Stir-fried shredded potato with Sichuan peppercorn and dried chili peppers—炝炒土豆丝.
We love all kinds of potatoes dishes especially humble shredded potato stir fry. This have been the top stars in small restaurants for generations. It can be quite simple using only potatoes, oil and salt. This recipe is a Sichuan style version with dried pepper and Sichuan peppercorn. The method of using Sichuan peppercorn and dried chili pepper is called “炝炒” in Chinese, which is extremely popular and can be applied on most of the vegetable stir fires. You can enjoy full of flavor and crispy shredded potatoes within 20 minutes.
The art of wok mainly relies on the evenly cut ingredients and high heat, as the result the dish can be finished within a very short time. It is quite important to cut the potato in similar thickness. The most possible approach for those who are not good at cutting is to use a shredding tool.
Potatoes are the most humble vegetables in China. We cook it very frequently. Unlike western smashed potatoes or chips, we love to make a quick stir fry, a simple salad or a famous street food style – spicy crisp potatoes. Potato itself seems quite plain and tasteless like lots of other vegetables, but it can be amazing with the correct seasonings and spices. By the way, I have made a very interesting new method of using shredded potatoes in a pancake. Remember to check that version too. You will love it.
Cook’s Note: this shredded potato stir fry is quite homestyle and easy and seems no special skill needed. This is true for those who have mastered wok skills. Firstly hot the wok or pan before adding the oil, so the entire wok stores enough heat. If you are with a limited fire or heat, making smaller batch of stir fries is a smart choice. When the ingredients are added, the temperature of the wok drops dramatically. Unless your fire or heat is high enough, the flavor of the dish will be influenced greatly due to the low wok temperature.
Ingredients
- 2 potatoes, 200g
- 1/2 tsp. Sichuan peppercorn
- 2-3 dried red chili peppers
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp. vegetable cooking oil
- 1/2 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1/2 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp. sugar (optional)
- pinch of salt or to taste
- 1/4 fresh green pepper, finely shredded
- 1/4 fresh red pepper, finely shredded
Instructions
Finely shred the potatoes. Add enough water in a large bowl. And then soak the potato shreds in the clean water. This helps to remove the extra starch in the potato so the shreds can keep a crisp texture and will not sticky to the wok in stir frying process.
Heat your wok firstly. Then add 2 tablespoons of oil over dried red pepper and Sichuan peppercorn over slow fire until aromatic and slightly dark red. Add garlic to fry for 5-10 seconds until aromatic. Do not burn the garlic. Burnt garlic brings a bitter taste to the dish instead of aroma.
Turn up the fire and place shredded potatoes in immediately , season with salt, sugar, sesame oil and light soy sauce. Then add fresh peppers and mix well.
Serve hot!
- 2 middle size potatoes
- 1/2 tsp. Sichuan peppercorn
- 2-3 dried red chili peppers
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp. vegetable cooking oil
- 1/2 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp. sugar ,optional
- pinch of salt or to taste
- 1/4 fresh green pepper
- 1/4 fresh red pepper
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Finely shred the potatoes. Add enough water in a large bowl. And then soak the potato shreds in the clean water. This helps to remove the extra starch in the potato so the shreds can keep a crisp texture and they will not sticky to the wok in stir frying process.
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In a wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over dried red pepper and Sichuan peppercorn over slow fire until aromatic and slightly dark red. Add garlic to fry for 5-10 second until aromatic.
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Turn up the fire and place shredded potatoes in immediately , season with salt, sugar, sesame oil and light soy sauce. Then add fresh peppers and mix well.
How interesting. I am very surprised to learn that potatoes are common in China as I thought that rice or noodles were your source of carbs. I’ve studied all your potato recipes on the blog and they look delicious to me all of them. They fit well into European style cooking as well and will certainly become part of my potato dish repertoire.
In European cooking potatoes usually are part of the main dish together with meat or fish and vegetables or salad. How do they fit into a Chinese dinner? Still as a side dish together with rice?
We do not match potatoes with roasted meat or vegetable salad. Sometimes we stew them with soups or braised dishes. But the more frequently method is stir-frying like this one or salad.
This is commonly serve in our dormitory and i love it!…very simple dish but, very flavorful!thanks for sharing..
Sure. It is also our favorite university canteen dish too.
I am curious about what you use to shred the potatoes so finely. My box grater makes them too wide.
I cut the potatoes by hands with a large Chinese cutting knife. Change your grater and try again.
A friend of mine adds black vinegar to sour the taste. That’s how I was introduced to this dish. Is that common?
Yes, you can add black vinegar to make it as a hot and sour version. It is quite common and popular in China too.
Andy, if not cutting by hand get a mandolin. I basic Japanese one on amazon sells for 20 bucks.
I love your blog. I am wondering what you use to shred the potatoes? A mandolin?
Thank you.
Zoe,
I cut the potatoes by cutting knife directly. If you feel hard to master, you can restore to cutting tools like mandolin slicer or shredder.
Sounds like a great recipe. What kind of potatoes do you use normally. When did potatoes become a staple in China.
I really enjoy the site.
Dave B.
David,
Usually we use yellow or white potatoes to make this dish.
Potatoes has been imported to China back to 16 centuries. It has been one of the favorite staple food in China for quite a long history.