1red long cayenne chillideseeded and thinly sliced
2spring onionsthinly sliced
¼teaspoonSichuan pepperground in a mortar and pestle
¼teaspoonChinese 5-spice powder
¼teaspoonground white pepper
½teaspoonsea salt flakescrushed
Lettuce leaves, lemon wedges – to serve
Instructions
Peel the potatoes. Wash the dirt off the potatoes and dry them thoroughly with a paper towel. Cut them lengthways into quarters. Add the cut potatoes to a large, shallow bowl. Add cornflour, salt and pepper. Hold the bowl and move it in an upward motion to toss and coat the potatoes evenly and thickly with cornflour.
Heat 1/3 cup grapeseed oil in a large wok on medium-high. Gently lift the potatoes from the cornflour mix without shaking off the coating and add them to the wok. Increase heat to high and let the potatoes cook in the oil for 3-4 minutes until starting to turn golden and crisp up (do not toss or stir). Using large tongs, move the potatoes gently in the wok and turn them to cook the other side. (Reduce heat to medium-high if starting to brown too quickly) Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Once the potatoes are completely browned and crispy, shake the wok gently to cook the potatoes more evenly. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. When potatoes are done (test with a toothpick), remove them onto a large plate.
Give the wok a wipe and return to heat on high. Add a tablespoon of grapeseed oil. Add garlic and chilli. Stir-fry for a few seconds until fragrant. Add spring onions, Sichuan pepper, Chinese 5-spice powder, white pepper and sea salt flakes.
Add the cooked potatoes. Toss and move the wok in a swirly motion to coat the potatoes evenly with the seasoning. Stir-fry for a minute until piping hot and remove from heat.
Serve Salt And Pepper Chips immediately on a large platter with lettuce leaves and lemon wedges.
Notes
Potatoes – If you can’t find kipfler or fingerling potatoes, use Dutch Cream potatoes. They are similar in taste and texture to kipfler potatoes and hold their shape when wok-fried. They also go crispy on the outside while remaining buttery and creamy on the inside.Sichuan Pepper – If you can’t find Sichuan pepper, substitute with black pepper.Cooking Potatoes – I have used a shallow wok-frying technique for this dish. As I mentioned earlier, it is not a healthy option but produces the most authentic result. If you want a lighter version of this dish, add 3 tablespoons cornflour to the potatoes along with salt, pepper and a tablespoon of oil. Mix to coat the potatoes evenly. Air-fry (200°C/ 14 minutes) or Oven Bake (190°C/ 30 minutes). And then stir-fry the cooked potatoes as per the recipe.