Cayenne sweet potato chips

Servings:

Some people think that sweet potato chips are some kind of ‘less-than’ version of the potato version, but I’m not one of them. In fact, I believe they’re a completely different proposition and deserve to be treated thus. You also don’t need to faff about with parboiling and roasting and frying here – just take advantage of food science by adding a sprinkling of starch to the outside to help encourage even more crisp-factor.

Ingredients

▢ 4-6 600g medium sweet potatoes washed and scrubbed (no need to peel)
▢ 1 tbsp gf flour or corn starch
▢ 1 tsp smoky paprika
▢ 1 tsp cayenne
▢ 1 tsp garlic powder
▢ 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
▢ 2 tbsp peanut or sunflower oil
▢ 2 tsp salt flakes
▢ Kewpie to serve optional

Instructions

For medium-sized sweet potatoes, cut in half horizontally, then stand them on the flat side and cut through lengthwise into lady-finger-thin chips – just over half a centimetre in thickness is perfect (the more similar in size the better). If using small sweet potatoes, cut in half lengthwise, then slice each half into thirds on an angle to create thin wedges. Add them to a big bowl of iced water spiked with apple cider vinegar to stand for 30-45 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220℃. Line 2 baking trays with aluminium foil.
When the sweet potato has had a good chance to think about what it’s done, drain the water through a sieve or colander, giving them a good swirl and shake to get rid of any excess moisture.
Pop the sweet potato into a bowl that’s big enough to toss them in. Sprinkle with flour and toss about to coat. Drizzle with oil and use your fingers to lightly swirl the chips in the bowl, rubbing in any visible powdery spots with your fingertips.
Arrange across the baking trays, making sure not to overcrowd – each chip should have enough room to extend its arms (if it had any). Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until you can pull one out and it’s completely soft through the middle. You can also do this in your airfryer, working in batches if it’s a smaller basket.
Meanwhile, combine paprika, cayenne, garlic powder and salt flakes in a clean, dry jar and give them a shake to distribute evenly. As soon as the fries/wedges come out of the oven, sprinkle liberally with the seasonings. Reserve any extra for secret herb-n-spicing to come.
Serve immediately, (optionally) drizzled with Kewpie mayo.

Notes

Top tips:

Ovens are notoriously temperamental and you’ll know yours best. Feel free to move the top tray down halfway through the bake and spin any fries that look like they could use more heat through the other side.

Shortcut:

Slice sweet potato into thin rounds with a mandolin, give them a soak in the vinegar-ice bath, dry and then toss with oil and bake in a single layer on a lined tray at 170℃ for about 15-20 minutes or until crispy, turning them over halfway. Toss with spices and serve.

Recipe from In Praise of Veg (Murdoch Books)