Honest Toil Infused Chilli Oil & Sichuan Stir-Fried Shredded Potato

A crisp Sichuan stir-fried shredded potato, finished with a Honest Toil olive oil infused with Sichuan peppercorns and chilli

This recipe is from our At Home With series featuring writer, community organiser and Celestial Peach founder, Jenny Lau.

"I'm not much of a recipe writer but I do read a lot of them! I tend to cook with all my senses and draw from my experience to judge timings and quantities. All I can say is: practice makes practice, and taste as you go. Enjoy!"

Honest Toil Infused Chilli Oil

Ingredients

• A few tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
• A couple of dried chillies (Jenny used dried bird's-eye chillies)
• 200ml Honest Toil extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Wash and thoroughly dry the Sichuan peppercorns and dried chillies. Use any dried chillies you have to hand, being mindful that different chillies have different flavours and spice levels.
2. In a small saucepan, gently heat the Honest Toil olive oil to no more than 80°C – you don't want to degrade its flavour. Add the spices and turn the heat down to the lowest setting. After 5 minutes, turn the heat off. When the oil is cool enough, decant it into an airtight jar, along with the spices. After a couple of days you will have a delicately infused chilli oil, perfect for dressing. Either keep the spices in the oil to develop its flavour, or strain the oil.

Sichuan Stir-Fried Shredded Potato

Ingredients

• 2 medium size all-round potatoes, like a Maris Piper, peeled and julienned into matchsticks
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 tbsp neutral vegetable oil
• 1 dried chilli, diced
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp chicken powder
• 1 pinch salt, to taste
• 1 mild red chilli, deseeded and julienned into matchsticks
• Honest Toil infused chilli oil, to dress

Method

1. Soak the julienned potato in cold water for 20 minutes to release the starches from the potato. Change the water a few times until it looks clear. This will help the potatoes maintain their crispness when stir frying.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan until it starts to smoke.
3. Add the dried chilli, Sichuan peppercorns and garlic to the wok and immediately take them slightly off the heat, moving them around the wok quickly so that they don't burn.
4. After 30 seconds, add the shredded potatoes and continue to stir fry for another few minutes on high heat, making sure all the pieces are coated in some oil and touch the wok.
5. When the potatoes start to look translucent, add all the seasoning, as well as the julienned chilli. Keep stir frying on high heat and taste a matchstick to ensure it's cooked. The potato should be crisp and 'al dente' but not raw.
6. Plate up your shredded potato and drizzle over some of the infused chilli oil.
7. Garnish with some optional freshly picked coriander or diced spring onions.