Hunan-Style Sesame New Potatoes with Cumin and Chili Sauce
2 min readThe largest community of Uyghurs in China outside Xinjiang Province is in south-central Hunan. Their influence upon the local cuisine is apparent in these cumin-scented potatoes, one of my favorite Chinese potato dishes, but one that’s not for those with tender palates. If desired, reduce the amount of hot oil and chili paste by up to one-half.
MAKES 5 TO 6 SERVINGS
1 1⁄4 pounds small new potatoes, unpeeled, left whole
1 tablespoon toasted (dark) sesame oil
1 tablespoon Chinese hot oil
2 teaspoons whole cumin seed
1 to 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1⁄2 teaspoon coarse salt
1⁄4 cup tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon Chinese chili paste
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 to 3 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
In a medium stockpot, bring the potatoes and enough salted water to cover to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat slightly and boil until tender but not mushy, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on size. Drain and let cool slightly. (At this point, potatoes can be held up to 1 hour at room temperature before proceeding; alternatively, completely cooled potatoes can be refrigerated up to 12 hours before returning to room temperature and continuing with the recipe.) In a wok or large nonstick skillet, heat both oils over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, cumin, sesame seeds, and salt; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the ketchup, chili paste, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar. Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the scallion greens and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Serve warm.
{PER SERVING} Calories 150 • Protein 3g • Total Fat 6g • Sat Fat 1g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 23g • Dietary Fiber 2g • Sodium 459mg
