Crispy Soy and Ginger Roasted Potatoes

A Coconut & Sambal by Lara Lee

These versatile potatoes are impossibly crispy, and it’s a dish I love to serve as an impressive side alongside steaks at a summer barbecue or a Sunday roast. A stand-out accompaniment, the potatoes are roasted, then tossed with stir-fried spring onions and then drizzled with a rich soy dressing that is sharpened by the acidic hit of vinegar. In the same way that vinegar can make the crunchiest of chips go a little soggy, my soy and vinegar dressing has the same effect, so dress the potatoes only when you are ready to serve them.

Serves 4-6 as a side

Ingredients

• 1 large whole garlic bulb, halved widthways

• 1.2kg (2.5 lbs) floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper*), skin on and cut into 4cm (1.5 inch) chunks

• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

• Sunflower oil, for roasting

  For the stir-fried spring onions

• 8 spring onions, chopped into 3cm (1 inch) chunks

• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

• 12cm (4.5 inches) ginger (about 60g), peeled and cut into long, thin matchsticks

  For the soy dressing

• 4 tbsp rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

• 4 tbsp light soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7/425°F. Pour 6 tablespoons of oil into a very large roasting tray with the garlic bulb halves and a generous sprinkle of salt. Place the roasting tray in the oven to heat.

Put the potatoes into a large pan and cover with cold water. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes, then return them to the pan to steam for 2 minutes. As the potatoes are steaming, shake the pan to rough up their edges for maximum crispiness.

Remove the hot roasting tray from the oven and carefully add the potatoes in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the tray. Toss the potatoes in the hot oil until they are fully coated, then season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes or until golden and crispy, turning the potatoes over halfway to ensure even roasting.

In the last 10 minutes of the cooking time, prepare the stir-fried spring onions and the soy dressing. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the spring onions, garlic and ginger. Cook for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to soften, then remove from the heat. To make the dressing, mix the vinegar and soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

Once golden, toss the potatoes with the spring onion, garlic and ginger, then drizzle over the vinegar and soy dressing. Serve immediately.

*In the US, a good substitute for Maris Piper potatoes are Russets.

Reprinted from A Coconut & Sambal by arrangement with Bloomsbury Publishing. Copyright © 2020, Lara Lee.