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It would seem how you can spoil such a simple product. It turns out you can. Our mistakes do not always affect the taste, but they definitely affect the usefulness of the finished dish.
Potatoes are one of the most controversial foods in our diet. That nutritionists are united against it, they talk about a high glycemic index, the amount of starch and other terrible things. Then, on the contrary, they justify – there is a lot of vitamin C in potatoes, and other useful substances as well. True, in order for them to be preserved, it is important to prepare it correctly. Wday.ru has collected typical mistakes that we make when cooking potatoes.
Do not cut greens
Green skin is not just a color feature. This means that the most dangerous poison solanine began to be synthesized in the tuber under the influence of sunlight. Therefore, the greens must be cut off, no matter how deep it gets. It is even better not to eat such potatoes at all. It is unlikely that it, of course, can be poisoned to death, but digestive problems can be acquired once or twice.
Put in unheated oil
First, heat a frying pan, pour oil on a hot surface, wait until it heats up, only then put the chopped potatoes. Not everyone can withstand this simple sequence of actions: long, boring. And in vain. If you put potatoes in poorly heated oil, then it: a) will stick to the pan, and you will have to tear it off while stirring; b) absorbs a lot of oil, it will turn out to be very oily. In addition, you will not wait for a crispy crust in this situation.
Don’t rinse the sliced potatoes
It would seem, why? She’s already clean. And then, to wash off excess starch from it. This is especially true if you are going to make French fries: it is because of the starch on the surface that you cannot achieve the coveted crisp crust. Therefore, the chopped potatoes must be rinsed, discarded in a colander and dried on a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Cook without peel
All the most useful substances in potatoes are concentrated in the peel and directly under it. When we peel the tubers, we voluntarily throw everything we need into the bucket. In addition, during cooking, minerals and vitamins under the influence of high temperature decompose much faster in peeled potatoes. Cooked in a uniform, it will turn out to be much more useful. Better yet, eat potatoes with their skins. True, you will have to wash it conscientiously.
Fill with hot water
It’s really faster this way: pour boiling water over the potatoes, they boil almost immediately, wait twenty minutes – you’re done. True, the dish looks so-so: the tubers are “shaggy”. This is because boiling water scalds the surface of the potato, outside it cooks very quickly, but inside it remains cold. And while you wait until it is completely cooked, the surface will crack, the potatoes will pick up water and become not only unsympathetic, but also not very tasty.
Salt water in advance
Salt water boils faster, this is physics. But if it makes sense to salt water for pasta in advance, then potatoes – no. It should be salted only after boiling. Otherwise, the tubers will absorb too much sodium chloride, and our body, already suffering from the hardships of the pandemic, will also receive a shock dose of salt.
We bake from scratch
If you start baking potatoes with chicken, then the chicken will be ready in 30-40 minutes, and the potatoes – as if they had just been put in the oven. And all because in this case it is worth breaking the rule of potatoes and boiling water. First you need to cut the tubers into quarters (or whatever you like), put them in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, depending on the size, and only then put them on a baking sheet.