Did you know that there is a Brazilian Potato Association, ABBA? And more, that according to them, potato is the fourth most consumed food in the world? There are at least 4,000 types of potatoes around the world. As evidenced by the evidence, potatoes started being produced more than 7 thousand years ago and have their origin here in Latin America, in the Peruvian and Bolivian Andes.
The most commercialized potato species are 7 and differ in appearance and appearance. amount of starch and water that make up the vegetable. Composition is what determines whether a species is best for frying, baking or cooking. Low starch (waxy) ones are best for cooking; with a medium starch content, they can be used for any purpose; and those with a high starch content (floury) are suitable for roasting and frying.
ENGLISH POTATO
This is the one that everyone knows. Interestingly it is called Mona Lisa or agate. The shape is oval, elongated and with pulp and clear skin. It is a potato of different uses, but it has a low starch content and is best used for cooking or making purées (click here). It is also great roasted or with a classic cod (click here) 🙂
Photo: JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash
How about a potato cheese bread (click here), cod cake (here) or rosti potato (here)? There is really no shortage of options!
BALL
Since we are talking about potato chips, we also have the version ball. Yes, it is exactly the same species, but produced in a smaller size. You can bake, cook and great for preserving.
Photo: Schenk
SWEET POTATO
Another well-known variation is the sweet potato. There are some types, white, yellow, purple … All have a high amount of fiber and a slightly more sweet flavor (some more and others less). It is great for making boiled, roasted, pureed and even in pasta and sweets recipes.
Photo: Louis Hansel @shotsoflouis in Unsplash
We have already made a recipe for coxinha fit, brownie and the classic chicken with sweet potatoes. Enjoy!
ASTERIX
The potato asterix it is the one with an oval shape, the longest, with a clear pulp like English, but a red skin. It is a type of potato with many fibers and a lot of starch, that is, it is great for frying and very used to make gnocchi. We have a recipe on the wonderful gnocchi website, click here.
Photo: stanbalik from Pixabay
BARAKA
To recognize the baraka potato, just look for one with a “dirty” appearance. It is the best potato to fry, as it has less water and more starch. This makes the preparation even more crunchy. If you want to try other dishes it is also worth testing dishes with the baked potato.
Photo: Simply Recipes
YACON
A little less known, but still quite appreciated by those looking for a potato with less caloric content. The potato yacon it is widely used in Japan to produce pasta and pasta in general. Here, you usually eat raw in salads! Inside it is almost orange and on the outside it has a darker skin.
Photo: Mes Arbustes
POTATO BAROA
Is it potato, cassava or carrot? THE baron potato it is called by many names in Brazil, but to recognize it is just looking for a vegetable with a very yellow color and a little longer. It is super indicated for making purees and soups, since it has less starch. But you can also just cook which is delicious.
Photo: Kitchen in Brazil
Here we have already made a recipe for gratin potatoes, using cassava and sweet (click here) and roasted vegetables with cassava (here).
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Do you also like potatoes? Leave here in the comments which one do you consume the most 🙂