Has anyone tried Sichuan Stir-Fried Potatoes?
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I’m still rational. Even among people of Chinese descent in the United States, Sichuan stir-fried potatoes are less well-known than in China. The only places to find it is authentic Sichuan restaurants.
Before moving to Beijing with my family four years ago, I had never seen or heard of this potato stir-fry dish. I know that we all fell madly in love with it.
You might be surprised to learn that potatoes are rare in Chinese cooking. Unlike other starchy staples like noodles, rice, and buns, potatoes are frequently unadorned. I know it’s hard for Westerners to picture potatoes and rice together, but trust me—this dish is fantastic with plain steamed rice. Because the starch has been rinsed off the potatoes, they are crunchy and flavorful in this dish.
The potatoes must be julienned very thinly for this recipe to turn out properly. Using a mandolin slicer ensures that the potato strings are uniformly thin. Attempting to peel and dice potatoes by hand… It’s not entertaining; I tried it. If you’re concerned about safety, buy yourself some cut-resistant gloves.
Many of you have written asking for this Sichuan potato stir-fry recipe, so here it is!
Ingredients:
- 2 large pcs. of red-skinned potatoes
- 2 tbsp. of oil
- 1 tbsp. of Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 thin slices of ginger (minced)
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 3-6 pcs. of dried red chilies (de-seeded and chopped)
- 1 pc. of long red or green hot pepper (de-seeded and julienned)
- 1 tsp. of light soy sauce
- ½ tsp. of sugar
- 1 tsp. of white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. of sesame oil
- 1 tbsp. of chicken stock (or water)
- Salt to taste
- 1 scallion (chopped)
Instructions:
- It’s time to julienne those potatoes. Put them through a series of dips in a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside; however, if you do so, don’t leave them for more than 20 minutes or they will turn brown.
- Don’t let the Sichuan peppercorns burn as you toast them in oil in a wok over medium heat. Take the wok off the heat and scoop out the peppercorns with a slotted spoon, discarding the oil. Put the peppercorns in the trash.
- The ginger, garlic, and chilies should be added to the oil while it is still warm but still cooking over medium heat. Add the potatoes and julienned peppers and cook for an additional minute. Stir-fry for 30 seconds at maximum heat. Put in some salt, chicken stock (or water), sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Throw everything in a wok and give it a minute and 45 seconds of stir-frying time with a lid on. Take the lid off, mix in the scallions, and serve!