Potatoes come in many variations on the table.
But there are differences.
Read about what floury, waxy or semi-waxy potatoes are good for.
Fried potatoes, dumplings or potato salad - the brown tubers appear in countless dishes.
No wonder they are so popular with Germans.
Each of them consumes
an average of
60 kilograms
per year.
The potato * is actually an exotic vegetable.
It comes from South America and only found its way to Germany in the 17th century.
The people there are initially skeptical and consider the potato poisonous.
However, that changed in the 18th century and the potato began its triumphal march.
Today it is hard to imagine German cuisine without it.
Potatoes: That's how healthy they are
Which ingredients are in the potato and does it have a positive effect on health? First of all, it's very
low in calories
- potatoes
are
high in
carbohydrates, but not fat. In addition, there are proteins, fiber, vitamins C and B1 and potassium in the tubers. Tip: Many vitamins sit directly under the potato peel. Most of them are preserved if you boil the potatoes whole and serve as jacket potatoes. Another important component of the potato is
starch
. Exactly how much is in the potato determines which category the potato falls into. Basically, a distinction is made between
floury, waxy and predominantly waxy
.
Also read:
Check supplies now: If potatoes look like this, they belong in the trash.
+
The starch content determines whether potatoes are floury, waxy or predominantly waxy.
© A. Schauhuber / Imago
Floury potatoes: strong taste, soft consistency
Floury potatoes contain around 15 percent starch and thus have the largest starch content of the three potato categories.
You can recognize them in the supermarket by the blue marking.
If you cook the potatoes for a long time, they will simply crumble.
Therefore, they are ideal as
grilled potatoes
, together with delicious sour cream, or for
soups and mashed potatoes
.
They are also ideal for dumplings because they have a good binding effect.
Predominantly waxy potatoes: ideal as a side dish
A little less starch than floury potatoes are mainly waxy potatoes with 13 to 15 percent.
The type marked in red has a nice bite when cooked, but is not too hard.
It is therefore often used as an
accompaniment
to dishes with sauce, such as
boiled potatoes
.
What else is it suitable for?
The
potato type is perfect
for
frying and deep-frying
.
Dishes such as fried potatoes, hash browns, Italian gnocchi or French fries are good examples of this.
Or try this recipe for the refined and delicious Hasselback potatoes from the oven.
Read more:
Five mistakes to avoid when cooking potatoes.
Waxy potatoes: perfect for thin slices
The starch content of waxy potatoes: eleven to thirteen percent.
After they are cooked, their
consistency is firm
.
Hence, they are about for potato salad
and potato gratin optimal.
Thin pieces can be cut from the potato without it falling apart.
If you want to prepare potato cubes or chips, you should also use the tubers with the green marking.
Wrong potato variety selected - has the dish been spoiled?
You sold out and brought a different variety from the supermarket than stated in the recipe - what now?
Lots of dishes can be
prepared well
with
several types of potatoes
.
For example, many people like it when mostly waxy potatoes disintegrate easily in a gratin.
Others prefer solid, recognizable panes.
Therefore, it is worth experimenting with the different varieties.
So everyone can find the texture that they like best.
(lw) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
Also interesting: the
food trend smashed potatoes: crushed potatoes can be so delicious.
Potato peels are so versatile
Potato peels are so versatile
List of rubric lists: © A. Schauhuber / Imago
