Potatoes do not seem like an obvious wok ingredient.

When most Americans think about potatoes, we think baked, mashed, roasted, or fried. We do not usually think, “I should slice these and throw them into a very hot pan with soy sauce.”

We should.

This is one of those recipes that sits somewhere between a side dish and a reason to stand over the stove eating directly from the pan. The potatoes get crisp around the edges, the sauce turns glossy, and the combination of soy sauce and brown sugar gives them a salty-sweet coating without turning them into candy.

The key is starch.

Potatoes already contain plenty of it, but rinsing the cut potatoes helps control the surface starch so they do not glue themselves together. A small amount of added starch in the sauce gives you the finish you actually want.

Ingredients

For two people:

• 1 pound Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes
• 1 tablespoon potato starch or cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil
• Black pepper to taste
• Optional chili flakes or chili crisp

Method

1. Cut the potatoes into thin matchsticks or narrow slices. Try to keep them close to the same size so they cook evenly.
2. Rinse them under cold water until the water is mostly clear. Drain well and dry them. Water and hot oil are not friends.
3. Mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, water, and starch in a small bowl. Stir it again before adding it later because the starch will settle.
4. Heat the wok over medium-high to high heat. Add the oil, then add the potatoes in a single loose layer.
5. Let them sit long enough to develop color before you start moving them around. Stir-fry until they are browned at the edges and nearly tender. Depending on thickness, this usually takes 8 to 12 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and black pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds.
7. Stir the sauce and pour it around the edge of the wok. Toss quickly. The sauce should bubble, thicken, and coat the potatoes.
8. Add chili if you want it. I usually keep the heat moderate because I want to taste the potatoes, not prove a point.
9. Serve immediately.

This recipe is forgiving, but crowding the pan will make the potatoes steam. If you double it, cook in batches or use a very large wok.

Are these traditional Chinese potatoes? They are influenced by Chinese stir-fry technique and flavors, but I am not going to invent a regional grandmother to make the recipe sound more authentic.

They are crispy, savory, slightly sweet potatoes made in a wok.

That is enough.