Vegan Chinese Mashed Potato Cakes
韭菜花薯餅
Mashed potato cake is one of my favourite potato dishes. It’s crunchy, fluffy and easy to make with simple ingredients. I like to add a little green vegetable in my mashed potato for a different texture, and fresher taste, such as some finely chopped spring onion. As I mentioned in my recent post, it’s spring now and garlic chive, or similar vegetable, is seasonal, particularly fresh, sweet, crispy and juicy. Garlic chive is native to Shanxi, China. But it can be obtained easily elsewhere in the world and even cultivated at home, just like many other herbs, such as spring onion, or basil.
In this recipe, I use garlic chive with buds. It tastes similar to the usual garlic chive but crispier and juicier. This is a Chinese version of mashed potato cake recipe. Some other Asian ingredients would be used also, for vegetarian, fried garlic or onion chips, for non-vegetarian, try mini dry shrimps. Instead of breadcrumbs, cornstarch will be used to coat and set the cake before pan-frying. Cornstarch would not easily get burnt and can form a crispy thin coating.
Ingredients –
- Garlic chive, a bunch, 100g;
- Potato, 2, 600g;
- Fried onion or garlic chips, 3tbsp
- Mini dried shrimp, 2tbsp, optional
- Cornstarch, 5tbsp
- Salt, 1/2tsp
- Sugar, 1/2tsp
- Black pepper, 1/2tsp
How to do –
1. Potatoes peeled, chopped into chunks, then steamed till cooked through. Or poach in water, but I like them steamed;
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2. Potatoes mashed roughly or smoothly, I prefer it not too smooth. Seasoned with 1/2tsp of salt, pepper and sugar, mix well then cool down a little;
3. Cut off 1 inch long of the tough root part of the chives, then finely chop into small dices;
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4. Mix the garlic chives into the mashed potato;
5. I make two flavours, one portion with 3tbsp of fried garlic or onion chips, one with 2tbsp of dried mini shrimps (they should be soaked in water for 5 minutes, then stir-fried till fragrant);
6. Make small flat cakes, press tightly, then dust a thin layer of cornstarch on the cakes;
7. You could deep-fry but I usually prefer pan-fry. Pan-fry with a non-stick skillet. I would suggest using more oil than your usual pan-frying, a bit like semi deep-frying. In medium high heat, pan-fry till golden both sides, it shouldn’t take long since all ingredients are actually cooked.
（中文食谱）
用料
- 韭菜花 100克
- 马铃薯 2个，约600克
- 炸洋葱片 3汤匙
- 小虾米（选用，吃荤的朋友可以用） 2汤匙
- 太白粉 约5汤匙
- 盐、糖、黑胡椒 适量
做法
- 韭菜花更脆一点，用韭菜也行。小虾米泡水5分钟，再用一点油炒香；
- 马铃薯削皮后切块，蒸熟。也可以连皮水煮熟再去皮，这样可能要煮得久一点；
- 韭菜花切去根部约一寸长比较老的部分，然后切粒；
- 薯块压成泥，我喜欢留一点口感所以不会压得太细，加半茶匙盐、1茶匙糖、半茶匙现磨黑胡椒调味。在我的这个菜谱里薯泥里不加面粉。如果担心粘合得不好的朋友可以加两勺面粉搅拌均匀，但是煎的时候要注意小火慢煎，要不然面粉会不熟；
- 薯泥稍微放凉后放入韭菜花粒，注意不要在薯泥很热的时候放，会把韭菜花烘熟了，颜色就不青翠了；
- 薯泥分成两份，一份加入虾米；
- 另一份放炸蒜片或炸洋葱片；
- 揉成适口的小圆饼，做的时候用掌心压紧。扑上薄太白粉，把多余的拍走，只需要薄薄的一层；
- 用不粘锅煎至两面金黄。如果按我的菜谱，薯泥里面不加面粉，只需要把表面煎至金黄就可以了，用中火或中大火都没问题，太白粉没那么容易烧焦，油稍微放多一点，半煎炸。不嫌麻烦的朋友也可以用炸的；
- 刚煎好的薯饼比较软，稍微放凉一下就会硬挺一点了，这时候吃的口感是最好的。
