Smashed Potatoes With Thai-Style Chile and Herb Sauce
This recipe is inspired by suea rong hai, or “crying tiger,” a Thai dish of grilled beef served with a fiery sauce of crushed Thai chile, fish sauce, lime juice, toasted rice powder and cilantro. Here, the bright and punchy sauce is the perfect foil to crispy roasted potatoes, but it would be just as welcome spooned over fried brussels sprouts, sautéed shrimp or grilled steak. Finally, while the sauce in this recipe is equal parts acidic and spicy, feel free to add more chile — including the seeds and ribs — to take the heat up a notch.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 4tablespoons olive oil
- 2pounds small new or Yukon gold potatoes (ideally about 1½-inch wide)
- Kosher salt
- 2tablespoons fish sauce
- 2tablespoons lime juice
- 2tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1tablespoon minced Fresno or serrano chile, or 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
- 1teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1garlic clove, grated
- ¼cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, plus whole leaves for serving
- ¼cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts
Instructions
Step 1
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Brush a sheet pan all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil.Step 2
Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover by 1 inch; add 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower and simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 18 minutes, until the potatoes are just fork tender. Pour into a colander to drain, then return the cooked potatoes to the pot off the heat to help any remaining moisture evaporate.Step 3
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, chile, soy sauce, sugar and garlic, then stir in the cilantro and scallions.Step 4
Place the potatoes on the prepared sheet pan. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, gently smash each potato until it’s about 1/2-inch thick. Drizzle remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over the potatoes and carefully flip to coat both sides in oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.Step 5
Transfer the potatoes to a platter, sprinkle lightly with salt, then spoon the sauce on top. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot.