Middle Eastern batata harra inspired these lightly spicy roasted potatoes. Tradition may inform much of Sami Tamimi’s cooking, but it doesn’t constrain it. His willingness to play is a delicious undercurrent to his book “Falastin,” a collection of stories and updated classic Palestinian recipes he wrote with Tara Wigley. In fact, nearly every recipe includes a note titled “Playing around.”

“After a while we realized that traditional recipes take a bit of time to do. Second, they’re not so pretty to look at,” says Tamimi. Taking the two things together he, and cookbook partner Tara decided to do something that both stayed true to the country but also something people will be able to do within the demands of having two kids when they get off work.

Typically, fried or roasted potatoes are tossed with olive oil, chili flakes, garlic and one or more spices, though variations abound depending on the region and even family. In North Africa, they’re doused in harissa and are quite spicy, whereas in Egypt they go heavier on the garlic and warm spices, such as turmeric, and have only mild heat.

Tamimi’s approach, builds upon his mother’s recipe, and skews toward Gazan flavors, with fresh green chilies, fresh dill and cilantro, and crushed cumin and coriander seeds that add both texture and flavor. The crushed spices are bloomed with garlic in hot oil, similar to an Indian tarka, then cooked briefly with the chilies and cherry tomatoes. The seasoned mixture is combined with the potatoes and roasted together, then tossed with the herbs and lemon zest and juice. “If you look at the ingredient list, you say, ‘Oh, it’s so simple,’ but the end result is so surprising,” he says.

Combining the fresh and roasted ingredients yields a brighter, bolder take on roasted potatoes. But Milk Street found it difficult to get the desired crispy, browned texture, so the tomatoes were eliminated and the oven temperature raised to 475°F. Trouble was, the higher heat risked burning the spices.

The fix was to first partially roast the potatoes with just oil, salt and pepper. Then combine more oil with the seasonings and let the flavors meld for a bit. When the potatoes are about two-thirds cooked, toss them with the flavored oil and return to the oven until golden brown and creamy. Fresh cilantro and lemon zest give the bright, balanced and crispy potatoes you want on your plate.

Don’t forget to oil the baking sheet with cooking spray to ensure the potatoes won’t stick to the surface.

Recipe by Sami Tamimi for Milk Street