Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 4 tablespoons clarified unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Top of 1 fennel bulb
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• Coarse salt
• 11 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping cakes
• 1 cup dried currants
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 large egg, well beaten

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Instructions

1. Peel and wash the potatoes. Place the potatoes and the fennel top in a large saucepan, and cover with water. Add 1 tablespoon curry powder and a pinch of salt, and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes well, and pass through a food mill into a large bowl. Add 8 tablespoons of butter and the flour, stirring to incorporate. Add the remaining curry powder and the currants. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop potato mixture into 2-inch balls. With lightly floured hands, form balls into 3 by 1/2-inch cakes. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and brush cakes with it. Once the cakes have absorbed the butter, brush with egg. Sprinkle each cake with 1/8-teaspoon cumin seeds, and gently press seeds into each cake to adhere.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon clarified butter in a saute pan set over medium heat. Place 3 cakes in saute pan, cumin-seed side down, and cook until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn cakes, and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cakes. Transfer baking sheet to oven, and bake until the cakes are heated through, about 3 minutes.