French fries are one of life's great pleasures. But there is a great big world of vegetables out there, just waiting to be deep-fried and dipped in ketchup.
In truth, any hard vegetable that holds its form relatively well during cooking is a candidate for deep-frying. I once had some eggplant fries at a restaurant that were to die for, at least that was until I tried their string-bean fries.
Most non-root vegetables benefit from some sort of coating before going into the deep fryer. Egg or milk with a quick roll in some panko crumbs will do the trick.
Next time you get the frying urge, give some of these vegetables a try:
• Sweet Potatoes (of course)
• Parsnips
• Eggplant
• Green Beans
• Celery Root
• Okra
• Avocados (try these recipes!)If you're hooked on the classic, try these Beer Battered Cajun Fries.
And for your dipping pleasure:
• Homemade Agave Nectar Ketchup
• Creamy Tofu and Green Pea Dip
• Vidalia Onion Dip with Bacon Crumbles
• Savory Vegan Dip
Any other favorite veggies to fry up?
Related: Why French Fries Aren't French But We Label Them As So
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Sunchokes! I played around with this last year, cutting them quite thin (almost potato-stick thinness), frying them in oil, and adding some salt and cayenne. They're sweeter than potatoes, but not as much as sweet potatoes/yams.
I got the kids more interested in vegetables by battering them with tempura and frying, things like green beans and cauliflower and artichoke hearts and mushrooms (that they'd flatly refused before), and then I introduced the vegetables un-fried every third time then every second time then every time until the fried version came the rare "treat". Green beans and cauliflower with a soy ginger dipping sauce, mushrooms with a Greek yogurt ranch-style sauce, worked like a charm. After that they became so interested in veggies that they were choosing what we grew in the garden (and eating everything!).
Definitely artichokes and zucchini flowers!
Will these work in a sauce pan with canola or olive oil?
Brussel Sprouts FTW! Quarter and fry, then toss with olive oil that's been hanging out with slivered garlic, orange zest, and red pepper flakes in it all day.
Kale with a light tempura batter. mmmmmm
I host an annual fry party every year. Last year's was vegan so we had lots of deliciously fired veggies and some creative desserts.
There is a great place in queens calle pio pio that makes yuca fries I made the before they are amazing
Asparagus. With a light tempura batter is nice.