How to make potato milk?

How many of you have heard about potato milk ? It is a totally new vegetable drink , an alternative to cow's milk , a lactose-free and gluten-free milk with great benefits , both nutritionally for the body and for the environment: it is the most ecological vegetable milk there is, in fact winner of the innovation award . If this is the first time you read about it, it is possible that it happened to you like it happened to me... I was stunned! In this post I hope you find the answer to all the questions about potato milk and the recipe to prepare it.

The first thing I thought was, can I make potato milk? What does it taste like? What is its texture like? Can I use it like any other type of milk? There are many questions that may arise, as well as many doubts about whether we will like it.

It is completely normal, since potatoes are not a naturally sweet ingredient, and we tend to associate them with other types of preparations that have nothing to do with consumption like the one we propose today. But I assure you that with the right combination, it is a very pleasant milk to consume .

Although we think that potatoes are only used for cooking, due to their high starch content, they are an ingredient used to make vodka through a fermentation process.

Glass carafe with cork stopper Inspired by Revol and America' 20s glass by Bormioli Rocco

What is potato milk?

Potato milk is a vegetable milk or drink made from potatoes . It has a milky texture and consistency , the starch can be appreciated, and it has a mild, almost tasteless flavour.

The creation of this new variety of vegetable "milk" comes from the hand of a Swedish food researcher and a professor from the University of Lund .

Legally, plant-based milks cannot be called "milk" as such, with the exception of almond milk.

Both found a way to turn the simple potato into a plant-based drink. The Swedish company DUG (winner of a 2021 World Food Innovation Award in the Best Allergy-Friendly Product category for its creation) currently sells potato milk in some countries, although it has not yet been marketed in Spain.

It is a mixture of water, potatoes, rapeseed oil, pea protein, chicory fiber, maltodextrin (sugar) and some other ingredients such as an emulsifier, vitamin D and an acidity regulator.

The company claims that the end result is quite similar to cow's milk in terms of texture and flavour, and also includes the nutritional benefits of potatoes: fibre, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium.

Here I make a brief aside to detail a note, I do not know what the potato milk from this company is like, but after my tests (several) in no case have I found any similarity between the texture and taste of cow's milk and potato milk. In my humble opinion, they cannot be compared because they are totally different.

The brand offers three options for its consumers: original, barista (with a higher fat content to promote good foaming) and sugar-free.

So what makes potato milk special?

Among other things, its sustainability . It is much greater than that of other types of vegetable milks such as almond milk (it requires large amounts of water for its cultivation), soy (its cultivation causes soil devastation, deforestation, contamination of rivers and aquifers, elimination of family farming, disappearance of biodiversity...) or oats .

Consuming potato milk regularly, unlike other varieties of plant milk, promises to reduce the carbon footprint (its cultivation produces much less CO₂ than other plants), reduce water consumption (56 times less than almond milk) and require less surface area to be grown .

Furthermore, potato milk, not being a dairy product, is a drink suitable for those who are lactose intolerant or suitable for those who suffer from poor digestion.

Benefits of potato milk.

Among all the elements that can be used to make a "vegetable milk", it is not surprising that the potato has been chosen to be part of the family of plant-based milks .

After all, potatoes have many benefits for our health, which I will list below.

• Vitamin C: When we talk about this vitamin, we often associate it with oranges and citrus fruits. But a major source of vitamin C in the British diet for most of the 20th century came from potatoes. Roughly speaking, 150g of potato provides us with around 15% of our daily vitamin C. Vitamin C supports immune function, contains antioxidants and plays an essential role in the formation of connective tissue.
• Vitamin B6: Helps the body's enzymes to function properly, allowing them to break down proteins, a key process for proper nerve function. One small potato contains about a quarter of an adult's recommended daily intake of B6.
• Potassium: Regulates electrical signaling in muscles and nerves.
• Choline: This is a compound that binds to fat to form phospholipids, the building blocks of cell walls, as well as the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (which helps us contract muscles, dilate blood vessels and slow heart rate). Potatoes contain the second highest levels of choline, after protein-rich foods such as meat and soy.
• Resistant Starch: Cooking and cooling potatoes before eating them allows resistant starch to form. This healthy starch helps our bodies in a number of ways, including by acting as a prebiotic . Cooling cooked starches causes them to break down. This makes them harder to digest, but the bacteria in our colon ferment them into compounds called short-chain fatty acids . These fatty acids nourish our intestines and keep them healthy. These types of fatty acids can also alter our metabolism in a positive way, helping to reduce fat and blood sugar levels.
• Gluten-free: Potatoes are naturally gluten-free, making them a great option for people with celiac disease or who need to avoid gluten.
• Lactose-free drink: It is a suitable option for people with gluten and lactose intolerance.
• It is a good alternative for those who have allergies or intolerances to soy, almond, oat or other vegetable milk bases.

Glass carafe with cork stopper Inspired by Revol and America' 20s glass by Bormioli Rocco

Considerations to take into account when consuming potato milk.

Potato is an ingredient with a low protein content . It is true that when we consume other types of vegetable milks such as almond, rice, oat... We are consuming a vegetable milk whose main element, in origin, is rich in proteins. However, when it is processed to make milk, only a small percentage (around 10%) of this ingredient becomes part of the milk. Something that makes it a vegetable milk with a lower protein content.

