not necessary that you have to use both Italian and panko. Since I had them in the my pantry I mixed them both. If you do not have it don’t bother you can just use the plain bread crumbs. I have used all purpose flour batter for binding. You can also use beaten egg whites or whole egg for binding.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 60 minutes

Yield: 40 to 45 balls

Spice level: 2 out of 5

Ingredients:

• Boiled potatoes – 3
• Boiled or frozen corn kernels – 1 and 1/4 cups
• Garlic pods – 6
• Small green chilies – 4 to 5
• Cilantro, finely chopped – 1/2 cup
• Corn flour – 3 tbsp
• All purpose flour – 1/4 cup and 1 tbsp
• Freshly ground black pepper – 1/2 tsp
• Paprika powder – 1 tsp
• Cheese – 2 cups (I used mozzarella and Italian blend)
• Italian bread crumbs – 3/4 cup
• Panko bread crumbs – 3/4 cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Method of Preparation:

• Heat a skillet or pan and spray a little oil and spread the garlic pods and cook till they are soft and brown on both sides.
• Press it with a fork and cook both the sides. Grind garlic with green chilies and 1/4 cup of corn to a coarse paste and transfer it to a mixing bowl.

• Peel and mash potatoes and add it to the bowl followed by the remaining corn, paprika, ground pepper and salt. Blend everything well.
• Check for salt and add more if required at this stage.
• Now add a tbsp of all purpose flour or maida and 3 tbsp corn flour, mix well.
• Sprinkle the chopped cilantro and a cup of cheese. Mix well and add the remaining cheese and blend everything well.
• Take a tbsp amount of prepared mixture and roll into smooth balls. Roll as many balls you want. Refrigerate the balls for a minimum of half an hour.
• Mix 1/4 cup of all purpose flour (maida) with water and make a thin batter.
• Mix panko bread crumbs and Italian bread crumbs together and keep it ready.
• Heat oil for frying over medium heat.
• Remove the balls from refrigerator and drop one by one in the flour batter and coat it nicely.

• Transfer it to the bread crumbs and roll it and fry it in oil over medium heat. Do not fry it for a long time since cheese starts oozing out.

• Serve hot with ketchup or by itself. If you make it ahead you can heat it in a preheated oven (at 350ºF) for 5 to 8 minutes before serving.

 Note:

You can make this mixture one day ahead or refrigerate the remaining mixture and use it the next day.

If you are making in large quantity change oil in between. When you think oil starts becoming dark due to the burnt bread crumbs change it because it will spoil the rest of the batch.

Try not to keep the mixture more than one day.