stir-fried shredded potatoes
I have so many potatoes right now. My CSA is expecting a bumper crop of them this year, and I’m already fretting over how I’ll use them all. This is a Chinese dish called 炒土豆絲 (chǎo tǔ dòu sī), which translates very simply to stir-fried potato shreds. The phrase for potato very literally means “bean of the earth”, which is kinda like the French pomme de terre, oui?
Anyway, these stir-fried potatoes made for a nice starch-on-starch meal with some rice and an omelet with onions, garlic, and leafy greens.
2 medium white potatoes (each about 3 inches long)
1/2 cubanelle pepper (or other sweet pepper)
1 hot pepper (I used a killer jalapeño from my CSA)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon rice wine
1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed Sichuan peppercorn (or you could substitute with white pepper)
1 stalk scallion (wish I had added this)
Julienne potatoes (with a sharp knife or a mandoline, NOT a large-holed grater), and soak in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes. This keeps them from oxidizing (turning that ugly brown/gray) and also washes away some of the potatoes’ starch, leaving you with a firmer, less mealy final product.
Cut peppers into the same size strips as the potatoes.
Heat vegetable oil in a wok or saute pan over medium heat. Add potatoes, tossing frequently so they don’t stick. After about 7 or 8 minutes, add peppers. When potatoes are cooked through, add rice wine, soy sauce, and Sichuan pepper (or white pepper). Stir fry some more to coat everything evenly. Garnish with chopped scallions.