Potatoes naturally contain very little protein, and when converted into vegetable milk, their protein content is reduced to almost the same as other vegetable milks. But it is still inferior to other options.

Potato milk, if we make it at home, does not contain sugar . If we buy it ready-made, it has less sugar than other vegetable milks. However, it is true that to make it appealing to the palate and make it appetizing, it is necessary to sweeten it a little. There are many options for doing this instead of using refined sugar.

It has a low fat content , so if we do not use any ingredient that provides fat, the result will be very similar to water. Commercially available potato milk contains refined oils to provide creaminess and make it more appetizing. We can use nuts for this same purpose or even coconut oil if you prefer.

We cannot expect to taste a milk that reminds us of cow's milk, soy, almond, coconut ... Because they have nothing to do with it . Whether the taste, texture or smell, it is very particular.

It is true that if we do not season the potato milk, we will end up with a vegetable drink with a potato flavour. But by adding some ingredients we will be able to flavour it, making it very appetising, without losing the essence of the drink we are preparing.

The end result is a drink with a milky texture, a sweet aroma and a slight resemblance to a soft roll. But of course, we used vanilla and dates... That's normal.

In my humble opinion, it is best to enjoy it as it is made and chilled. Although it can also be consumed hot. I have not tried mixing it with coffee or any other drink of this type, but I don't really see the combination. I guess it's all about trying.

On the other hand, I do see that it is a variety of vegetable milk perfect for making doughs, I think it would work very well in breads, or even fruit smoothies.

The recipe for making potato milk

Ingredients for approximately 1 L

• 275 g potato*, peeled
• 800 g water (700 g cold water + 100 g cooking water)
• 35 g ground almonds
• 2 Medjool dates, approximately 80 g
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
• 2 g salt

* In the notes section I detail the varieties that we can use

Elaboration

We cook the potatoes

1. Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut them into slices approximately 2 cm thick.
2. We put it in the WMF pressure cooker, in the small 3 l. body, and fill it with water up to the 1/2 mark.
3. We close the pot, turn the handle ring to cooking 1 and place it on the fire. Once the first green ring appears, we cook for 6 minutes .
4. Remove from heat, release steam, shake pot gently, and remove lid.
5. We remove the potatoes with a skimmer and reserve the cooking water.

WMF pressure cooker , Emile Henry salt jar and Pallarès kitchen knife

We mash the potatoes

1. Place the cooked potatoes in a food processor along with half of the water.
2. We process at high speed until achieving a very smooth and silky consistency.
3. Add the rest of the water and process again at medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. You should have a very smooth, lump-free mixture.

We add the rest of the ingredients and process again.

1. We add the ground almonds together with the chopped dates, vanilla and salt.
2. Process again for 3 minutes until the ingredients are completely integrated.
3. At this point we can taste the potato milk and adjust some of the ingredients if we wish. We can even add a little more water if we consider it appropriate.

We pass the mixture through a cheesecloth.

1. Place a strainer in a large bowl, followed by a cheesecloth.
2. Pour the mixture onto the fabric. Take the ends, roll them up and start pressing.
3. This step will be a bit laborious, we will have to do it with patience since the mixture passes through the cloth with a bit of difficulty. From time to time, we will have to release air to help it pass through better. This step will help us remove the almond pulp and the small portions of the skin from the dates.
4. We introduce it with a strainer into a glass bottle , like this beautiful one from Revol.
5. Serve or refrigerate.

Gefu juicer mesh and Nynet Mediterranean glass bowl

Grades:

• Ideally, we will use Spunta potatoes (I used this variety as the final result), Kennebec or Russet. It can be done with other varieties, but I have tried with these three types and the result is quite good.
• It is very important that the potato is cooked and that there are no raw parts. However, it is also important not to overcook it so that it retains all its properties.
• Ground almonds can be substituted with another ground nut if desired, such as hazelnuts for example.
• If we are intolerant to nuts, we will omit this ingredient directly. In this case, to provide a fatty element, we can use coconut oil or another type of vegetable oil with a very mild flavor.
• Potato milk, on its own, is quite bland. For this reason, we will add sweet and salty notes to enhance the whole . Salt is an essential element to enhance the flavours, so I advise you not to omit it.
• To sweeten it, we can use any ingredient we want. In my case, I used dates, but we can use agave syrup, honey, maple syrup or any type of sweetener you want. The amount of this ingredient is entirely up to you.
• Vanilla adds a wonderful aroma to potato milk , make sure it is natural and not artificial.
• The final amount of water depends on your taste . In my case, with 800 g of water, I think it has a good texture and consistency, but you can make it more fluid or thick. I advise you to add the water little by little so you can try it and adjust the desired consistency to your taste.
• It can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• This type of milk cannot be frozen , just like potato milk. The consistency changes and is not pleasant.

I can't wait to hear what you think and to see if you're encouraged to prepare this potato milk to find out what you think. Although it is true that it is not what our palate might expect, if we compare it with cow's milk, it is a pleasant drink to consume and will bring many benefits to our body.

So we want to hear about your experiences!

Sources: The Conversation , The Conversation , Dr. Axe , Uppers