Top tips for making the perfect fries

Biting into the perfect fries, you should first hear a crunch and then be greeted with soft potatoes inside. Unfortunately, homemade fries fail to live up to the expectation and often, we are left with limp and soggy fries, which nobody wants!

To avoid this kitchen failure, here are some important tips to nail the classic French fries at home, followed by a delicious seasoning mix and dips that complement them really well.   Selecting the right potato

To make the perfect fries, you have to start by selecting the right potatoes for the job, and old harvest will yield the best results in this case. Choose large potatoes with skins peeling off, as this is a symbol of low moisture and starch content — two things that you want to avoid.

PREPPING THE POTATOES

Once you select the right kind of potatoes, peel and square them off for an even cut and cooking. Cut them into thin batons, keeping them as uniform as possible. Then, soak them in cold water for 10-15 minutes to draw out excess starch.

THE TRIPLE-COOK METHOD

The triple-cook method is the ultimate fool-proof manner to make perfectly crispy fries. It takes a little bit more time and patience, but the results are unlike any other method. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and drop in the potato batons and let them boil for a couple of minutes. After that, strain them out and pat them completely dry with a kitchen towel.

Fry, and fry again

Even if you skip the previous step, do not skip this one, as it is crucial to fry the potatoes twice. To deep fry the potatoes, bring sufficient amount of oil up to temperature on medium-high heat. Drop them into the pan and par-cook them for only a minute or so.

Take them off the heat and drain them on a kitchen towel. Lay the half-cooked potatoes into one single sheet and freeze them for 30 minutes. You can freeze the potatoes for up to six months in this state.

Moderate the temperature 

After that, before frying the potatoes again, lightly coat them with corn flour for an extra crisp exterior. Heat oil on high this time and fry the potatoes in batches to avoid overcrowding, as this will drop the temperature.

To ensure the oil is hot enough, drop one strip of potato and you should hear a sizzle instantly. Move them around in the pan for even cooking, and fry them until they are golden brown, which should take about 2-3 minutes.

Season and serve!

Drain the potatoes on a sieve, which will enable them to retain crispiness and season them while they are still hot. For well-seasoned French fries, you can make a quick chilli salt using salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Sprinkle this seasoning mix over the fried potatoes and toss them to coat well.

Dibs on dips

What are fries without delicious dips to accompany them? Ketchup is okay, but to really level up your game, try out these two game-changing dips.

HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE

Ingredients

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp mustard

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

½ tsp hot sauce

Pinch of salt

Drizzle of oil (optional)

Method

Mix mayonnaise, mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar and hot sauce together with a sprinkle of salt to balance all the flavours. Finally, finish it off with a drizzle of oil for a glossy texture.

GARLIC MAYO

Ingredients

½ cup oil

¼ cup milk

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp chopped garlic

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp white vinegar

Method

Mix all the ingredients together using a whisk or blender on high speed, until it becomes a thick and creamy homogenous mixture. For thicker consistency, you may squeeze in more lemon juice.

Food & Photo: Fariha Amber