Crispy Asian Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg (3 lb)potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
• al gustooil
• 1.9–2.4 litres (8–10 cups)water
• 2star anise
• 120 ml (½ cup)Kicap Manis, plus a little extra
• 120 ml (½ cup)Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
• 120 ml (½ cup)char siu sauce, or 60 ml (¼ cup) hoisin sauce as a substitute
• 3slices of ginger (optional)
• 1cinnamon stick
• 4cardamom pods, crushed
• 2garlic cloves

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the stock

   Put the water, star anise, Kicap Manis, Shaoxing wine, char siu sauce, optional ginger, cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom and garlic into a large pot. Bring to the boil.

2. 2

   Parboil potatoes

   Peel the potatoes and cut them into halves or quarters. Add them to the stock and cook for about 15 minutes, until a knife pierces them easily but they are not falling apart.

3. 3

   Cool the potatoes

   Lift the potatoes out with a slotted spoon and leave them to cool. Keep the stock for another use; it can be frozen.

4. 4

   Heat the oven

   For the oven method, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

5. 5

   Coat with oil

   Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle generously with oil and turn them with your hands until coated.

6. 6

   Roast until crisp

   Roast for 30 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Serve with roast chicken or roast duck, garnished with thinly sliced spring onions.

7. 7

   Heat the air fryer

   For the air fryer method, preheat it to 200°C (400°F).

8. 8

   Arrange the potatoes

   Put the potatoes in the air fryer basket in no more than one or two layers.

9. 9

   Air-fry until crisp

   Air-fry for about 10 minutes, tossing the potatoes at around 6 minutes so they turn and crisp evenly. Cook until crisp, then garnish with thinly sliced spring onions.

What are crispy Asian potatoes?

This is a roast-potato side with an aromatic, sweet-savoury twist: the potatoes are first simmered in a richly flavoured stock, then crisped in the oven or air fryer. The recipe draws on East Asian pantry flavours, including Shaoxing wine, sweet soy and char siu sauce.

The method works because the potatoes take on flavour while parboiling, before the final high heat gives their outsides a crisp finish. Choose the oven for a broad, even layer or the air fryer when you want to cook a smaller batch.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 280 calories, 5g protein, 49g carbs, 7g fat.

Potatoes provide most of the carbohydrates, while the oil contributes much of the fat; the sweet soy and sauces also add some carbohydrate and sodium. Serve a portion alongside roast chicken or duck and vegetables for a more balanced plate.

Build the master stock

Sweet soy: Kicap Manis brings sweetness and colour, while char siu sauce adds a savoury, rounded note. Hoisin is offered as a substitute if char siu sauce is unavailable.

Aromatics: Star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, garlic and optional ginger infuse the cooking liquid. Keep the spices whole or lightly crushed as specified, so they can be lifted out with the potatoes rather than clinging to them.

Parboil without breaking

Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters, aiming for pieces of roughly similar size so they cook at a similar pace. Start checking at about 15 minutes; the key cue is that a knife goes in easily while the pieces still hold their shape.

Use a slotted spoon to remove them gently. They will be tender at this stage, so avoid stirring or tipping them roughly.

Get a crisp finish

Oven roasting: Spread the potatoes in one layer and coat them generously with oil. Space helps the surfaces roast rather than steam, so use a second tray if the potatoes are crowded.

Air frying: Keep to one or two layers at most and toss the pieces at around 6 minutes. Air fry for about 10 minutes in total, checking for crispness before serving.

Choose a cooking method

The oven instructions call for 180°C and 30 minutes, while the air fryer is set to 200°C for about 10 minutes. These are separate finishing methods, not stages to do one after the other.

Allow the parboiled potatoes to cool before coating and roasting. The recipe gives a 60-minute total time, but the time needed for cooling can vary.

Serve with a roast

The recipe suggests serving the potatoes with roast chicken or roast duck, with thinly sliced spring onions for garnish. Their sweet, spiced flavour also suits a simply cooked protein and green vegetables.

Serve them soon after roasting for the crispiest texture. If making several sides, time the potatoes so they come out of the oven or air fryer close to serving.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the potatoes into similar-sized pieces so they parboil evenly.
• Check tenderness at about 15 minutes rather than relying on the clock alone.
• Lift the potatoes out carefully to keep the tender pieces intact.
• Coat the potatoes evenly with oil before roasting.
• Leave space between oven-roasted potatoes to help them crisp.
• Save the strained cooking stock for another use and freeze it if needed.

Variations

• Use hoisin: Replace the 120 ml char siu sauce with 60 ml hoisin sauce as specified.
• Skip the ginger: Leave out the optional ginger slices if you prefer a less gingery stock.
• Choose the air fryer: Finish the parboiled potatoes in the air fryer for a smaller batch.
• Add spring onions: Garnish with thinly sliced spring onions just before serving.
• Adjust the sweetness: Add the extra Kicap Manis sparingly if you want a sweeter finish.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the potatoes: Stop when a knife pierces them easily but they still hold together.
• Crowding the oven tray: Spread the potatoes in one layer or use another tray.
• Skipping the oil coating: Toss the pieces thoroughly so their surfaces can crisp.
• Packing the air fryer: Keep the potatoes to one or two layers for more even cooking.
• Forgetting to toss: Turn the air-fryer potatoes at around 6 minutes so they crisp on more sides.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and store them in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven or air fryer until hot and crisp; microwaving will soften the outside. The saved stock can be frozen for another use.

Frequently asked questions