Wash and peel the potatoes, then slice them into approximately 0.5 cm thick slices. Thinner slices steam faster and more evenly.

Bring plenty of water to a boil in a steamer. Add the potato slices and steam over high heat for 15–20 minutes, until a chopstick or fork can easily pierce through them.

Remove the potatoes and allow them to cool until warm. This prevents burning your hands and makes the potatoes easier to mash and knead.

Transfer the warm potato slices to a large bowl. Add the salt, black pepper to the bowl. Use a potato masher or spoon to mash them until completely smooth, with no visible lumps.

Add cornstarch. Knead thoroughly by hand until a soft, smooth dough forms that is no longer sticky.

If the mixture feels too dry, add a small amount of warm water. If it's too sticky, sprinkle in a little more cornstarch.

Take about 20 g of the mixture, roll it into a ball, then gently press and shape it into a small rectangular potato pop about 1 cm thick. Keeping the thickness even helps prevent burning or undercooking.

Arrange the shaped potato pops on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Lightly press fork marks onto the surface to prevent puffing during baking and to enhance crispiness.

Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (355°F) for 5 minutes. Place the tray inside and bake for 10 minutes.

Carefully remove the tray, flip each potato pop, brush lightly with oil again, and return to the air fryer for another 10 minutes.

Bake until the potato pops are golden brown, crispy on the outside, and lightly browned around the edges.

Remove the potato pops from the air fryer and let them rest for 2 minutes. This short cooling time allows the exterior to crisp up even more.

Serve warm with ketchup or your favourite dipping sauce.