Name: Sichuan Potato Pancakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 14 min
Yield: Makes 2 pancakes
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 2 potatoes (about 500g/1 lb), peeled; 1/4 cup potato starch (not to be confused with potato flour!); 2 tsp soy sauce; 2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns*; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 spring onions (scallions), trimmed, finely sliced, plus extra to serve; 1 egg, lightly beaten; vegetable oil, for cooking; fried eggs, to serve (optional); fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve (optional); Spicy sauce; 2 tbsp chilli crisp (try my homemade version here)*; 1 clove garlic, peeled, finely chopped; 2 tsp soy sauce; 2 tsp sesame oil; 2 tsp Chinese black vinegar*; 1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar; 2 tsp sesame seeds

Sichuan Potato Pancakes

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OMG, these potato pancakes are sooo good. Super crispy on the outside, they’re like a Chinese version of a hash brown, and are perfect with fried eggs and spicy chilli oil. While they’re an ideal weekend breakfast idea, you could eat them any time. Try adding chunks of pan-fried Chinese sausage to the mix, too.

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Sichuan Potato Pancakes

PREP TIME

15 minutes

COOK TIME

14 minutes

SERVES

Makes 2 pancakes

Ingredients

2 potatoes (about 500g/1 lb), peeled

1/4 cup potato starch (not to be confused with potato flour!)

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns*

1/2 tsp salt

2 spring onions (scallions), trimmed, finely sliced, plus extra to serve

1 egg, lightly beaten

vegetable oil, for cooking

fried eggs, to serve (optional)

fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve (optional)

Spicy sauce

2 tbsp chilli crisp (try my homemade chilli crisps recipe here)*

1 clove garlic, peeled, finely chopped

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp Chinese black vinegar*

1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar

2 tsp sesame seeds

Steps

For the dipping sauce, stir everything together in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
Moving on to the pancakes, use a box grater to grate the potatoes. Immediately transfer to a clean kitchen tea towel or muslin cloth. Gather around the potato then, using your hands, squeeze and wring to remove as much liquid from the potato as you can.
Transfer the grated potato to a large bowl. Add the potato starch, soy sauce, ground peppercorns, salt, spring onion and egg. Give everything a good mix until it’s well combined (it helps to get in there with your hands, I reckon!).
Heat about 1 tbsp of oil in a small, heavy-based frying pan, over medium-low heat. Add half the potato mixture, then spread it out using the back of a spoon to form a round about 15cm (6 inches) across.
Cook for 6-7 minutes, or until deep golden on the underside, then turn over and cook the other side for 6-7 minutes or until golden. Keep the pancake warm while you cook the remaining mixture, adding about 1 tbsp oil more for cooking.
If you’re serving with fried eggs, start cooking your eggs in another pan, using a little oil and over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes before the pancakes are finished cooking. Serve with a fried egg, and drizzle over as much spicy sauce as you like. Sprinkle with extra spring onion and garnish with coriander.
Notes:

– Chinese black vinegar, also known as Chinkiang vinegar, is available in Asian grocery stores. However, if you are unable to find it, substitute it with half balsamic and half white vinegar.

– I like to use red Sichuan peppercorns. To get the most flavour out of them, buy them whole, then give them a light toast in a hot, fry pan to release all the oils and aroma before transferring to a pestle and mortar and grinding. You can still buy pre-ground, but it won’t be as intense or aromatic then doing it adhoc. Find out more about the different types of peppercorn varieties here.

How do you keep potato pancakes from getting soggy?

There’s a couple of tips and tricks that help make sure your potato pancakes aren’t at risk of getting soggy!

The first one is making sure you squeeze out a majority of the liquid from the potatoes – you do this by encasing the grated taters in a tea towel and squeezing out AS MUCH liquid as possible.

The other way to put an end to soggy pancakes is to fry them until they are crispy, crunchy and deep golden brown – no one wants an undercooked Asian potato pancake!

What are Asian potato pancakes made of?

Asian potato pancakes, that are pretty much a Chinese version of a hash brown, actually have a super simple ingredient list, first is potatoes (obvi!), then you need spring onions, sichuan peppercorns, soy sauce and potato starch!

