Gamja-bokkeum (Korean Stir-Fried Potatoes)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide 10 to 12 inch skillet or well-seasoned nonstick pan
• •Sharp knife or mandoline with julienne guard
• •Mixing bowl for rinsing
• •Clean kitchen towel

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the potatoes

   Cut the potatoes into matchsticks about 1/8 inch thick and 2 to 2 1/2 inches long. Do not make them hair-thin. They need enough body to stay separate in the pan and still taste like potato. If the pieces are different sizes, the dish will tell on you.

2. 2

   Rinse and soak

   Put the cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water and swish them hard with your hand. Drain, refill, and repeat once or twice until the water is mostly clear. Cover with fresh cold water and soak 10 minutes. This removes surface starch so the potatoes stir-fry cleanly instead of sticking together.

   Russet potatoes need the full rinse and soak. Waxy potatoes need it too, just less dramatically. The water will tell you how much starch you are dealing with.
3. 3

   Drain hard

   Drain the potatoes well, then spread them on a clean towel and pat them dry. Water in the pan makes them steam and soften before they can fry. A little dampness is fine; dripping wet is not.

4. 4

   Start the onion

   Heat a wide skillet over medium heat and add the neutral oil. Add the onion and cook 1 minute, just until it begins to soften at the edges. The onion goes first because it gives sweetness to the oil, but it should not brown.

5. 5

   Cook the potatoes

   Add the drained potatoes, carrot if using, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Stir and lift with chopsticks or a spatula for 4 to 5 minutes, keeping the heat at medium. The pieces should turn a little translucent at the edges but still hold their shape. If the pan seems dry, add the measured 1 tablespoon water and cover for 1 minute, then uncover and keep stirring.

6. 6

   Season lightly

   Taste one thick piece. If it is tender with a faint bite in the center, add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt only if it needs it. Add the green chili or bell pepper, if using, and cook 1 minute more. The color should stay pale and clean, not browned like hash potatoes.

7. 7

   Finish off heat

   Turn off the heat. Add the toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, and a pinch of pepper if you like. Toss gently so the sesame oil perfumes the potatoes instead of frying away. Serve warm, room temperature, or packed into a lunchbox after cooling.

Chef Tips

• •Use medium-starch potatoes if you can, Yukon Gold or Korean yellow potatoes. Russets work, but rinse them more thoroughly and handle them gently once they soften.
• •A nonstick or well-seasoned skillet is allowed here. 시대가 바뀌면 음식도 바뀌어야 해요. When times change, food must change too. The pan can be modern; the knife work cannot.
• •Do not add soy sauce if you want the pale lunchbox style. Soy sauce makes a good darker variation, but then you are cooking a different mood of banchan.
• •For meal prep, stop cooking when the thickest piece has only just turned tender. It will soften a little more as it cools, and it will not fall apart in tomorrow's lunchbox.

Advance Preparation

• •The potatoes can be cut and held in cold water up to 4 hours ahead in the refrigerator. Drain and dry them right before cooking, or they will sputter and soften in the pan.
• •Cooked gamja-bokkeum keeps 3 days refrigerated in a covered container. Eat it cold, room temperature, or briefly warmed in a skillet; microwaving can make the pieces break.
• •If packing for lunch, cool the potatoes completely before closing the container so condensation does not make them watery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 130g)