Potato side dishes and snacks

United Kingdom: Mashed potato

Ingredients (4 servings) - 700 g (1½ lb) floury potatoes - 150 ml (¼ pt) milk - salt - freshly ground black pepper

Preparation Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks, then cook in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes and return to the pan. In another pan, bring the milk to boil. Pour the milk over the potatoes and mash until smooth. Season to taste and serve immediately.

China: Stir-fried potatoes

Ingredients (4 servings) - 450 g (1 lb) potatoes - 1 tbsp light soy sauce - 1 tsp brown sugar - 1 tsp flour - 3 tbsps peanut oil - 60 ml (¼ cup) chicken stock - 1 tsp sugar - ¼ tsp salt

Preparation Peel then slice the potatoes thinly, combine in a bowl with brown sugar, soy sauce, flour and a third of the peanut oil. Refrigerate for one hour. Heat the remaining peanut oil in a wok over high heat, add the potato mixture and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients to wok, cover, reduce heat and cook till the potatoes are tender.

United States: Twice-baked potatoes

Ingredients (1-2 servings) - 2 large russet potatoes - 2 tbsps butter, softened - 2 tbsps sour cream - 2 tbsps chopped chives - Salt and pepper - 28 g (½ cup) shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation Pre-heat oven to 200°C (390°F). Scrub the potatoes under running water, poke each tuber several times with a fork. Bake until tender (about 50 minutes). Cut each baked potato in two lengthways, then scoop out the centre of each potato half, leaving about 12 mm (half an inch) of flesh. Put the scooped-out flesh into a medium bowl, mash, stir in butter, sour cream and chives. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then mash again. Spoon the mashed potato mixture into each potato half, sprinkle with cheese. Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Ethiopia: Green beans and potatoes

Ingredients (4 servings) - 2 large white potatoes - 225 g (½ lb) green beans - 1 small yellow onion, chopped fine - 2 cloves garlic, minced - 1 small chili pepper, seeded and minced - ½ tsp turmeric - ½ tsp ground cumin - ½ tsp salt - 500 g (15 oz) stewed tomatoes - ½ tsp fresh lime juice

Preparation Dice the unpeeled potatoes and cover with water in a medium saucepan. Bring water to the boil, then cook for 12 minutes over high heat. Cut the green beans into 2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces, add to the potatoes, cook for 5 minutes, then drain. In a large skillet, sauté the onion, garlic and chili pepper. Stir in the seasonings and sauté for another minute. Add the potatoes and green beans, stewed tomatoes and lime juice, and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently.

Ukraine: Cheese dumplings (Perogies)

Ingredients (4 servings) Dough - 300 g (2½ cups) flour - 1 tsp. salt - 180 ml (¾ cup) warm water - 1 tsp. baking powder - 1 tsp. light oil - 1 egg, well beaten Filling - 3 potatoes - 145 g (1 cup) dry cottage cheese - 3 egg yolks - salt and pepper

Preparation Mix the dough ingredients, turn onto a floured board and knead (the dough should be slightly sticky). Cover and leave for 30 minutes. Boil, drain and mash the potatoes, then stir in the egg yolks, cottage cheese, salt and pepper. Roll the dough, adding flour as necessary, and cut into circles 7.5 cm (3 inches) in diameter. Place a ball of potato mixture in the centre of each circle, fold dough over the ball and pinch shut. Cook in boiling water until the perogies float. Drain and sprinkle with melted butter.

Morocco: Potato cakes

Ingredients (4 servings) - 840 g (4 cups) warm mashed potatoes - 3 cloves of garlic, crushed - 50 g (½ cup) scallions, thinly sliced - 30 g (½ cup) parsley, chopped finely - 1 tsp salt - 1 tsp black pepper - flour, for dusting - vegetable oil

Preparation Mix the mashed potatoes with the garlic, scallions, parsley, salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Form 16 patties about 8 mm (1⁄3 inch) thick and dust each with flour. Refrigerate the patties for an hour, then pan fry until golden brown.

New Zealand: Maori bread (Rewena paraoa)

Ingredients (4 servings) Rewena (leaven) - 320 g (2 cups) flour - 3 slices of potato - 240 ml (1 cup) water - 2 tsps sugar Bread - 800 g (5 cups) flour - 1 tsp salt - 1 tsp baking soda

Preparation Leaven Boil the potato slices in 240 ml (1 cup) of water until soft. Cool to lukewarm then add the flour and half of the sugar to form a paste. Cover and stand in a warm place until the mixture has fermented. To maintain fermentation, add the rest of sugar and a little lukewarm water over the next two days. Bread Sift flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Fill with rewena and sprinkle baking soda over the top. Combine and knead the mixture for 10 minutes, adding a little water if the mixture is too firm. Place the mixture into greased loaf tins and bake at 230°C (450°F) for 45-50 minutes.

Kenya: Mashed peas, potatoes and maize (Irio)

Ingredients (6 servings) - 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) potatoes - 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) pumpkin leaves - 500 g (18 oz) peas - 500 g (18 oz) shelled green maize - 1 tbsp salt

Preparation Boil the peas until half cooked and set aside. Peel and chop the potatoes into large chunks, place with the maize in a large saucepan and add water to cover. Add salt, bring to boil over medium heat, then simmer until cooked. Drain and reserve the liquid. Separately, chop the pumpkin leaves and boil until well cooked. Mix all ingredients, stirring in a little of the reserved liquid, mash to form a pale green purée. Add salt and pepper to taste, serve hot.

France: Potatoes dauphinoise

Ingredients (4 servings) - 1 kg (2 lb 3oz) of potatoes - 115 g (½ cup) butter - 160 g (1½ cups) grated Gruyere cheese - 1 egg slightly beaten - 300 ml (1¼ cup) hot milk - Pinch of nutmeg - Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Grease a baking dish with the butter. Peel and cut the potatoes into thin slices. Place a third of the slices into the dish, sprinkle with salt, pepper and one third of the grated cheese. Make a second layer in the same way, then add a third layer of potato only. In a small saucepan, beat the egg, milk and nutmeg, and spread over the potatoes. Spread the remaining grated cheese over the top and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Serve immediately.