Three Layer Cake

Quick and Tasty Yunnanese Potatoes

[jiaxiang tudou – YUNAN]

This is slightly chile-hot and very, very good, either hot from the wok or at room temperature.  Serve as part of a rice meal with grilled or stir-fried meat, some lightly flavored Chinese greens, and a soup.  It also makes great leftovers, cold or reheated.  We like the leftovers topped by lightly stir-fried greens and a fried egg.  No extra seasoning needed.

• 2 pounds potatoes (see Note)
• 3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 5 Thai dried red chiles
• 1 cup finely chopped scallions or a mixture of scallions and chives or garlic shoots
• 1 teaspoon salt
  

Wash the potatoes well but do not peel unless the skins are very old and tough.  Boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until just cooked. Drain and put back in the hot pot to dry.  When cool enough to handle, slide off the skins if you wish.  Coarsely chop the potatoes or break them into large bite-sized pieces. 

Heat a wok over high heat.  Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan, then toss in the chiles.  Stir-fry briefly until they puff, about 30 seconds, then add the potatoes and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, pressing the potatoes against the hot sides of the wok to sear them.  Add the chopped scallions or greens and salt and stir-fry for another 2 minutes.  Turn out onto a plate and serve hot or at room temperature. 

SERVES 4 to 6 as part of a rice meal 

NOTE:  You can use leftover boiled potatoes for this dish.  The proportions above are for about 6 cups cut-up potatoes.  If you begin with less, reduce the amount of greens and chiles proportionately.  And your potatoes may already be salted, so be cautious as you add salt to taste.
 

[Recipe reproduced with permission from the authors from Hot Sour Salty Sweet: A culinary journey through southeast Asia, by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid, copyright 2000.  Food styling by Sandra Cook, studio photography by Richard Jung.  Artisan Books.]