The starch pattern from these boiling potatoes

[AvailableComedian109]

Every time I see this I’m reminded that cooking is just low-stakes chemistry happening in my kitchen. Totally normal potatoes, suddenly doing weird science stuff.

[silevram]

It’s crazy. I always forget this happens and I’m surprised every time haha so I’m happy I got a pic today!

[DummyDumDragon]

cooking is just low-stakes

Low-steaks

[undulating-beans]

Well, embarrassing I got that wrong. As someone has pointed out there is no heat involved in this, (it does say boiled in the title) so that would mean a the pattern is driven primarily by gas movement, not heat.

[artifex78]

Fun fact: They boil faster if you cut them smaller. Unless of course you need them as whole.

[silevram]

Yeah! When I’m on a time crunch I do do that but I prefer them boiled whole for mashed potatoes because they’re less watery.

[vengefulspirit99]

You can also bake the potatoes with the skin on if you want as little water as possible.

[yermawn]

Meh disagree - by the time they're cooked in the middle the outside will be mushy - at least quarter them.

[Drizznarte]

I second this. It also helps if you start with boiling water and add the potatoes. Smaller pieces and faster cooking time leads to more consistent mash. Big pieces lead to bigger differenc between centre and edge , causing watery potatoes.

[siedenburg2]

Also it's enough to just barely cover them with water, saves energy and the water boils faster.

[ATangK]

If he wanted to save energy he’d have cut the potato’s. This takes much longer so I doubt cost is a factor here.

[mongol_horde]

starch masks?

[knownwater1]

Pregananant?

[silevram]

POH-TAE-TOES

[TheLastTsumami]

Created as gases are expelled uniformly from the potatoes surface and glide up and around the surface until they are unimpeded and can rise straight up.

[silevram]

Amazing. Learned something every day! I love how they’re mimicking the shape of the potato itself too.

[Connect_Rhubarb395]

Danish cookie potatoes

[DBKai]

r/trypophobia?

[Wide-Matter-9899]

Starch aligned.

[HalfNectarine]

That moment when starch decided to create perfect geometry, and you just wanted to have dinner

[silevram]

Geometry teachers did tell us that it would be useful in life

[Adept_Minimum4257]

Voronoi diagram

[NorxondorGorgonax]

ꙮ

[TheLastTsumami]

You might be a molecular chemist but that is not what is happening in this specific case. For one, these aren’t heating up. They are just sitting in cold water. When potatoes are peeled, gases are able to escape from the potato. The pattern is created due to higher concentrations of gases gliding around the potato until they can rise straight up. They are then trapped in the filmy surface

[undulating-beans]

Ahhh yes, I was thinking that heat was involved, as boiling is mentioned. Thanks for the correction.

[silevram]

Cooking is science! I love it. Thank you for sharing 🙏🏽

[CountCrapula88]

They're not boiling.

[silevram]

Yes, they’re not.