If you are a French fries’ fetish, but health-conscious, treat yourself to this lighter version, and have them sparingly!
Health facts
Over the years we have all become more health conscious. We question everything we buy or eat. Good for us. But that does not mean that we must deprive ourselves from enjoying the food we like. French fries are not only fatty but could contain a chemical called acrylamide that forms when starchy food is cooked at very high temperatures. Ever since I heard about that years ago, I have reduced our consumption of chips to zero, no joke, and of French fries to a minimum. But we still indulge ourselves every now and then in restaurants. My motto: Indulge yourself but always in moderation!
At home, I opted for a healthier and less fatty version instead. I cut potatoes in small cubes, soak in water for at least half an hour to release starch, drain and spread on a baking sheet. I generously drizzle with sunflower oil and mix them well to coat oil on all sides. Then I bake until golden and crunchy.
Kinds of Potatoes
Nevertheless, the crunchiness depends on the sort of potatoes you buy. Make sure you get waxy potatoes if available on the market. I learned about the difference in Germany where they differentiate between waxy ones for potato salads, gratins and French fries, and mealy ones for mashed potatoes and Schupfnudeln (German Potato croquettes).
The search is unfortunately not over here. There are so many kinds of waxy and mealy potatoes. Each kind with a name depending on the country you live in. Unless you exactly know which kind will fry or bake crunchy, you will sometimes end up with mushy potatoes. Life is hard…but worth it.
Childhood memories are the best!
My Sitti, grandmother, used to cut potatoes in thick slices and fry them in olive oil every time she would expect our visit on Saturday afternoons. We enjoyed them even cold, as she would have already prepared them early noon. While grown-ups were sipping on her famous, welcome hot cup of Arabic coffee, with cardamom aroma filling the air around us, we would sneak into her kitchen looking for goodies.
It was a cosy, rustic place with a small, wooden table; the table was low and surrounded by traditional wooden stools with woven straw seats. Her French Fries, our favourites, would be waiting for us as well as her exceptional, not that creamy, but most flavourful hummus bi tahini, the best in the world. The spreading of hummus on Arabic bread would begin, followed by a portion of fries neatly lined on top, and finally rolled into a wrap, to be devoured in seconds!
Batata bil furn
Ingredients
- 1200 g potatoes peeled, rinsed and cut into cubes, 2 cm big
- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Soak potatoes in a bowl filled with cold water for 30 minutes. Drain well, mix with the oil and spread evenly onto the baking sheet pan.
- Preheat oven (250°C, 480°F) and bake on the middle rack for about 40 minutes or until golden in colour and crunchy. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot as a side dish.
[…] as main course at home I serve it with a lighter version of French fries. In my courses I called it batata bi-l-furn. I cut potatoes into cubes, toss with sunflower oil and spread evenly on a baking sheet. They come […]