Miso Gochujang Potatoes
The sauce on these potatoes make for a fun and exciting new side dish for any holiday dinner.
Miso Gochujang Potatoes
I know some people feel like Thanksgiving isn’t a time to experiment. We should all stick to the classics and what we know how to produce well. I have had this dish on multiple occasions, the first time at the San Francisco Cooking School. It is inspired by the Korean dish of sweet honey glazed potatoes also known as gamja bokkeum. Normally, the sauce that goes on the potatoes is a bit sweet, however; the folks in my family tend to like more savory sauces so I made that ingredient optional. It is a well tested and tasty recipe. I hope you reconsider trying something new for a change.
Why do we start the potatoes in cold water? Dropping the potatoes in hot water will promote uneven cooking. The outside will cook faster than the interior. Therefore, I start the potatoes in cold water first. Then, I add salt once the water has reached a steady boil. It should take anywhere from ten to fifteen minutes. I check at the ten minute mark with my trusted cake tester; it should slide in and out very easily.
Ingredients for the Potatoes
2 lbs small creamer potatoes, washed but not peeled
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup white miso
2 tablespoons gochujang
2-inch piece of ginger, grated
5 garlic cloves, grated
Optional: two tablespoons light brown sugar
Canola or vegetable oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
Serves 8 - 10
Directions for the Potatoes
Bring a large pot of water with the creamer potatoes in it up to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add in a few tablespoons of salt. You want it to be as salty as the ocean.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce for the potatoes. Mix the sesame oil, white miso, gochujang, grated ginger and garlic. Add a few tablespoons of water, one at a time, to thin the sauce to the consistency of ketchup.
Once the potatoes are cooked, remove from the pot and place onto a tray with a clean kitchen towel. Dab the potatoes with the towel to remove all of the extra moisture. Bring a large saute pan up to medium high heat with two tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil.
Add the potatoes to the saute pan. Cook for a few minutes on each side until they are crispy. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the sauce to the pan. Continue to cook the potatoes with the sauce for a few minutes more to encourage the sauce to stick to the potatoes.
Transfer the potatoes to a warm serving platter. Top with the sliced scallions and black sesame seeds. Enjoy!