Why Do You Need To Scratch Potatoes With A Fork Before Frying

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Scratching potatoes with a fork to fry them better than my mother-in-law

Living with my husband and mother-in-law, I have repeatedly heard criticism about my cooking, mainly from the mother of my beloved. Sometimes such statements were offensive, but they pushed me to want to improve my cooking. For example, I now cook fried potatoes in such a way that even my mother-in-law asks for more. I am sharing with you a recipe for making the most popular potato dish crispy and aromatic.

The subtlety is to scratch each tuber with a fork. In this case, you do not need to make too deep grooves, it is enough to walk a couple of times. It is thanks to the corrugated surface that a crust forms. The texture allows the vegetables to absorb all the spices, seasonings and sauces that you add when cooking. And to make the dish even more delicious, I will tell you a few secrets.

No matter how you scrape the tubers with a fork, the potatoes will not be tasty and crispy if you choose the wrong variety. When buying vegetables, pay attention to their peel - it should be yellowish and smooth. If the peel is rough, purchase such potatoes only with the intention of boiling or mashed potatoes - fried potatoes made from such tubers will not be tasty.

The point is in the high starch content, on which the cooking result directly depends. Chefs know that the starch level in potatoes should not exceed 16% for a dish to be perfect. But in the market, you can hardly get such information, so take my advice and be guided by appearance.

If you did buy starchy potatoes, proper preparation for frying will help to achieve the desired result. Pour water into a large saucepan, bring to a boil, and lower the potatoes for 5 minutes, stirring gently during this time. Then rinse the roots with cold water and lay on a towel to dry a little. This trick will help you get rid of excess starch.

An alternative would be to rinse three times. If I get a starchy variety, I wash the potatoes three times - before peeling, after it, and immediately before frying. So the excess starch is washed off no worse than with a short boil.

When starting to fry potatoes, make sure the pan is deep enough and the oil is well heated. There is no need to pour the roots "with a slide" - you will not be able to mix them properly. As a result, the bottom layer will burn, and the top one will steam, and you get a mess. Spread the slices evenly over the pan and stir with a special wooden spatula - this will not break them apart. It is better to salt and pepper potatoes at the very end of cooking. The dish will turn out to be crispy and mouth-watering.