Potatoes are a popular side dish that can be prepared in many ways. Most often, however, we cook them. Classically, we boil them in water with salt. But try this simple trick to make potatoes even more delicious. Just one spoonful and the taste of potatoes will be completely different. There are no lines involved and you don’t need any special ingredients.

Why potatoes fall apart

Cooking potatoes looks really simple at first glance. You peel the potatoes, cut them into equal cubes and put them in cold salted water on the highest setting to cook. Still, quite a lot can go wrong. Often potatoes fall apart after cooking, lose their shape, are too soft. The reason for this lies in their chemical composition. When they come into contact with water, starch is released from the potatoes, which is why they later disintegrate.

The benefits alone

When cooking potatoes, you can shorten the cooking time, improve the texture of the potatoes and also prevent them from falling apart. And as a bonus, you give them a delicate and deeper flavour. No, you won’t need any miracle seasoning mix or magic. Really, one single, very ordinary ingredient that you probably already have at home will do.

━━ ( Source: Sergio Kian /  Unsplash+ )

The secret ingredient

It’s quite simple. You need to add fat to the water you cook the potatoes in. A tablespoon of butter is ideal, but a tablespoon of oil can also serve. The fat will form a thin layer on the surface, which will distribute the heat evenly and gently seal the texture of the potatoes. As a result, the potatoes will cook a few minutes earlier and will not fall apart even if you leave them on the stove a little longer. And as a bonus, they will have a creamier taste and softer texture. This works best with new potatoes.

If you want the potatoes to taste even better, you can add a clove of garlic or a piece of onion to the pot. You can also choose bay leaves, dill, rosemary or a pinch of turmeric. Of course, it depends on what you are serving the potatoes with and what specific flavour you want to choose. By adding other ingredients, the potatoes will never be the same twice, but they will be very tasty every time.

Another option

Now let’s go back to a simple ingredient. It’s not very likely that you won’t have butter or oil in your home, but if you do, you have one more option. Vinegar can also be a key ingredient to add to water. This will help the potatoes hold their shape. Its acidity affects the strength of the potato membrane. It is important to cut the potatoes into equal sized pieces so that they cook evenly.

Potatoes with vinegar are great not only as a side dish, but also in potato salad, where texture is key and some acidity is also desirable. Still wondering which vinegar is best? All vinegars have a similar effect. The choice depends on what you have in your kitchen or on personal preferences. You can use wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or spirit vinegar.