Spicy Chinese potato pancake (干煸洋芋丝)
User Reviews
5
Spicy Chinese potato pancake (干煸洋芋丝)
Description
Spicy Chinese potato pancake (干煸洋芋丝) is made by finely julienning peeled potatoes into thin matchstick strips. These are cooked in a hot pan with neutral oil along with finely chopped spring onion and fresh or dried chili. Ground Sichuan pepper or cumin powder and salt season the dish. The potatoes are pressed flat into rounds during cooking to form pancakes, developing golden brown and slightly crispy edges while maintaining a soft inside. The dish highlights the earthy and mildly spicy notes from the chili and pepper, combined with the aromatic onion.
The technique of keeping the potato starch intact helps the strips to adhere together, forming a cohesive pancake. The gentle stir-fry and pan pressing produce contrasting textures between the crispy outer layer and tender interior of the potatoes. This dish can be served as a savory snack or side dish.
The recipe notes indicate that Chinese cooks traditionally julienne potatoes with a cleaver, but a regular grater can be used as a substitute. It also clarifies that unlike some recipes where potato strips are rinsed to remove starch, for this dish the starch is preserved to help binding.
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized potato about 400g/14oz
- 2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 1 talk spring onion finely chopped
- fresh chilli to taste, or dried chilli, finely chopped
- Sichuan pepper to taste, or cumin powder, ground
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes. Thinly slice them, then cut the slices into fine julienne strips (see note 1 & 2).
- Heat up ½ tablespoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Stir in ¼ of the potato strips, along with ¼ of the spring onion and fresh chilli. Sprinkle with ground Sichuan pepper (or cumin powder) and salt.
- When the potato strips become slightly soft, press them with a spatular to form a flat, round shape.
- Flip over (with the help of a plate if necessary) when the first side is golden brown.
- Transfer to a plate when the second side is done. Repeat the procedure to cook another three pancakes.
Notes
- Julienne potatoes finely with a knife or grater for best texture.
- Do not rinse potato strips to retain starch that helps pancakes stick together.
- Press potato strips firmly in the pan to form a flat pancake shape for even cooking.
- Adjust chili and Sichuan pepper quantity to taste for spiciness.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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