Potato lovers' paradise
I love potatoes. These hearty jewels from the earth go well with any kind of protein, and as the crisp, cool air of autumn sweeps away the last traces of summer weather, there's nothing I love more than tucking into a great potato dish. I even own a cookbook on nothing but potatoes that I used in my kitchen back home in the Midwestern US.
Before I came to China, I thought I had a pretty good handle on what you can do with this ingredient. I could scallop, mash, fry, bake (once or twice), hash, smash, boil, and dress up any variety of these tubers.
Upon arriving in Beijing, I soon learned that finding the comforts of home in restaurants would be a challenge, and as my first winter approached, I longed for a classic potato dish to greet the season. It wasn't until I tasted the way Chinese cooks treat this ingredient that I realized how limited my experience with it was. It was time to expand my horizons.
Armed with a good knife and a bag of potatoes, I set out to recreate two of my favorite Chinese potato dishes, whittling my way toward renditions of classic recipes that are a cinch to pull off in any kitchen.
In both of the following recipes, be sure to have all ingredients prepped and ready before beginning, because when the flame starts you have to move quickly to get it right. For best results, choose firm russet potatoes when you're shopping at the market.
Di san xian
I was several bites into my first plate of this dish in a Beijing restaurant when I uttered in disbelief, "Are these potatoes?" Cloaked in a thick, rich sauce of soy and a little sugar, the taste of one of my favorite ingredients was unmistakable, though I caught myself examining the food I held in my chopsticks as if I'd never eaten it before. Despite being alongside soft, soy-soaked eggplant, the flavor of potatoes in this dish stands out, making this recipe one of my favorite ways to treat a tuber.
Ingredients:
-3 long thin Chinese eggplants (4 if on the smaller side)
-Cold water
-2 medium-sized potatoes
-1 large green pepper
-1 cup peanut or other high-heat oil
Sauce:
-6 Tbs soy sauce
-3 tsp sugar
-11/2Tbs rice wine
Instructions:
1. Combine soy, sugar and rice wine. Set aside.
2. Skin eggplant and slice lengthwise. Cut diagonally at alternating angles in 5-centimeter-wide pieces. Soak in cold water to avoid browning and set aside.
3. Cut green pepper into chunks.
4. Skin potatoes and cut lengthwise into 2-centimeter-wide slices. Lay slices flat and quarter.
5. Heat an empty wok and turn flame off when quick spray of water from fingertips disappears instantly.
6. Add oil and turn flame on high. Add potatoes and cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove potatoes and set in a bowl. Cover with a lid.
7. Drain eggplant and place in wok. (Oil spatters will wane after a few seconds.) Cook 6 to 7 minutes, until eggplant begins to brown and remove.
8. Put green pepper in wok and cook about 1 minute. Remove oil.
9. Return potatoes and eggplant to wok. Whisk sauce ingredients once more and add to vegetables. Stir until well mixed, about one minute, and turn off flame. Serve immediately.
Suan la tu dou si
My introduction to this potato dish was less appreciative. The first time I bit into these partially cooked, vinegary strands, I admit, I didn't go for a second bite. But when I sank my teeth into a warm, pita-like sandwich from a street cart with a handful of thin, crunchy potato strips nestled among the fillings, I was hooked. Soon I was scouring menus at local haunts in search of this intoxicating, yet simple side dish. It stands up on its own, or can be added to a wrapped sandwich for a little tang and crunch.
The cooking time can be increased for those who raise their eyebrows at the notion of ingesting half-cooked potato, but I recommend going the distance and expanding your horizons, Chinese-style.
Ingredients:
-2 medium potatoes
-Cold water
-3 Tbs peanut or other high-heat oil
-3/4 tsp ground flower pepper (hu jiao) or 1 Tbs whole flower pepper
-5 dried chilies
-2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
-1/2 green pepper, sliced thin
Sauce:
-3 Tbs rice vinegar
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp sugar
Instructions:
1. Peel potatoes. Cut lengthwise into thin slices, about 3 millimeters thick. Lay slices flat and cut lengthwise once more into long strips, again about 3 millimeters thick. Place in bowl of cold water and set aside.
2. Combine vinegar, sugar and salt. Set aside.
3. Heat an empty wok and turn flame off when quick spray of water from fingertips disappears instantly.
4. Add oil and turn flame on medium. If using whole flower pepper, add to oil and cook about 1 minute and remove, then cook chilies and garlic about 30 seconds, stirring rapidly. If using ground flower pepper, add this spice, garlic and chilies to oil and cook about 30 seconds.
5. Turn flame on high, drain potatoes and drop into the wok. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent slices from sticking or burning, gathering strays from sides of wok.
6. Give the vinegar mixture a final stir and pour over potatoes. Add green pepper and cook less than one minute more, stirring all the while.
7. Remove from wok and serve.
Meat and potatoes
For a Chinese twist on beef stew, cube raw beef brisket and bring to a boil in water with some sliced ginger, a few chilies, base of a leek, and a couple bay leaves. Skim off fat and simmer one hour. Peel 5 or 6 medium tomatoes and cut into chunks, then fry in oil in a wok. Remove beef from broth and add meat to tomatoes, cooking a few minutes. Add broth, 2 Tbs tomato paste, salt and peeled whole, small potatoes and simmer 40 minutes.