Deep-Fried Sweet Potato Fries

Yes, here I go again with the sweet potato fries.

But, before I go into my love story about sweet potato fries, I just wanted to write something else. A belated “introduction” to my blog, if you will:

I love food.

I love cooking it, I love the feeling when something turns out *just* right. I love stirring a sauce until it thickens beautifully, or watching dough rise to the perfect height. On my days off I plan what I’m going to cook, with the luxury of a free day to mix, stir, leave to rise, and marinade. I get upset if something doesn't turn out right, or gets dropped. I’m not a photographer. You won’t catch me taking photos artfully, with a careless (but oh-so-planned) dash of flour scattered over my workstation. If there’s flour in my photos, it’s because I spilled it earlier. My plating isn’t complex, I don’t really do quenelles. Honestly, the photos of savoury bits that I take are my actual dinner for that actual evening. I’m too hungry at that point to take the time to make a dish look stylish.

Aaanyway, there is a South American- style restaurant near me which serves the most INCREDIBLE sweet potato fries. Unfortunately the last two (TWO!) times I’ve been in they had sold out of these crunchy orange morsels of pure heavenly delight.

So, what is a girl to do when she can’t get what she wants? Make them up at home for herself, of course!

I’ve made the baked sweet potato fries more times than I can count and they are incredibly wonderful and delicious. However, they do lack the crispy coating which is a hall mark of deep frying. So, these are definitely less healthy, but as a sneaky treat you can’t go too far wrong with these.

The seasoning is optional, feel free to go for just good old fashioned salt.

Serves 2-3, personally I could eat all these on my own.

Ingredients

• 2-3 sweet potatoes, chopped into rough fries
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup fizzy water
• Oil, for frying
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• Pinch of sugar

Method

Begin by peeling and dicing the potatoes.

Then whisk the cornflour and fizzy water together (if you only have plain tap water that’s fine).

Heat the oil until nearly bubbling.

Meanwhile, mix together the seasoning/spices and set aside.

Dip the potatoes in the cornflour and water and give them a good stir, coating well.

Fry 1/3 of the batch at a time in the oil.

When one set has cooked, place on a baking tray, scatter over some of the seasoning and place in a medium oven to keep warm. 

Meanwhile, fry the rest of the sweet potatoes and repeat. Serve when all cooked. I like mine as a side with Mexican food, but on their own is just as delish.