Parboiling is cooking food not until it is cooked so that the cooking time is reduced when used for cooking according to recipes. Potatoes are usually half cooked because they take longer than other foods to cook half cooked. Start with Step 1 below to boil the potatoes half-baked before using them in your chosen recipe (this article will give you some ideas, too).
Ingredients
- Potato
- Boiling water
- Cold water
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparation for Parboiling
Step 1. Choose potatoes
The ideal potato is one that is firm and smooth. No shoots growing and no green color – this indicates that the bottom of the potato produces toxins and tastes bad and can even cause headaches or diarrhea. Also be careful with potatoes that have soft spots or blemishes.
The type of potato is up to you. There are waxy potatoes, starchy potatoes, or all-purpose potatoes. Waxed potatoes (Rose Finn Apple, Russian Banana, Red Thumb) are durable and great for boiling or baking. Starchy potatoes (Russet, Jewel Yam, Japanese Sweet Potato) are great for baking and frying
Step 2. Clean the potatoes
Check whether the recipe requires the potatoes to be peeled or not and peel them if necessary.
- If you don't need to peel, brush under running water as cleanly as possible.
- If peeling is necessary, peel with a potato peeler or sharp knife (be careful!), peeling in a bowl or trash can. Cleaning it will be easier. Wash after peeling.
Step 3. If needed, cut them to the same size
Potatoes take a long time to cook, that's why they're half cooked, right? To make sure they cook evenly, cut them to the same size. If one potato is larger than the other, it may not cook at the same time as the smaller ones.
And in general, the smaller the potato, the faster it cooks. If you have large potatoes, cut them into quarters to cook them faster
Part 2 of 3: Cooking Parboiling Potatoes
Step 1. Fill a pot with room temperature water and potatoes
Fill the water to about 2.5 cm above the potatoes. That way they will cook evenly.
Make sure your potatoes are clean and the same size! If possible, cook them all at the same time, to ensure they are cooked the same way
Step 2. Heat to a boil (bubbled water not bubbling)
Boil medium-sized potatoes for 7-10 minutes; Boil the larger potatoes for about 12-15 minutes.
Some boil the potatoes and immediately turn off the heat, leaving the potatoes in hot water on a hot stove. This method takes about 15 minutes, but it's best to make sure you don't cook the potatoes until done
Step 3. Remove the potatoes from the stove after the time has passed
If you're not sure about the "ripeness" of a potato, poke a fork into the potato. Preferably the outside is cooked and the middle is raw; the potatoes should be firm and your fork should be hard to stick after the initial entry is easy
You can also try using a knife on the edges of the potatoes. Are the edges nice and soft? When you go inside, is it whiter, tougher, and definitely undercooked? Perfect
Step 4. Dip the potatoes directly into cold water
This will immediately stop the cooking process. The potatoes are now ready to be cooked according to your recipe.
Half-cooked potatoes don't last very long – aim to use them within a day or two maximum. Store in the refrigerator in a bowl, not in a plastic bag (as this will cause it to sweat and become soggy)
Part 3 of 3: Using Half Ripe Potatoes
Step 1. Bake baby potatoes
One of the best ways to use undercooked potatoes is to bake them. When the potatoes are half-boiled and then grilled, you get a crunchy outside and a deliciously tender inside.
If you like crunchy, try the wikiHow How to Make Incredibly Crispy Baked Potatoes
Step 2. Make the vegetable fritters
Another reason to boil potatoes undercooked is that they take a lot longer to cook than other vegetables. With half-cooked potatoes, you can add them along with the other ingredients that are currently frying, and they will cook in about the same time!
Step 3. Create hashbrowns
The secret that few people know about cooking with potatoes? Parboil first. Like baked potatoes, this will make the potatoes crispy in the right places and tender in others. Remove the frozen hash brown from the store and try making your own.
Step 4. Baked sweet potato
In addition to regular potatoes, sweet potatoes can also be boiled half cooked. Even any vegetables like flour can be boiled half cooked, including carrots. Once you've seen the magic of half-boiled potatoes, expand your experience with similar root vegetables.
Tips
- Some recipes call for the potatoes to be cooked already chopped: follow the instructions in the recipe regarding the style of the cut and the half-cooking time.
- Half-cooked potatoes are great for pizza, curries, salads or deep-fried into hash browns or potato chips. Some people like to cook potatoes half-baked before baking.
- Boiling half cooked is suitable for potatoes that are suitable for boiling. Some potatoes will be starchy or mushy and crumble even if only half boiled.
