Friends are oftentimes surprised when they see how dexterous I am when working in a kitchen. I may not look like that girl who is domesticated and dedicated to spending most of her hours holding pots and pans, but I know my ingredients and the basics of cooking.

And although I have already gotten my diploma in College, I still enjoy learning new things about food – from food preparation to plating (and of course, taking the best food shots!).  

Although a little time-consuming, I enjoy Cooking Classes whenever we travel. Cooking Classes allow me to learn more about one country’s distinct flavor and special ways to prepare food.  

Preparing a Creme Brulee in Barcelona

Food we prepared and cooked in Rumah Desa, Bali

Learned new ways to “plate” using vegetables 
during my recent Hoi An, Vietnam Cooking Class 

Most of the recipes I learned from these cooking lessons require a special ingredient, seasoning or equipment that prevent me from re-creating the same recipes at home.  In this era when we want to do more things, I prefer food or ingredients that are easy to prepare, yet nutritious and versatile.  

I recently discovered US Dehy or US Dehydrated Potatoes, which is a US product made of premium potatoes – without the water – but retain the potatoes’ nutritional benefits and flavor. I think this is one of the few items in which “dehydrated” is taken positively.

What is US Dehy?

US Dehy are made from potatoes grown and harvested in the US, and processed under stringent standards of the US Department of Agriculture to retain consistency, quality and ensure food safety. Typically, they are made from creamy white-fleshed Russet potatoes.

US Dehy products are lightweight, compact and versatile. This allows you to save more time, energy and storage – this simply means you no longer need to wash, peel and boil the potatoes. You simply just prepare them as instructed.

The products are compact and don’t need a lot of storage spaces (perfect for minimalists and those with small kitchen storage!). US Dehy products have longer shelf life too, up to 2 years.  

There’s also more bang for the buck in the use of US dehy. One kilo rehydrates to as much as five kilos, giving you a larger yield for less.

If you think that you would have a problem thinking of how and where to mix US Dehy, it is actually very versatile that you can use it for flavoured mashed potatoes, creamier soups, thicker sauces or stews, or as a filling for roasted poultry.  

US Dehy can also be added to baked goods like breads, cakes, pastries or native kakanin.