Third Culture Kitchen

This is a very simple Western way of preparing potatoes. I really have no idea of where this originated, but I’ve cooked it, served it and been served this all over the place. It’s a mild, nutritious, cheap and filling standard part of many Western meals. Children are often fond of mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

Two potatoes per person

Optional ingredients

• Milk or cream
• Butter
• Olive oil
• Dill
• Parsley

Fill a fairly big pot with water and get the water to boil.

Peel the potatoes.

Cut them into smaller pieces, for example quarters.

Put the potato pieces into the boiling water.

If the water stopped boiling when you put in the potato pieces, wait for the water to start boiling again and then turn down the heat a little. Let the potato pieces boil until they are soft when poked with a chopstick or fork. Pour off most or all of the water and add your favorite flavorings. Milk and cream give the mashed potatoes a smooth, creamy texture. Milk is healthier than cream, but cream tastes better, at least to most Western palates.

Pouring in milk.

If you’re lactose intolerant, you may want to skip the dairy altogether. Butter is delicious with all potato dishes, but isn’t very healthy. Make your own decision about how much butter to add, if any. Adding olive oil instead of butter creates a different kind of flavor than the dairy-inspired flavor types. Dill and parsley are added in some kitchens/homes for herb flavors. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. (If you don’t have one, a fork can do the job, but it’s much more work because the fork is smaller than the masher.)

Mashing potatoes.

When the potatoes are done, there shouldn’t be any lumps of potato left (or only very small ones) and the potatoes should be soft but not runny. If they are runny, boil off some water until the mashed potatoes are thicker. Be careful that they don’t burn at this stage.

Mashed potatoes, shown here on a plate with a schnitzel.