Potatoes

[onnut]

hi there,

does anyone know where I could buy Potatoes that would be good for English Chippy type chips please?

The ones I have tried seem to have too much sugar and go brown before they are cooked. I am looking for the ones that cook all the way through and stay soft not crispy, just like the ones back in England.

thank you

[cinbkk]

Very hard to find good potatoes for making good chippy chips in BKK. I was recently reading a site about Belgian fries, and one writer said the only decent ones he could find came from the North of Thailand.

[Xonax]

Try Foodland. They have several types of potatoes.

[msg362]

hi there,

does anyone know where I could buy Potatoes that would be good for English Chippy type chips please?

The ones I have tried seem to have too much sugar and go brown before they are cooked. I am looking for the ones that cook all the way through and stay soft not crispy, just like the ones back in England.

thank you

Here in Chiang Mai I find the big potatoes are great, I've bought them from supermarkets and from local markets. I cut them into large British sized chips, then par boil them ( about 4-5 min) drain, cool and then cook in hot oil. Great. I think the parboiling will reduce the sugar content. Also ,since they are part cooked, you can use really hot oil.

Good luck

[Carlosm]

hi there,

does anyone know where I could buy Potatoes that would be good for English Chippy type chips please?

The ones I have tried seem to have too much sugar and go brown before they are cooked. I am looking for the ones that cook all the way through and stay soft not crispy, just like the ones back in England.

thank you

Buy the usual Thai style potatoes, cut them into chip size pieces. Boil them for 10 minutes. Let them cool then put them into the fridge until cold then fry them as normally would.

Crisp on the outside and soft in the middle ... mmmmmmmmm

[QED]

I discovered the par-boiling method by accident, I thought hey it works for roast potatoes, why not chips?

I thought I was a bit weird and kept it secret, glad to be vindicated by a few on here.

OP - par-boiling is the way to go, but don't tell your local chippy owner back home

[noudb]

That's great advice, I have been trying many things without any luck, but not the boiling step.

Will be trying it this evening for sure.

Thanks

[getgoin]

It is important to get potatoes that have not been refrigerated. Refrigeration changes the sugar/starch content and that is why they quickly turn brown.

In Chiang Mai it is best to look for firm large potatoes that look like they have come from black dirt.

Another way to tell is to buy 1 potato, take it home and try it. If it works alright then buy more. Do not refrigerate.

Par boiling works or the double fry method.

Edited August 16, 2009 by getgoin

[Daren]

It is important to get potatoes that have not been refrigerated. Refrigeration changes the sugar/starch content and that is why they quickly turn brown.

I've never heard that and found no mention on any site on the webernet. If you know something I don't, as per how the sugar/starch changes exactly, I'd be curious. What I do know is that the browning effect in potatoes (and apples) is due to a enzymes inside the cells reacting with oxygen. It is very much like your veggies rusting! This undesirable effect is avoidable though, just place the cut potatoes in water either on the counter or in the refrigerator.

All the good recipes I know call for the potatoes to be cooled prior to frying, but hey, who knows?!

[getgoin]

It is important to get potatoes that have not been refrigerated. Refrigeration changes the sugar/starch content and that is why they quickly turn brown.

I've never heard that and found no mention on any site on the webernet. If you know something I don't, as per how the sugar/starch changes exactly, I'd be curious. What I do know is that the browning effect in potatoes (and apples) is due to a enzymes inside the cells reacting with oxygen. It is very much like your veggies rusting! This undesirable effect is avoidable though, just place the cut potatoes in water either on the counter or in the refrigerator.

All the good recipes I know call for the potatoes to be cooled prior to frying, but hey, who knows?!

Refrigerated meaning refrigeration of the raw potato. Once they are par boiled or par fried refrigeration is the norm.

The browning effect we are talking about is not the browning that you get when you cut a raw potato or a raw apple. It is a reaction to the high sugar content in the potato.

In doing a bit of research my self I found that certain varieties of potatoes increase their sugar content during storage. In any event we usually stay away from any potatoes that have been refrigerated.

[getgoin]

Here's some info on this at, http://www.potatoes.com/SelectionAndCooking.cfm

Storage for Potatoes To Be French Fried. For the very best French fries, Washington russet potatoes should be stored at 45°-50°F from harvest until ready to use. If stored at temperatures below 45° (in a refrigerator, for example) the starch turns to sugar and the fries will turn dark, caramelize and soak up the cooking oil, making them greasy when cooked. Potatoes out of storage in the late fall/early winter are best for fresh-cut French fries.