Chips, or rather French fries, are one of the most tasty and quick dishes to make. They have an addictive crunch and can be customized to your personal taste in many ways. However, many people opt for the classic potato for their fries, which can be unhealthy if consumed frequently.
Luckily, a food expert at Good Food has shared a surprising vegetable alternative that delivers as much crunch and great flavour in just 30 minutes. By adding simple ingredients, this unexpected swap is easy to prepare and makes for a healthier snack or side dish. The chefs boasted: “Ditch the potatoes and try these moreish courgette fries as a snack or side dish. Scatter with Parmesan before serving.”
Ingredients
This courgette fries recipe from Good Food serves two people, takes five minutes to prepare, and cooks for 25 minutes. Here’s what you need to make them:
- Two tablespoons of plain flour
- Two courgettes
- Oil
- 15g of Parmesan grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
To begin, cut your cougrettes into 1cm batons. Then, place the flour in a bowl and lightly sprinkle two tablespoons of water over it. Mix until a thick batter forms, and then season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Stir in the courgettes until well coated. For the next step, heat about 4cm of oil in a deep pan to 180°C, making sure it doesn’t fill more than two-thirds of the pan.
Before dropping the courgettes in, test if the oil is ready by adding a drop of batter in the oil; it should sizzle and turn golden within 30 seconds. When ready, carefully add half the battered courgettes and fry for five–six minutes, turning after about a minute, until crisp and golden.
If any pieces stick, gently separate them with tongs. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain, then repeat with the remaining courgettes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve while hot.
The courgette fries have an impressive five stars out of six ratings. One person commented on the dish, they said: “Great recipe, really tasty.
“I cut my courgettes a little bit thicker than written here (a bit closer to the shape of potato wedges), but they still fried well. Very sweet, crispy on the outside, very soft in the middle. Will absolutely become a staple in our house.”
Another shared a tip and said: ” Add paprika to the fires.” However, one person asked: “Can you cook these in the air fryer rather than deep fat frying them?”
Good Food responded: “We haven’t tested this in the air fryer, so we can’t guarantee the results. You’ll need to make sure there’s no excess batter on them, as this can cause problems with the air fryer.
“You might be better to just coat them in seasoned flour, spray or drizzle with some oil, then cook in the air fryer. We hope this helps.”
