Up-To-Date or UTD Potatoes were originally developed in Scotland, but are now grown commercially around the world – notably in South Africa, Australia & Burma.
Whilst they are known as UTD commercially, in the homes of the people of Durban they are affectionately known as gravy-soakers.
Up-To-Date Potatoes are an oval shape, slightly flattened, with light skin and slightly off-white skin. They are great for making mashed potatoes and lekker slap-chips.
Due to their low moisture and high starch content, UTD Potatoes are the perfect potatoes for stews and curries. Gravy-Soakers cook up to be light and fluffy and, of course, they suck up the beautiful rich gravy of our curries and stews.
A perfectly cooked gravy-soaker will retain it’s shape but when we break it up on the plate, it will have a consistency almost like mash – not quite but almost.
Hint: Before adding your potatoes to your curry or stew, poke them a few times with a fork. This helps the gravy to soak into the potato. My Uncle Peter, when he wants to show off his famous curry recipe, even roughens up the outside of the potato by ‘drumming’ on it with a knife. He says it helps the gravy soak through the outer layer.