Voila! Your next feast of Asian potato pancakes is sorted!

What are sichuan peppercorns?

Sichuan peppercorns are a delish addition to these Asian potato pancakes, they give your mouth a numbing or tingling sensation whilst also adding layers of flavour and levels of spice! Red sichuan peppercorns are used in this recipe, which you should be able to get your hands on at your local Asian grocer.

What should I serve Asian potato pancakes with?

If you’re on the hunt for the ultimate breakfast meal, this is THE one. Serve these Asian potato pancakes with a fried egg and LOADS of spicy sauce – homemade chilli crisp is a great pairing – and you have the true breakfast of champions!

15-minute meals 30-minute meals Appetisers Breakfast Brunch Chinese cuisine Comfort food Dinner Eggs Holiday season Lunch Meat-free Sides Snacks

FROM THE SHOP

Sichuan Potato Pancakes

OMG, these potato pancakes are sooo good. Super crispy on the outside, they’re like a Chinese version of a hash brown, and are perfect with fried eggs and spicy chilli oil. While they’re an ideal weekend breakfast idea, you could eat them any time. Try adding chunks of pan-fried Chinese sausage to the mix, too.
PREP TIME	15 minutes
COOK TIME	14 minutes
SERVES	Makes 2 pancakes

Ingredients

2 potatoes (about 500g/1 lb), peeled

1/4 cup potato starch (not to be confused with potato flour!)

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns*

1/2 tsp salt

2 spring onions (scallions), trimmed, finely sliced, plus extra to serve

1 egg, lightly beaten

vegetable oil, for cooking

fried eggs, to serve (optional)

fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve (optional)

Spicy sauce

2 tbsp chilli crisp (try my homemade chilli crisps recipe here)*

1 clove garlic, peeled, finely chopped

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp Chinese black vinegar*

1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar

2 tsp sesame seeds

Steps

For the dipping sauce, stir everything together in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
Moving on to the pancakes, use a box grater to grate the potatoes. Immediately transfer to a clean kitchen tea towel or muslin cloth. Gather around the potato then, using your hands, squeeze and wring to remove as much liquid from the potato as you can.
Transfer the grated potato to a large bowl. Add the potato starch, soy sauce, ground peppercorns, salt, spring onion and egg. Give everything a good mix until it’s well combined (it helps to get in there with your hands, I reckon!).
Heat about 1 tbsp of oil in a small, heavy-based frying pan, over medium-low heat. Add half the potato mixture, then spread it out using the back of a spoon to form a round about 15cm (6 inches) across.
Cook for 6-7 minutes, or until deep golden on the underside, then turn over and cook the other side for 6-7 minutes or until golden. Keep the pancake warm while you cook the remaining mixture, adding about 1 tbsp oil more for cooking.
If you’re serving with fried eggs, start cooking your eggs in another pan, using a little oil and over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes before the pancakes are finished cooking. Serve with a fried egg, and drizzle over as much spicy sauce as you like. Sprinkle with extra spring onion and garnish with coriander.
Notes:

– Chinese black vinegar, also known as Chinkiang vinegar, is available in Asian grocery stores. However, if you are unable to find it, substitute it with half balsamic and half white vinegar.

– I like to use red Sichuan peppercorns. To get the most flavour out of them, buy them whole, then give them a light toast in a hot, fry pan to release all the oils and aroma before transferring to a pestle and mortar and grinding. You can still buy pre-ground, but it won’t be as intense or aromatic then doing it adhoc. Find out more about the different types of peppercorn varieties here.

Bekxy K

August 17, 2023

Loved these potato Pancakes!!

Thanks to Marion I am now going down the rabbit hole of more and more chinese ingredients in my Mumbai tiny kitchen!! But seriously loved making these pancakes for breakfast today. Prep took me more time esp grating the potatoes and assembling everything. Marion, your Mum might just be impressed with how my fried egg turned out ha ha! Cant see option to share picture here. I have shared on ur fb post for this recipe. Also I love the attention to detail in your recipe, unlike many recipe blogs no mistakes and even salt has a measuring amount. I even got a muslin cloth to remove all the water. The pancakes were nice and crispy just like u said, in my non stick pan. For fried egg used stainless steel kadhai

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