A Potato Atlas

bodawei

March 20, 2010, 11:02 AM posted in General Discussion

How about we record the dominant word for potato in as many regions of greater China as possible? And any interesting related facts? We will all at some stage need to order a plate of shredded potato!

I will start with Yunnan - can any poddies help with the accepted term in other areas?

云南 Yunnan 洋芋 yáng yù. Note: 土豆 tǔdòu is understood but rarely used in the capital. Outside the capital 土豆 is not used at all. To further complicate matters there are many areas outside the capital where people do not speak 普通话 - I am told that generally people can understand (learnt from TV) but do not speak it. I don't have any dialect words for potato. Also, potato is usually eaten in the capital mashed (with varying amounts of chilli.)

bababardwan

March 20, 2010, 11:09 AM

A potato atlas! A potato atlas!

I love this site and you're a champ mate.Where else would folk be discussing making a potato atlas？This will have to be the first surely.哈哈

Edit:Actually this gives me an idea for a new group.

bodawei

May 27, 2010, 02:15 PM

My third post (above) about potato dishes from Yunnan is missing a caption: the photo shows 洋芋焖饭 yàngyú mèn fàn (stewed potato and rice) – 焖 (v. to stew). There is a family of 焖饭 dishes; this one features stewed potato.

orangina

April 21, 2010, 04:24 PM

I have nothing constructive to add, but think a potato atlas is a fantastic idea so I will give it a 'bump'.

chanelle77

April 21, 2010, 10:52 PM

Not completely related, but until now, I have not find the same nice crumbly, non sweet, potatoes as back home. Sometimes, they are very sweet, white and even a bit sticky and ruin my dish.Tried many sorts / ways of preparation, but seems like it is quite difficult.

in Nanjing I hear 土豆, I wonder why the Chinese did not call it 土果. I will ask my ayi if she knows something else...

bodawei

Hi Chanelle

The potatoes are generally like I am used to back home in Australia - although in Australia we would generally have about three varieties to choose from (apart from sweet potato) all year round. Also in Australia, in addition to the three normal size varieties, we have chats (tiny potatoes.) Here it is seasonal, and I have not seen chats.

Preparation:

1. Potato salad - chopped small and mixed with a dressing and spring onion. Served warm.

2. Mashed (Chinese) - in Australia we just mash them with butter and milk

3. Large chunks drizzled with sesame oil (that is actually my personal recipe - I don't know anyone else who does that)

4. Chopped into four or six and roasted in a flat pan in oil until golden brown - they do something similar in China and then drown it in chilli and other spices. With chats you do them whole or cut in half.

5. Roasted in large pieces with pumpkin, carrot, parsnip etc.

6. Chips - the best potato chips are made in Sichuan

7. Shredded fine and fried in oil. (Chinese)

8. Shredded fine, formed into pancakes and fried (Chinese)

bodawei

April 21, 2010, 10:56 PM

Thanks orangina - another opportunity to talk about potato dishes. Two common local dishes:

老奶洋芋 - mashed potato usually with chilli but there are several variations in the city. A Kunming standard dish. Can be a little oily but it's healthy oil. :)

洋芋饼 - shredded potato made into a pancake.

bodawei

April 21, 2010, 11:20 PM

Hi Chanelle

Preparation:

1. Potato salad - chopped small and mixed with a dressing and spring onion. Served warm.

2. Mashed (Chinese) - in Australia we just mash them with butter and milk

3. Large chunks drizzled with sesame oil (that is actually my personal recipe - I don't know anyone else who does that)

5. Roasted in large pieces with pumpkin, carrot, parsnip etc.

6. Chips - the best potato chips are made in Sichuan

7. Shredded fine and fried in oil. (Chinese)

8. Shredded fine, formed into pancakes and fried (Chinese)

ma_tai

May 26, 2010, 02:31 AM

I remember there is another name in 普通话 for potato besides 土豆. nciku say 马铃薯。Is that it? Horse bell potato? I know 薯 as in 薯条 or 薯片.

And Chanelle, potatoes are storage tubers of the plant, so wouldn't be called a fruit.

bodawei

ma_tai

You are right of course - 马铃薯 is probably the first word offered in most dictionaries with 洋芋 as an alternative. My feeling is that 土豆 is more of a slang word for potato, but very common. Do you know where in China that people commonly use 马铃薯？ For the 'atlas'. :)

zhenlijiang

日本！ OK we're not Greater China haha. And it's not at all as common as the term usually used, ジャガイモ（じゃが芋）jaga-imo. Silly me, I always thought 馬鈴薯--pronounced ba-rei-sho--was a far-offish transliteration of "potato". Does anyone know the origin of this term by the way?

AngMo

My father-in law, from Xiamen use 马铃薯 but to be honest he is the only native speaker I have heard using this word. All my Chinese friends use 土豆 in stead.

bodawei

March 20, 2010, 03:28 PM

Thanks Barbs, you are too kind. There are probably a few good reasons against an 'atlas' but there's no harm in trying. I have a soft spot for the potato. :-) Which is of course not native, but it has been enthusiastically welcomed by the Chinese nation. I could argue that the world's best potato chips ('fries' for our American friends) are made in Sichuan, no question.

Great idea the new group - and we are honoured in Yunnan to be first cab off the rank.

bodawei

May 26, 2010, 09:09 AM

jen_not_jenny

I agree - I like to get get this in Beijing too. I like the four tone practice too. :) Now you have brought this to my attention I will pronounce 丝 first tone in future - I think I have pronounced it 4th tone for a long time.

But note that #2, #6 and #8 'methods' above would all give #7 a run for your money. There are also 洋芋粑粑 yángyù bāba in Yunnan that are not mentioned above. That might be five places in the top ten occupied by potato dishes!

jen_not_jenny

May 26, 2010, 10:54 AM

One of my favorite home-made potato dishes back home involved a medley of baby potatoes purchased from my friendly neighborhood Trader Joe's with yellow, red, and these lovely purple tubers:

In searching for this image, I stumbled upon this article with a China connection:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6353403.stmand after hours of exhausting research (I never exaggerate) am still unable to locate a satisfying Chinese name for these tasty treats. 紫薯 is a possibility, but that seems to be more like a purple sweet potato or yam. This Purple Orchid III remains elusive...

bodawei

That's all we need, more 'mutated vegetables' :) Speaking of mutations (and apologising for taking a detour from potatoes) I am attracted to the following comment:

'it was not much different in sweetness and smell, but tasted more "glutinous"' - there are some sweet corn around at the moment that could only be described as glutinous. :-( I think in general, or as a group, and it is a pretty big group, the Chinese are more adventurous than I am when it comes to vegetables,.

jen_not_jenny

I agree with you on 'mutated vegetables'....although I do remember learning that the Inca used to cultivate over 3,000 varieties of potato...so I guess it boils down to HOW these mutations are brought about.