Restaurant-Style Crunchy Chinese Potato Salad (Liangban Tudou Si)
I love making this restaurant-style crunchy potato shred salad at home because it’s incredibly refreshing and easy to prepare. The potato shreds stay crisp, lightly tangy, and savory with layers of garlic and aromatic chili oil. It takes only a few minutes to make, yet the flavor tastes just like the cold dishes served in Chinese restaurants.
Course Salad
Cuisine Chinese
Main Ingredients
- 2 potatoes medium size
- a small handful cilantro
- 10 g minced garlic or to taste
Aromatic Oil Ingredients
- 10 g dried chili pieces
- 10 g white sesame seeds
- 2 g Sichuan peppercorns
- 30 g cooking oil
Seasoning Sauce
- 3 g salt
- 2 g sugar
- 2 g MSG optional
- 15 g light soy sauce
- 10 g seafood soy sauce
- 15 g Chinese black vinegar
- 10 g white vinegar
- 5 g oyster sauce
- 5 g sesame oil or chili oil
Tools
- multifunction vegetable shredder fine shred blade recommended
Step 1: Shred and Rinse the Potatoes
Wash and peel the potatoes. Using a fine shred blade on a vegetable shredder, grate the potatoes into thin, even shreds.
Transfer the potato shreds to a large bowl and add plenty of water. Rinse and gently rub the shreds repeatedly until the water becomes clear instead of cloudy. This removes excess starch, which is the key to achieving a crisp texture.
Drain well and set aside.
Step 2: Blanch and Cool
Bring a pot of water to a full boil over high heat.
Add the drained potato shreds and gently separate them with chopsticks. Blanch for 1 minute 30 seconds only.
Do not overcook, or the potatoes will become soft.
Immediately transfer the potato shreds into cold water (ice water is even better) to stop the cooking. Once completely cooled, drain thoroughly and place them in a large bowl.
Note: removing excess water prevents the dressing from becoming diluted.
Step 3: Make the Aromatic Chili Oil Dressing
In a small bowl, combine:
dried chili pieces
white sesame seeds
Sichuan peppercorns
Heat 30g cooking oil in a pan until it begins to lightly smoke. Carefully pour the hot oil over the spices to release their aroma.
Add salt, sugar, MSG (optional), light soy sauce, seafood soy sauce, black vinegar, white vinegar, oyster sauce, and a few drops of sesame oil. Mix well to create the dressing.
Note: Avoid using dark soy sauce, as it will darken the color of the potatoes.
Step 4: Mix and Serve
Add cilantro and minced garlic to the cooled potato shreds.
Pour the prepared dressing over the potatoes and toss well with chopsticks so every shred is evenly coated.
Let it sit for 2–3 minutes to allow the flavors to absorb, then transfer to a serving plate and enjoy.