Frozen Hurry Potatoes

The Indian restaurants use a process called blanching. The potatoes are peeled and cut then deep fried in oil till the internal temperature reaches 160º F. These potatoes are then put away in the refrigerator or frozen. These are not fully cooked potatoes. The internal temperature should reach over 208º F for a fully cooked potato. These potatoes may be used in different curries as needed basis from their frozen state. 

For home use, you may buy Frozen French fries, or make your own Hurry Potatoes on a week end. Buy good meaty potatoes such as Idaho Baking Potatoes.

Method

It involves three steps

Step 1: Preparing Potatoes

The peeled potatoes may turn dark because of oxidization. You can prevent it by creating an acid solution of 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or distilled white vinegar per one quart of water. As you peel and cut potatoes, put them in this solution. You can keep potatoes in this solution in the refrigerator for 48 hours without darkening.

1. Peel Potatoes.

2. Cut potatoes vertically in to halves

3. Slice each potato half in to ¼" to 3/8" thick slices. The slices must not be thinner than  ¼" or thicker than 3/8". If you stack Nickel coins on top of each other, the thickness will be same as a stack of 4 to 6 coins.

4. Wash and rinse sliced potatoes to remove starch from peeling and slicing. Pat dry with paper towel.

5. Pour some Canola oil on the potatoes. Toss them around with hand. You want the surface of the potatoes to be covered with oil.

No spices are added. This makes the potatoes available for use in any type of curry.

Step 2: Pre cooking

We have to cook the potatoes to the internal temperature of 160º F. You have two choices, you can either bake them or deep fry them. Don't let them turn brown.

Baking

1. Oil a cookie try. Lay the Potato chips in a single layer

2. Preheat oven to 400º F.

3. Bake potatoes about 10 minutes.

Deep Frying

1. Set the deep Fryer at 350º F.

2. Cook 3 minutes for ¼" thick slices, or 4 minutes for 3/8" thick slices.

Step 3 Freezing

Let the potatoes cool down to room temperature. Freeze in a tray in single layers. After frozen, fill zip lock bags with frozen potatoes. Continue till all the potatoes are done. Frozen Potatoes are good for about three months.

FAQ

Why cant I just use Frozen French fries?

You can use Frozen French fries. Buy steak-cut Frozen French fries, break into halves and use them.

Why cant I just freeze raw potatoes?

The raw potatoes when frozen turn grey to black. If the potatoes are cooked to an internal temperature of 160º F, it slows down this enzyme reaction. 

Why cant I just boil the potatoes and then freeze?

The boiled potatoes when thawed, will be crumbly, and watery.

How to prevent potatoes from turning dark when peeling and slicing?

The flesh of the potatoes oxidizes turning them dark. Keep your raw peeled potatoes in water with some lemon juice (1 teaspoon of lemon juice to 1 quart of water). This slows down the oxidization process.