Zucchini Fries
Zucchini Fries are a snack perfect for six people. To make them, you need chickpea flour, baking powder, black pepper, coriander, an egg yolk, a bit of vegetable oil, soda water, courgettes, salt, and za’atar. Start by mixing the flour, baking powder, pepper, and coriander. Add the egg yolk and oil, then slowly mix in soda water. Chill this batter in the fridge for an hour. When it's time to cook, heat a large amount of oil in a saucepan. Dip courgette slices into the batter to coat them well, then fry them in the oil, which takes about 4 minutes. After frying, place them on paper towels to drain off any excess oil. Before serving, season them with salt and za’atar. For an extra touch, serve with a simple sauce made from yogurt, olive oil, and lemon juice.
- 75 grams Chickpea (besan or gram) flour
- ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoons Ground Coriander
- 1 Egg Yolk, whisked
- ½ tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 125 milliliters Soda Water
- 3 Medium Courgettes, cut into 1-cm batons
- 1 tablespoon Table Salt
- 750 milliliters Vegetable Oil, for frying
- 1½ tablespoon Za‘atar
- Preparing the Batter:
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, pepper, and coriander. Add the egg yolk and ½ tablespoon of oil, mixing with a fork until the mixture resembles craggy dough. Gradually whisk in soda water. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Heating the Oil:
Pour enough frying oil into a large saucepan and warm it until it reaches 190°C (375°F) on a cooking thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, test the oil's readiness by dropping a cube of bread into it; it should brown within 30 seconds.
- Frying the Courgette Batons:
Take a handful of courgette batons, dip them into the chilled batter to coat thoroughly. Carefully lower them into the hot oil using tongs, frying until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Wait for the oil to reach the ideal temperature again before frying the next batch.
- Serving the Frites:
Once all the frites are cooked and drained, season them with salt and za’atar. Serve alongside a dipping sauce of plain yoghurt mixed with a bit of olive oil and lemon juice, if desired.
