Szechuan Placki (Spicy Potato Pancakes)
Szechuan peppercorns in placki dough is my most controversial decision since I put kimchi in pierogi. And just like the kimchi pierogi, the initial reaction was scepticism followed by enthusiastic eating followed by requests for “those spicy pancakes again.”
Ingredients
For the Spicy Placki
- 2 pounds starchy potatoes, peeled 900g
- 1 medium onion
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- Salt
- Vegetable oil for frying
Chilli Crisp Sour Cream
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons chilli crisp Lao Gan Ma or similar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Squeeze of lime
Method
Toast and Grind the Peppercorns
-
Toast Szechuan peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly smoking. Grind in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. The toasting activates the numbing compound (hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, if you want the science) and deepens the citrusy, floral aroma. Raw Szechuan peppercorns taste flat. Toasted ones taste alive.
Make the Placki Dough
-
Grate the potatoes and onion on the fine side of a box grater (or use a food processor). Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out ALL the liquid. This is the same critical step from regular placki — wet potatoes = steamy, soggy pancakes. Dry potatoes = crispy, golden pancakes. Mix the squeezed potato with egg, flour, ground Szechuan peppercorns, white pepper, and salt.
Fry
-
Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drop tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil and flatten with a spatula. Fry 3-4 minutes per side until deeply golden and crispy. The edges should be lacy and shatteringly crunchy. Drain on paper towels. Season with a tiny extra pinch of ground Szechuan peppercorn while still hot.
Make the Chilli Crisp Sour Cream
-
Stir together sour cream, chilli crisp (include the crunchy bits), sesame oil, and lime juice. This is Polish sour cream meets Chinese condiment — creamy, crunchy, spicy, tangy. It’s the dipping sauce these placki were born for.
Szechuan Placki — Spicy Potato Pancakes
Szechuan peppercorns in placki dough is my most controversial decision since I put kimchi in pierogi. And just like the kimchi pierogi, the initial reaction was scepticism followed by enthusiastic eating followed by requests for “those spicy pancakes again.”
Polish placki ziemniaczane — crispy, golden potato pancakes — are already one of the most satisfying foods in any cuisine. Grated potato, pan-fried in oil until shatteringly crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. They’re perfect as babcia made them. But perfection doesn’t mean there’s no room for exploration, and when I discovered Szechuan peppercorns — those tiny, buzzy, numbing-spicy pods that make your tongue tingle — I knew they belonged in placki dough.
The numbing quality of Szechuan peppercorns (called “má” in Chinese, meaning numbing) creates a sensation that’s completely different from chilli heat. It’s not pain — it’s a tingle, a buzz, almost electrical. Combined with the starchy warmth of potato pancakes, it makes every bite interesting in a way that regular placki aren’t. And served with chilli crisp sour cream (regular sour cream mixed with chilli crisp), the combination of crispy potato, buzzy peppercorn, cool sour cream, and crunchy chilli oil is genuinely one of the most exciting things I’ve ever made.
Ingredients
For the Spicy Placki
- • 2 pounds (900g) starchy potatoes, peeled
- • 1 medium onion
- • 1 egg
- • 2 tablespoons flour
- • 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
- • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- • Salt
- • Vegetable oil for frying
Chilli Crisp Sour Cream
- • 1/2 cup sour cream
- • 2 tablespoons chilli crisp (Lao Gan Ma or similar)
- • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- • Squeeze of lime
How to Make Them
Toast and Grind the Peppercorns
Toast Szechuan peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly smoking. Grind in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. The toasting activates the numbing compound (hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, if you want the science) and deepens the citrusy, floral aroma. Raw Szechuan peppercorns taste flat. Toasted ones taste alive.
Make the Placki Dough
Grate the potatoes and onion on the fine side of a box grater (or use a food processor). Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out ALL the liquid. This is the same critical step from regular placki — wet potatoes = steamy, soggy pancakes. Dry potatoes = crispy, golden pancakes. Mix the squeezed potato with egg, flour, ground Szechuan peppercorns, white pepper, and salt.
Fry
Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drop tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil and flatten with a spatula. Fry 3-4 minutes per side until deeply golden and crispy. The edges should be lacy and shatteringly crunchy. Drain on paper towels. Season with a tiny extra pinch of ground Szechuan peppercorn while still hot.
Make the Chilli Crisp Sour Cream
Stir together sour cream, chilli crisp (include the crunchy bits), sesame oil, and lime juice. This is Polish sour cream meets Chinese condiment — creamy, crunchy, spicy, tangy. It’s the dipping sauce these placki were born for.
Understanding Szechuan Peppercorn Heat
Szechuan peppercorns aren’t actually spicy in the chilli sense — they’re numbing. The compound creates a tingling, buzzy sensation on your tongue that’s closer to the feeling of mild electrical current than to the burn of capsaicin. In Chinese cooking, this numbing quality is always paired with actual chilli heat (the combination is called “málà” — numbing-spicy). In these placki, the chilli heat comes from the chilli crisp sour cream, and the numbing comes from the peppercorns in the dough. The two sensations together make your taste buds incredibly alert and receptive to the other flavours — the starchy potato, the crispy edges, the cool sour cream. Everything tastes MORE when Szechuan peppercorn is involved.
Tips
💡 Pro Tips
✓ Squeeze the potatoes DRY. The most important step in any placki recipe, spicy or not.
✓ Toast the peppercorns. Raw Szechuan peppercorns are dull. Toasted ones are transformative.
✓ Use the crunchy bits in the chilli crisp. Dig deep in the jar. The fried garlic and chilli flakes are the whole point.
✓ Hot oil, thin pancakes. Thick placki steam internally. Thin ones crisp all the way through.
Variations
• With smoked salmon: Top each placki with a dollop of chilli crisp sour cream and a slice of smoked salmon. Polish-Chinese-Scandinavian fusion appetiser. Three continents, one bite.
• Classic with a twist: Skip the Szechuan peppercorns but keep the chilli crisp sour cream. A gentler entry point for the sceptical.
• Mini placki bites: Make silver-dollar sized pancakes for a party appetiser. Crispy, bite-sized, and the chilli crisp sour cream works as a dipping sauce.
How to Store
Best eaten fresh and hot — the crispness fades. Leftover placki keep 2-3 days in the fridge; re-crisp in a hot skillet or oven at 200C / 400F for 5-6 minutes. The chilli crisp sour cream keeps 5 days and honestly gets better as the flavours meld overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I buy Szechuan peppercorns?
Asian grocery stores (always), the spice aisle of well-stocked supermarkets (sometimes), or online. They look like small, reddish-brown pods. A small bag lasts months — you use them sparingly because the numbing effect is potent. Once you buy them, you’ll start experimenting beyond this recipe. I’ve put them in stir-fries, marinades, and even chocolate cookies (controversial, delicious).
The Controversy and the Converts
When I posted about Szechuan placki in our family group chat, my uncle responded with a single word: “Dlaczego?” (Why?) My aunt said “babcia is rolling in her grave.” My mother said “send me the recipe.” That’s the full spectrum of Polish family reactions to fusion food — resistance, dramatic concern, and quiet curiosity. The quiet-curiosity people are always the ones who try it first and become the biggest advocates. My mother has now made these three times and adds even more Szechuan peppercorn than I do. She told my uncle they were excellent. He still hasn’t tried them. Some conversions take time. I’m patient. The placki can wait.
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