Spicy Mashed Potatoes

2 large white potatoes (of any kind) 

3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3-4 spring onions, finely sliced into rings, keeping the whites and the greens separate

1 large red chilli

Handful pickled mustard greens (swapsies: Sichuan Ya Cai / sauerkraut / kimchi / a mix of finely chopped gherkins and capers)

1 baby fennel, roughly chopped

The Dry Spices

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

½ teaspoon chilli powder 

½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, finely ground to a powder

½ teaspoon salt

The Sauce

1 - 2 tablespoons Lao Gan Ma chilli oil / Chiu Chow Chilli Oil

Peel the potatoes and slice into roughly 2cm chunks, placing on a heat proof plate or tray that can fit into a steamer or wok. Steam for 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft and fork tender.

Mix ‘The Dry Spices’ together

Build your wok clock: Start at 12 o’clock with your garlic, followed by finely sliced spring onion white parts, ‘The Dry Spices’, pickled vegetables (of your choice), fennel and lastly the steamed potatoes and salt.

Heat 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok to a medium heat. Add the garlic and continue work your way around the wok clock, up until the pickled vegetables, stir-frying for 10-15 seconds between each addition. 

Add the pickled vegetables in the wok, then stir fry for a further 30 seconds to a minute before you add the fennel and stir fry for a further 2 minutes. 

Lastly, add the steamed potatoes and start to mash them, whilst continuously folding the spices into the potatoes as you go. Stir fry and fold the potatoes together for 1-2 minutes until mashed and well mixed.

Garnish with the spring onion greens and then pour the chilli oil over the top to serve.