‘What is this?’ Curry Boy asked. ‘Go on. Try and have a guess.’ I said. He pinched a few and tasted, with questions on his face, ‘Radish? Doesn’t taste like…’ Then he opened the fridge and contemplated the vegetable drawer for a while but couldn’t figure it out.
‘It’s potato.’ I put a stop to his confusion. And he was still surprised while eating it.
No wonder Fuchsia Dunlop mentioned this Sichuan potato recipe in her cookbook, ‘Every Grain of Rice’ : ‘If you’ve never seen this dish before, you may find it hard to believe it’s actually made from potatoes.’
It doesn’t taste like potato, indeed. But it’s the most common way for Sichuanese to cook and eat potatoes with rice.
I personally prefer a distinct flavour of potato, such as slow-roasted potatoes, simply boiled with thyme, or pan-fried as a pancake (better with cheese).
If you find it less satisfactory than expected, don’t throw it away! Try to add some plain flour, starch, or even egg, and fry it again into a crispy pancake. Potatoes always taste better after frying, don’t you agree?
Sichuan Stir-fried Potato Slivers Recipe
This potato recipe requires minimal ingredients that you probably already have on hand (except Sichuan peppercorns, which can be found in most Oriental grocery stores).
The only look-difficult part is likely to be cutting the potatoes into slivers, which is a minute job done by a mandoline.
Ingredients
Serves 2-3
- 300 g potatoes
- 1 ½ tbsp oil
- 2 dried chilli
- ⅓ tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 scallion (green parts)
- sesame oil
- rice vinegar (optional)
How to Make
- Thinly slice the potatoes or get help with a mandoline. Then cut into slivers and soak in water to remove excessive starch. Drain well before stir-frying.
- Deseed the dried chilli if less heat is wanted, and crack open the Sichuan peppercorns for more numbness. Then heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry the chilli and peppercorns until fragrant.
- Tip in the potato slivers and stir-fry for a few minutes. Season with salt. The potatoes should retain some crunchiness but not be raw.
- Towards finishing, add in some sesame oil and scallions, and briefly stir-fry for a few seconds. Have a taste. Splash in some rice vinegar to lift up brightness if needed.
