Sichuan stir-fried potatoes

Instructions

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into long matchsticks, try to keep them at a similar length. Use a mandolin slicer for best results. Place the potatoes into a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 15 minutes, to remove excess starch.
2. Meanwhile, julienne the carrot and capsicum to a similar size to the potato. Thinly slice the onion, spring onion and garlic. In a mortar and pestle, lightly bruise the Sichuan peppercorns.
3. Drain the potatoes and rinse twice to remove additional starch. Heat the oil for stir-frying in a large wok or frying pan over medium heat. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilli peppers to the pan and cook until fragrant, then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and discard (this adds a hint of flavour to the oil!)
4. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring briefly before adding the julienned potatoes. Cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes, then add the carrot and capsicum with a pinch of salt and sugar.
5. Continue to stir-fry until the vegetables are almost cooked, then add the soy sauce and vinegar to the pan and toss well to combine.
6. To serve, spoon the Sichuan stir-fried potatoes onto a serving platter and garnish with the spring onion.