Fiery Stir-Fried Potato Slivers

Qiang Chao Tudou Si (炝炒土豆丝)

A warm heat from bright red chilies – a tantalizing fragrance from fresh garlic – salt, sugar, and sesame oil... There is so much to love in this simple but classic stir-fried potato dish.

Fiery Stir-Fried Potato Slivers are essentially Sichuan hash-browns – thin slivers of Potato that are stir-fried with Red Chilies and Sichuan Peppercorns. There is even a street-food version of this dish called Griddle-Fried Potato Slivers (铁板土豆丝) where the Potato is cooked on a flat-top. However, the stir-fried version presented below is a bit more common and can be found in restaurants throughout mainland China.

Fiery Stir-Fried Potato Slivers (炝炒土豆丝), sometimes written more simply in Chinese as Fried Potato Slivers (炝土豆丝) or Stir-Fried Potato Slivers (炒土豆丝), is the most basic of Potato Sliver Dishes. The name of the dish comes from the manner in which the Potato Slivers are cooked, which indicates the slivers are stir-fried over high-heat. Learning good heat control is essential as it is the ‘Breath of the Wok’ (锅气) that adds an extra layer of flavor. Other Potato Sliver Dishes are named based on their core flavors, such as with Sour Spicy Potato Slivers (酸辣土豆丝). Fiery Stir-Fried Potatoes Slivers are named based on the technique and, therefore, can be flavored multiple ways.

Fiery Stir-Fried Potato Slivers may resemble western potato dishes, but they are actually a bit firmer – not raw but not mush. If the Potato slivers are overcooked, the long threads will break and not appear as appetizing. They will also not be as easy to grasp with chopsticks. This firmness, however, is somewhat of a preference and more of a traditional method. Nowadays, many restaurants will cook the Potato slivers quite soft. If this is your first time making Fiery Stir-Fried Potato Slivers, I would recommend keeping them slightly firm in order to master the cooking technique and familiarize yourself with the traditional texture and flavor. Once familiar, you can begin experimenting to find your preferred level of tenderness.

Because the name of this dish is based on the cooking technique and not the flavor profile, there are numerous ways to flavor this dish. The most common versions, nevertheless, will feature plenty of sizzling-spicy (麻辣) or fragrant-spicy (香辣) flavors. A mild version of this dish can be made by omitting Chilies and Sichuan Peppercorns entirely. Therefore, once the method for cooking has been mastered, experiment with varying amounts of Aromatics, Chilies, and Seasonings to get the perfect blend of spicy, salty, garlicky, or even slightly sweet. A quick an easy way to adjust the flavor is by changing the type of Brightening Oil. Instead of Sesame Oil, try Sichuan Pepper Oil (花椒油) for more sizzling flavor or Scallion Oil (葱油) for more fragrant flavor.

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 5 min

Total Time: 25 min

Serving: 2 people

Ingredients

1 large Potato (about 500 grams)

1 - 2 tsp. Salt

Aromatics
1 – 2 cloves of Garlic
1 1-inch cube of Ginger

Chilies
4 – 6 dried Red Chilies
1/4 tsp. Green Sichuan Peppercorns
1 small pinch of Cumin Seeds (Optional)

1 Tbsp. Vinegar

Peanut Oil

Seasonings
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 – 1 tsp. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Chicken Bouillon Powder
1/2 tsp. MSG
1/2 tsp. Onion Powder (Optional)

Brightening Oil
1/2 tsp. Sesame Oil

Directions

1.) Prepare and cut the Potatoes, placing the slivers into a large bowl:

• Wash and peel the Potatoes, discarding the skin.
• Cut off a thin slice from the flattest side of the Potato to give it a solid base when slicing.
• Place the Potato cut-side down on a cutting board and thinly slice the Potato lengthwise into 1/8-inch thin discs that resemble long chips.
• Stack each disc after every slice to keep the cutting board clean and the slicing efficient.
• When finished, spread the stack of Potato slices across the cutting board like spreading a deck of cards. (For right-handed people, spread from right to left).
• Chop or slice the Potato slices into long, thin slivers which should be about as thick as a matchstick and as long as possible.
• Place the Potato slivers in a large bowl for washing.

2.) Fill the bowl of Potato slivers with water, massage them gently, and then drain the water. Fill the bowl with water again and add 1 – 2 tsp. of Salt. Allow the slivers to soak for about 5 to 10 minutes to remove their extra starch.

3.) Prepare the Aromatics by peeling and slicing the Garlic and Ginger. Set them aside in a small bowl.

(The Aromatics for this dish are often sliced or left in somewhat large pieces. This is because the searing hot Oil in the wok would quickly burn finely minced Garlic before the Potato slivers were ever added. The larger pieces of Garlic will become golden and crispy throughout the frying process without burning. The pieces are also easy to eat around later. If wanting to use minced Aromatics, you can do so by adding them after the Potatoes. However, the flavor of the Aromatics will be slightly different in the finished dish).

4.) Cut the Red Chilies in half or into 1/2-inch pieces and discard most of the seeds. Place them in a small bowl for Chilies along with the Sichuan Peppercorns and Cumin.

5.) Massage the Potato slivers and gently wring them out underwater several times to remove as much starch as possible. Pour the Potato slivers into a colander to drain them thoroughly.

6.) Fill a large pot with 3 Liters of Water and heat on high until boiling. Add a liberal tablespoon of Vinegar and pour in the Potato slivers. Cook the Potato slivers, stirring constantly, for about 20 seconds before removing them with a wire strainer and draining the water.

(This step will remove most of the remaining starch and give the Potatoes a great texture once they are stir-fried. But don’t overcook the Potatoes at this step. They should still be quite firm and a bit raw).

7.) Heat about 1/4 cup of Peanut Oil in a seasoned wok on medium-high heat until lightly smoking with the ‘Breath of the Wok’ (锅气). Remove the wok from heat and add Aromatics stir-frying them for just a second until fragrant.

8.) Immediately, add the bowl of Chilies, stirring everything constantly for just another second until fragrant.

9.) Add the Potato slivers, return the wok to heat, and stir-fry them quickly to evaporate all water from the surface of the slivers. Stir-fry the Potatoes for about 40 seconds or until they have reached your preferred level of softness.

(For a convection top or electric stove, when returning the wok to heat, increase the heat to high. This will allow water to more quickly evaporate from the Potatoes and give them a flavor and texture similar to that of Potatoes stir-fried in a wok set over a high-powered flame. Stir-Fried Potato slivers will often have just a touch of firmness at most restaurants and are not meant to be soft and mushy).

10.) Remove the wok from heat and add the Seasonings (Salt, Sugar, Chicken Bouillon, MSG, Onion Powder). Return the wok to heat just long enough to toss everything together.

11.) Drizzle in the Brightening Oil (Sesame Oil) and give a final stir. Plate the delicious Fiery Stir-Fried Potato Slivers and serve it alongside other Sichuan dishes.

 

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