Potato is perhaps the most popular product in any kitchen. Firstly, without it it is almost impossible to cook a single first dish, be it borscht, okroshka or homemade noodles. It is as if a filler, giving richness to soups. Do not hesitate - if you take only potatoes as the basis for a liquid dish, you will get an excellent and satisfying lean meal. Secondly, a great many diverse side dishes are prepared from this popular root crop, ranging from well-known mashed potatoes to ruddy pieces of fries. But before you begin to work, you need to know how to cook potatoes in a pan. This article describes just this simplest way, because not all housewives have modern equipment at hand - a microwave or pressure cooker.
How to cook potatoes in a pan? Two methods
When cooking any dish, it is impossible to do without water. It can be used in two ways: as a direct cooking solution or as a means to create steam. We will tell you more about each of them.
How to steam potatoes in a pan ?
This method has a huge number of advantages:
- beneficial substances from products do not leave in water;
- the potato does not change shape, resulting in the finished form whole and not boiled;
- you can prepare a dish without miracle technology, using only an ordinary pan and an enameled or aluminum colander mounted on top of it.
Along with all the positive aspects, it is worth considering some features. Steamed potatoes are usually cooked a little longer. In addition, you will not be able to adjust its taste during cooking by adding salt. This will have to be done with the resulting dish. This method is not suitable in any way if you decide to make mashed potatoes. Most often, root crops are boiled in a pair with or without peel for use in salads or for further frying in oil.
How to cook potatoes in a pot in water?
In an already boiling solution, this ingredient is usually poured into cut form. So do when cooking soups or mashed potatoes. If you are cooking potatoes in their skins, pour the washed tubers with cold water and gradually bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a minimum.
How to cook mashed potatoes ?
Duration depends primarily on the properties of the product. The starchier the potato, the faster it will become soft and crumbly. But it is very important not to miss the right moment, as the prepared pieces can quickly turn into a homogeneous viscous mixture, from which it will be impossible to make mashed potatoes. Therefore, before starting work, you need to know how fast the product is preparing. Based on this, roughly determine how many minutes to cook potatoes. Usually half an hour is enough. Try her readiness by piercing with a match or a fork. Then carefully drain the hot broth, ceil and add oil. Especially delicious mashed potatoes are obtained if whipped with a mixer, gradually diluting with hot milk. Universal side dish is ready!