Potatoes are often more popular as side dishes (mashed or baked) or as a quick fix for salty cravings (fries), but this humble and versatile vegetable can easily be elevated to a main dish.

In a media event organized by Potatoes USA — the national marketing and research organization established by US potato growers — chef Kalel Chan of The Raintree Restaurant Group, showcased potato as the star ingredient of his dishes, Mapo Tofu Potato Cheese Fries and US Potato Ramen-Handmade Potato Noodles with Sichuan Dandan Sauce

Affordability, nutrient-density, and versatility are just some of the qualities of potatoes that Chan highlighted in his recipes.

Available in many varieties and formats, including fresh, frozen and instant, Potatoes USA believe that the vegetable they're championing are the perfect foundation for the increasingly popular plant-based diet.

"Potatoes are more energy-packed than any other popular vegetable. They are fat-free, gluten-free, plant-based, affordable, and a quality carbohydrate. They are cholesterol-free and sodium-free, with only 110 calories per 148-gram skin-on serving," Potatoes USA shared in an official release.

The organization added that spuds are excellent source of vitamin C (27mg or 30 percent of the daily value) and a good source of potassium (620mg or 15 percent of the daily value).

Potatoes USA supply premium US potatoes in the Philippines in three formats: fresh (table stock), frozen and instant.

Fresh potatoes are carefully sized and graded based on standards of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). There are over 100 different varieties of table stock potatoes, but each fits into seven categories: russet, red, white, yellow, blue/purple, fingerling, and petite. They differ in size, color, texture, and flavor for a wide range of applications.

The frozen potatoes are premium potatoes quick-frozen in a state-of-the-art process that locks in flavor and nutrients. Whole frozen potatoes can be oven-heated or microwaved after just a dash of seasoning. Frozen half-shell potatoes can quickly be filled up with cheeses, meats, and vegetables. The most common types, however, are frozen straight cut, wedges, crinkle cut fries, lattice/basket weave cuts, curly fries, hash browns, and tater drums.

Finally, the instant potatoes that come in flakes and granules are perfect for everything from mashed and bowls to gluten-free desserts and local delicacies like ube halaya, ensaymada, and puto. This ingredient can make soups, stews, and sauces thicker and more flavorful, or give extra layer of texture for breads and cakes.

For those who want to give elevated potato dishes a try, below are chef Chan's recipes.

Mapo Tofu Potato Cheese Fries 20g cooking oil

20g garlic

20g ginger

20g onions

200g ground pork

40g shoyu

60g sake

20g mirin

20g sugar

200g water

2g Sichuan ground pepper

60g tobanjan bean paste

30g sesame oil

200g soft tofu

50g grated cheddar cheese

50g grated pepper jack cheese

20g chopped spring onions

400g US seasoned crisp fries

10ml slurry

Procedure:

1. Heat oil and sauté garlic, ginger, onions and ground pork.

2. Brown the ground pork and add sake, mirin, shoyu, sugar, Sichuan pepper, tobanjan paste, sesame oil and water.

3. Simmer for two minutes and thicken with slurry.

4. When the sauce becomes thick add in the soft tofu.

5. Pour the mapo tofu on the side of the fried seasoned crisp fries and top it off

with grated cheese.

6. Garnish with chopped spring onions.


US Potato Ramen-Handmade Potato Noodles with Sichuan Dandan Sauce To make potato noodles:

200g Standard potato granules

250g all purpose flour

3g salt

4 eggs

200 ml water

50 all purpose flour (for dusting)

Procedure :

1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a big stainless bowl, with a wire whisk except the 50g flour for dusting.

2. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and mix the wet and dry mixture together.

3. When it gets stiff, knead the dough by hand.

4. When a ball of dough is formed, rest the dough in the chiller for one hour.

5. After one hour, cut the ball into four and form it like a ball.

6. Dust the table with flour and dust the four balls.

7. Knead the ball one by one with a rolling pin.

8. When it's flattened with the desired thickness fold the noodles and cut it by hand. Dust with flour so it won't stick together.

9. Boil water with salt and cook the noodles for two minutes.

10. Strain and pour the dan dan sauce on top. Add chicken stock to make the dandan sauce thinner.

To make Dandan sauce:

3g Sichuan ground pepper

10g sugar

20g prepared chili oil (ryu oil)

5g grated garlic

100g tahini

15g soy sauce

1g 5-spice

1 cup hot chicken stock

Procedure:

1. In a bowl mix tahini, soy sauce, prepared chili oil, sugar, sichuan pepper, grated garlic, and 5 spice.

2. Add hot chicken stock to desired thickness.