Let’s take a moment to appreciate this humble root vegetable. Baked, boiled, fried, or mashed, potatoes can be cooked in many different ways. Not only is it compatible with other ingredients, but it can also be the star of its own show. From simple deep-fried chips to the show-stopping Hasselback potatoes, here’s how the versatile potato has been embraced in global cuisine.
Canada
Born in the Quebec province of Canada, poutine is considered one of the country’s most iconic dishes. A Quebecois slang word for ‘mess’, this deliciously disheveled dish is a combination of French fries topped with meat gravy and salty cheese curds. Make sure you have plenty of napkins on hand.
Lebanon
Cubes of potatoes are fried with red peppers, chillies, garlic and coriander to create Lebanon’s beloved appetiser batata harra, which translates as spicy potatoes. Able to be knocked up in minutes, this dish is a staple of any mezze spread and is often found alongside hummus, moutabel, falafel and kaftas.
Korea
Gamjajeon is a savoury Korean appetiser that’s made with grated potatoes that are seasoned with salt and pan-fried until golden brown and crispy – think of them as an Asian version of a hash brown. While the snack can be a success using only potatoes, throwing in ingredients such as spring onions or chives adds extra flavour. To have it the Korean way, serve them with a tangy dipping sauce made of vinegar and soy.
Italy
Italy’s answer to dumplings, gnocchi are a variety of pasta that can be made of several ingredients but the most popular one is potato. In Italy, these plump dumplings are usually eaten as the first course of the meal. At home, you can turn them into hearty main courses with low-effort yet tasty sauces such as butter and sage or creamy mushroom.
England
Comfort food to the British and Irish, bangers and mash is a hearty meal of sausages and mashed potatoes with a side of onion gravy or fried onions and peas. A good mash can make or break the dish so be sure to use waxy potatoes and cut them in large cubes before boiling. Then add milk, salt, and butter and mash until your arm hurts.
India
A street favourite from the Maharashtra region of India, batata vadas are golf ball-sized potato fritters that are usually sandwiched between square bread buns and served with a spicy chutney and raw green chillies. To make the vadas, mashed potatoes are first sautéed with herbs and spices. The mixture is rolled into balls, which are then coated in a chickpea flour batter and deep-fried.
Sweden
Perhaps the prettiest way to have potatoes, Hasselback potatoes are baked potatoes that have been sliced halfway through to create a fan effect. Common toppings on this picture-perfect dish include paprika, caraway seeds, or breadcrumbs. They get their name from the restaurant where it was first created as a side dish in 1953, though over the years it has also been presented as a canape.
It’s a potato party
Here are just a few ways to put potatoes on your plate
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