Surprise your family with a classic Qingdao dish not so common on this side of the world! These Chinese shredded potatoes with vinegar and chili are salty, sour, nutty and just spicy enough to make your lips tingle. Ready in 20 minutes from start to finish! Thank you Nakano Natural and Seasoned Rice Vinegar for sponsoring this post!

Chinese Shredded Potatoes with Vinegar and Chili – 醋溜土豆絲

When we think about Chinese food, the last ingredient that comes to mind is the potato.

It’s true, you don’t see potatoes being used very often in Chinese cooking but it turns out that China is the number one producer of potatoes, with over 20 percent of the global harvest!

One of their most famous potato dishes is a salad made of shredded potatoes (pronounced Cu Liu Tu Dou Siin Mandarin) that are cooked with vinegar and chili.

What makes this dish stand out is the fact that the potatoes aren’t cooked until tender, but rather flash fried to retain their crunchy texture. It’s a delicious dish that’s salty, sour, spicy and nutty – unique enough to be a conversation starter at your dinner table.

Traditionally, these sour and spicy potato shreds are served cold but I think they are just as delicious right out of the pan. If you love potatoes as much as do, you will find that waiting for this aromatic dish to cool down before you can eat it is pure torture.

I must feast on these sour and hot spuds right away!

How To Shred Potatoes With A Knife

Okay, so we are not exactly shredding the potatoes as you can see in the images. The dish is called “shredded potatoes” but really, they are cut julienne-style which means into sticks.

Start by peeling the potatoes and then slice a small amount off on one side so it can sit flat on the cutting board. If you want perfect rectangular-shaped sticks, slice a small amount off the other side and trim the ends to create a rectangle.

Then cut 1/8-inch thick slices lengthwise so you end up with large potato chip-type pieces. Pile them up and once again cut 1/8-inch thick slices lengthwise which will look like thin French fry sticks.

The last step is to let the potato sticks soak for a few minutes before using to let out some starch.

Making the spicy and sour sauce

I love the addition of vinegar in dishes as it adds a refreshing element that can stand up to heavier ingredients such as potatoes.

For this recipe, I’m using Nakano’s Balsamic Blend Seasoned Rice Vinegar to balance the acidity with a little fruitiness. Nakano’s Balsamic Blend Seasoned Rice Vinegar isn’t as sweet as traditional balsamic vinegar which makes it ideal for dishes that require a little pungency mixed with sweetness and tanginess.

As you know, I’ve been using Nakano’s line of seasoned and unseasoned rice vinegars for quite some time now. That’s because I find that rice vinegar doesn’t need a whole lot of tweaking to taste pleasant in salads and sauces.

The burst of flavor is already there so I just need to add a little soy sauce and/or mirin if I’m looking for Asian flavors, or whisk in some lemon juice and olive oil for a Mediterranean flair. It’s really versatile–a must for chefs who like to add a little adventure to their cooking!

As I previously mentioned, you can serve this dish hot or cold and it will be just as yummy!

This means you can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you are ready to devour it.

This Chinese shredded potatoes with vinegar and chili dish will keep for 2-3 days (refrigerated.)

Other delicious rice vinegar based recipes:

• Black pepper chicken
• Aromatic sour egg noodles
• Mushroom and zucchini uramaki (inside out rolls)
• Japanese caprese salad
• Tofu and vegetable poke bowl

Did you like this Chinese Shredded Potatoes With Vinegar And Chili Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share?

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