One of the most popular dishes on our table is mashed potatoes. Why do some housewives turn out this side dish tasty, airy, and tender, while others - like a paste? It's all about important details and little things.
1. Using unsuitable potatoes. Choose potato varieties that are high in starch. A delicate and airy puree is easily obtained from them. They also perfectly absorb spices. Tubers of red or white potatoes turn into a homogeneous creamy mass much more difficult, and they do not taste so tender.
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2. Do not add salt to the water. During cooking, the starch granules swell and absorb water. Accordingly, if you salted the water, then the potatoes become salty. This means you do not need to add salt to the potatoes during the grinding process and ensure a smooth, pleasant taste.
3. Dip the potatoes in boiling water. Dip the potatoes in cold water, add salt, put on high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and bring potatoes until tender. If you dip potatoes in boiling water, the cooking process is uneven: the outer part of the potato will start to fall apart before the inside is completely cooked.
4. Do not completely drain the water. If you want the puree to taste like potatoes rather than water, make sure you drain the water well after boiling. If you cannot drain the water completely, place the potatoes in the pot where they were cooked on low heat. The water will evaporate, and the potatoes will dry out.
5. Add ingredients directly from the refrigerator. The oil you add to the puree should be at room temperature. And milk or cream - warm. This will make the puree smooth and lump-free.
6. Mash for too long or hard. Mash boiled potatoes very delicate, and using a food processor, for example, causes the starch to turn into gluten, making your puree unappetizing. The same effect occurs with the very long mashing of potatoes.
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7. Cook the puree well before serving. It is best to puree just before serving. A night in the refrigerator will give this side dish a cardboard flavor. If it so happened that you need to serve yesterday's puree, it is better to heat it with steam. If you don't have a steamer, you can place the puree in a fireproof container and place it over a boiling water saucepan.
Adapted and translated by The Cop Cart Staff
Sources: Today Lifestyle