Sichuan Potato Pepper Salad
/Have you tried green Sichuan peppercorns? If not, then highly recommend you do - as it’s citrusy & floral aroma with more potent numbing kick makes a dish quite unique! Here’s presenting Potato Batons & Peppers dressed in spiced numbing oil tempered with soy-vinegar duo - a house favorite that we often have it alongside dumplings or cold noodles.
Ingredients (serves 6-8 as a side)
500g Yukon Gold/Yellow Potatoes (waxy variety), julienned or super thin batons
1 small red bell pepper, julienned
2 Jalapeño, de-seeded & julienned
4 scallions, thinly sliced
15g Cilantro (including stems), finely chopped
Numbing Oil
1/2-3/4 tsp Green Sichuan Peppercorns, (sub Red Variety); adjust based on your tolerance for numbing sensation
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tsp Coriander seeds
1 pod Black Cardamom or 4 Green Cardamom pods, seeds removed
1 tsp Chili Flakes
1.5 tsp Sugar
3/4 tsp Salt
45ml Neutral Oil
Dressing
3 tbsp Light Soy Sauce (substitute with Tamari for GF and with Coco Aminos for Soy-free)
1.5 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
Garnish
1 tsp Toasted Green Sichuan Peppercorns (optional)
1 tbsp Roasted Sesame Seeds
Chopped Cilantro
Directions
🥗 In a small pan, add first 7 ingredients of Numbing Oil. On medium flame, dry roast for 3-4 mins. Now transfer everything on to mortar pestle or spice grinder to coarsely grind the aromatics. In a large heatproof bowl, add scallions & ground aromatics & heat up oil until shimmering. Pour the hot oil onto the aromatics, mix well & cover. Keep it aside
🥗 Bring a large pot of water to boil. Set up an ice bath in a large bowl or fill a large strainer with ice. Line a large baking sheet or your kitchen work surface with paper towels. Once vigorously boiling add potato batons. Cook for 5 mins then transfer them straight into the ice bath or ice lined strainer to stop the cooking. Transfer them on to the paper towel lined sheet/surface, to remove as much moisture as possible
🥗 Now add julienned peppers & half quantity of cilantro to the bowl with aromatic oil. Add dried potato batons into the bowl, give everything a gentle mix. Now add all dressing ingredients with remaining cilantro. Mix, mix & mix (but gentle enough to not to break the potatoes). Let it sit & flavors come together for 1-2 hrs
🥗 Garnish with Sichuan peppercorns, sesame seeds & cilantro. Serve right away!