It is wondrous how such a tasteless thing can provide you with so much flavour, but that is exactly why mashed potato is such a popular dish.
The result of quite literally mashing boiled potatoes to create a gooey and fluffy pile, mashed potatoes may not sound appealing, but once it enters your mouth, you realize why people love it so much.
The best part about this dish is that it is easy to make, and although the preparation may not prove to be a difficult task, some things might go wrong in the process of making it.
So to help you to prepare a flawless batch of mashed potatoes, here are 6 mistakes that you must avoid.
1. Not cutting the potatoes properly
The first thing to remember when making mashed potato is to not cut the potatoes into pieces that are too small. Smaller pieces cook faster, but they absorb more water, preventing the absorption of butter and cream. Also, try to cut the potatoes into equal sizes, as different sized chunks will cook at different rates, leading to unevenly cooked pieces.
2. Adding potatoes to boiling water
People commonly add potatoes to boiling water when making mashed potato. The problem with this is that the pieces will end up lumpy instead of mashed, as they cook on the outside before they do on the inside. Instead, add the potatoes to the pot, add cold water, and then begin boiling the water. Once it boils, reduce to a rapid simmer.
3. Not adding salt to the water
Potatoes are bland, and many times mashed potatoes also end up being equally bland if not prepared well. To add a hint of taste, add salt to the water before you start boiling it. The potatoes will absorb the salt water and it will become seasoned. People often add salt to the potatoes after the process of boiling, but potatoes won’t absorb it as well at that stage.
4. Adding cold butter and cream
Butter and cream make for a rich and flavourful batch of mashed potato. Since these ingredients are usually kept in the fridge, chances are that you’ll add them as it is – cold. Adding them to the dish straight from the fridge cools the mixture and prevents the potatoes from absorbing the goodness of butter and cream. So remember to always heat them after taking them out from the fridge.
5. Adding butter and cream together
Speaking of butter and cream, we come to the next mistake, which is adding both ingredients at the same time. Both butter and cream get in the way of each other and prevent the potatoes’ starch molecules from effectively absorbing either of the two. Instead, add one ingredient, then mix the mixture, then add the other ingredient, and then again give it a mix.
6. Overmixing the potatoes
Messing around with the potatoes too much leads to the release of excess starch, which can make it sticky, chewy, and tasteless. Always mash the potatoes with your hand so you can feel exactly how much mashing the batch requires.
