Shredded Potato Pancakes

🥔 Chinese Shredded Potato Pancakes 

This is a simple, savory, and crispy dish, perfect as a side, breakfast, or snack.

🍽️ Yields: 4-6 small pancakes

⏱️ Prep time: 15 minutes

🍳 Cook time: 10 minutes

🛒 Ingredients

For the Pancakes:

• 2 large potatoes (about 500g / 1 lb), preferably Russet or starchy varieties

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions (green onions)

• 3-4 tablespoons cooking oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut oil) for frying

For the Dipping Sauce (Optional, but recommended):

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

• A pinch of chili flakes or a small dash of chili oil (optional)

🔪 Instructions

1. Prepare the Potatoes (The most important step!)

• Peel the potatoes and rinse them well.

• Using a mandolin slicer with a shredding blade or a box grater (coarse side), shred the potatoes into thin, uniform strips (julienne style). They should look like very thin matchsticks.

• Place the shredded potatoes in a large bowl and rinse them under cold water 2-3 times until the water runs mostly clear. This removes excess starch, which helps the pancakes become crispy.

• Drain the potatoes thoroughly. You can place them in a salad spinner or firmly press them with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.

2. Make the Batter

• To the well-drained shredded potatoes, add the flour, salt, white pepper, and chopped scallions.

• Mix everything together until the flour is evenly distributed and coats the potato shreds. You don't need to add water; the residual moisture from the potatoes will be enough to create a light "glue" with the flour. The mixture should hold together when pressed.

3. Fry the Pancakes

• Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.

• When the oil is hot, take a handful of the potato mixture and place it in the skillet. Use the back of a spatula to press it down into a flat, round pancake (about 1/2 inch thick and 4-5 inches wide).

• Cook for 4-6 minutes on the first side, or until the bottom is a deep golden-brown and crispy.

• Carefully flip the pancake, add a little more oil to the skillet if needed, and cook for another 4-5 minutes on the second side until it is also golden-brown and cooked through. The center should be soft, but the exterior should be crunchy.

• Remove the finished pancakes and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

4. Serve

• While the pancakes are cooking, quickly mix the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a small bowl.

• Serve the Tǔdòu Sī Bǐng immediately while they are hot and crispy, alongside the dipping sauce.

🧑‍🍳 Pro Tips for Success

• Get Rid of Starch: The key to a crispy pancake is removing the surface starch. Do not skip the rinsing and draining steps!

• Uniform Shreds: Try to keep the potato shreds a uniform thickness so they cook evenly. If they are too thick, the inside might not cook properly.

• Don't Overcrowd: Cook only 1-2 pancakes at a time, depending on your skillet size, to maintain the pan temperature and ensure a good crisp.