Lao Nai Yang Yu (chinese Spicy Mashed Potatoes)

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 lb waxy potato
• 1/3 cup peanut oil or 1/3 cup canola oil
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed and sliced
• 4 whole dried red chilies, stem ends removed (optional)
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh fennel greens, chopped (optional)
• 2 teaspoons hot chinese chili paste (or to taste) (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• 1 peel potatoes, and dice into 1-inch cubes.
• 2 boil potatoes in water for 10 minutes or until done. drain water.
• 3 mash potatoes briefly with a hand masher--there should still be a lot of large lumps.
• 4 heat empty wok over highest heat until you can see heat rise from the surface.
• 5 add peanut oil and swirl in wok for a moment until heated.
• 6 add garlic cloves and chilies and toss in oil for a moment until fragrant. if the garlic starts to brown before you get the other ingredients added, move off heat for a moment.
• 7 add green onions, fennel, chili paste, and salt and stir-fry for a moment until ingredients are fully combined and green onion is wilted. (the fennel of yunnan has only leafy green parts, no bulb, so it resembles dillweed.).
• 8 add potatoes, stir-fry until ingredients are thoroughly combined and potatoes are heated through.
• 9 serves 4 as part of a chinese meal (a couple of meat dishes, a green vegetable, lao nai potatoes, a soup, and rice).