5 Recipes for Chips and Fries with a Desi Flavour

One of the most widely known foods, made from potatoes, in Britain, is chips. The chunky, normal cut or crinkly versions, are all a firm favourite across the nation.

Then there is the humble French fry, which may have originated in Belgium but enjoyed worldwide, even across South Asian countries.

Fries serve as a side to main meals and many people enjoy them on their own as a tasty snack too.

While they taste great on their own, people add different things to chips to make them more flavourful. Some melt cheese on them while others sprinkle peri-peri salt.

Even though chips and fries may not be traditionally a Desi food, it is possible to create them with Desi flavour.

You can combine different Desi spices to completely change their common taste. Adding red chillies and garlic are just some of the ingredients in order to make chips with a Desi twist.

The mixture of chilli, ginger, garlic and cumin coating a crisp, but a fluffy chip on the inside is a delicious thing.

We’ve collated five simple recipes for you to add to chips and fires to give them a wonderful Desi flavour.

Masala Chips

Masala chips are one of the easiest ways to increase the flavour of the simple chip. It will take an average plate to a whole new level.

This Kenya origin dish features a combination of Indian spices which transforms them into a saucy and spicy snack.

They work well with bbq dishes as the slight smokiness goes perfectly with the spice and crispiness that you get from the masala chips. They’re also great as a snack on their own.

It is a recipe which is simple to make and promises bags of flavour.

Ingredients

• 2 Portions of oven chips
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1¼ tsp sugar
• 1 tsp masala powder
• 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• Coriander leaves, roughly chopped (optional – to garnish)

Method

1. Cook the own chips according to the instructions of the packet until they’re five minutes from being cooked.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the rest of the ingredients into a bowl.
3. When the chips have five minutes to go, remove from the oven and add the masala mixture to them. Mix well until the chips are evenly coated.
4. Return to the oven and cook for a further five minutes.
5. Once done, remove from the oven, garnish with coriander and serve.

This recipe was inspired by Hint of Helen.

Indian-Style Oven Chips

These Indian-style chips are one of the most authentic when it comes to a delicious plate of fries which is bursting with flavour.

They are completely home-cooked and the use of ingredients like ginger and garlic will spice up standard potato fries.

Cayenne pepper adds the obvious heat to it while ginger provides a slight hint of citrus.

Floury potatoes like Maris Piper are the best to use as they ensure a soft, fluffy texture inside while the outside remains crisp.

Ingredients

• 1kg floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunky chips
• A thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated into a paste
• 3 Garlic cloves, finely grated into a paste
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• A generous pinch of cayenne pepper
• Salt, to taste

Method

1. A day before eating them, place the potatoes into a pan of cold water and turmeric and salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer for three minutes until just cooked.
2. Drain and leave to cool before placing into a fridge to chill overnight.
3. The next day, heat oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Drizzle a tablespoon of oil in a shallow, non-stick roasting tin and place in the oven.
4. Pour the remaining oil into a large bowl and add the ginger, garlic, fennel seeds and cayenne pepper.
5. Remove the cold chips from the fridge and place into the bowl and gently toss until they become evenly coated.
6. Remove the tray from the oven and pour the chips on them. Use a spoon to coat the chips in the hot oil then arrange them into a single layer and cook for 30 minutes.
7. Turn them over halfway through cooking then return to the oven for 15 minutes until golden and crisp.

This recipe was inspired by BBC Good Food.

Indian Halloumi Fries

Though they are not your typical fries, this dish has a plethora of flavour.

Halloumi has become very popular in recent years and has become the accompaniment to many other dishes.

It is similar to paneer as both can be cooked without them melting.

These halloumi fries incorporate many Desi flavours like the spice from the chillies and the hint of earthiness from the cumin. As it is the cheese that is the fries, they are a filling snack.

Frying them adds a golden exterior which is crisp while the inside remains soft and mellow. At the same time, the flavour goes to a new level when the other ingredients are added.

Ingredients

• 1 Red onion, finely chopped
• 1 Red chilli, sliced
• 1 Green chilli
• 3 Blocks halloumi, pat dry and cut into fries
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 150g plain yoghurt
• 5 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• Half a small packet of mint
• 1 small packet of coriander
• 1 Garlic clove
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• 2 Spoons of mango chutney
• Oil, for frying

Method

1. On a plate, mix together the flour, turmeric, cumin and coriander seeds. Roll the halloumi fries in the mixture until they are evenly coated.
2. Blend the yoghurt, mint, green chilli, garlic, lemon juice and half the coriander until the mixture is bright green. Season to your own taste.
3. Take a wide frying pan and fill with 2cm of oil. Heat until the oil becomes very hot. Gently place one of the fries to test. They should go golden but if the oil is too hot, they will colour too much and burn.
4. Fry the halloumi fries in batches until they float and become golden. Once fried, remove and drain on kitchen paper.
5. Place the halloumi fries on a plate and drizzle on the yoghurt and mango chutney. Garnish with the red onion, chilli and remaining coriander.

This recipe was inspired by Mob Kitchen.

Spiced Indian Wedges

This simple dish gently spices up potato wedges by adding a light dusting of chilli powder but if you like spicy food, you can add more.

They go perfect with dishes which have subtle hints of smokiness such as tandoori chicken. The paprika in the wedges adds even more smokiness.

While other similar dishes use a masala mix, this is a masala oil rub. The oil ensures that the spices cover the wedges and crisps up the outside more.

This simple dish tastes delicious when dipped into a spicy tomato chutney. As it only takes 30 minutes to prepare, it is a great way to jazz up your potatoes.

Ingredients

• 4 Large potatoes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp paprika

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Meanwhile, wash and scrub the potatoes then cut into chunky wedges with the skin left on.
2. In a large bowl, add all the spices and oil to make a rub. Add the wedges to the bowl and mix using your hands until they are well coated.
3. Place the wedges on an oven tray skin side down and cook for 30 minutes until golden.

This recipe was inspired by Hari Ghotra.

Sweet Potato Fries

Using sweet potatoes to make fries adds a new depth when it comes to flavour as there is a natural sweetness coming from the potatoes.

Combining them with various spices creates more for your tastebuds to take in.

The Desi flavours of the sweet potato fries taste great alongside a garlic and cashew nut sauce, however, if you have a nut allergy, avoid.

The nutty flavour of the sauce offsets the sweet, spiciness of the fries, making for a delicious combination.

Ingredients

• 2 Medium-sized sweet potatoes
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ¾ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Garlic & Cashew Nut Sauce

• ½ cup of raw cashews
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/3 cup of water
• ¼ cup of chopped parsley

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Meanwhile, place the sweet potato fries into a large bowl and add the oil and spices. Toss to evenly coat.
2. Place on a baking tray in a single row. Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes, or until the fries are tender.
3. Give the fries a toss halfway through cooking so that all the sides become crispy.
4. To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients except for parsley in a blender and blend until it becomes smooth.
5. Add the parsley and blend until the parsley is finely chopped.
6. Once the fries are done, remove from the oven and serve with the sauce.

This recipe was inspired by Crazy Vegan Kitchen.

These recipes are simple guides to help turn simple chips into something more. Combining spices for a Desi twist ensures delicious flavours in every chip.

Many are great on their own but when part of the main meal, it will add more depth to your dish.

While the recipes serve as a guide, you can modify the ingredients to your own personal taste. One thing for certain is that chips are much more versatile than you think.