Xingyun Chen, a stylish friend and superb cook, served me this stir-fried potato dish. Her secret was to cut the potatoes into fine shreds, so that they needed only a small amount of cooking and retained a delightful crunch.
Stack the potato slices and cut them into matchsticks. Soak them in a bowl of cold water with a teaspoon of salt for five minutes, then drain thoroughly and blot them dry with kitchen paper.
Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until it is hot. Add the oil, and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the garlic, the fresh and pickled gingers and the chillies and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper, then add the potatoes and gently stir-fry for one minute or so until they are well coated with the spices and flavourings. Add the sugar and rice wine (or sherry) and continue to stir-fry gently over a high heat for five minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated and the potatoes are cooked. At this point, add the chilli oil, sprinkle on the peppercorns and serve at once.
