“Every now and then on my spice journey I meet people who really leave their mark on me. It’s not always their cooking skills that stay with me, sometimes it can just be a personal connection. This was the case with a young woman who was punching above her weight in a male-dominated culture and industry. Dahlia ran a little pop up fish restaurant right on the beach in the town of Tyre, called Cloud 59. Her power, confidence, attitude and swagger made me smile.
Give these chips a try. The recipe uses frozen chips as a starting point, so it is super simple, and the use of chilli and spices really ramps up an old classic. I guarantee the hardest part will be stopping yourself from making a second batch straight away. Thanks Dahlia!” Shane Delia, Author.
Serves 4
Preparation time 5 minutes
Cooking time 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS
canola oil, for deep-frying
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) frozen crinkle-cut French fries
100 g (3½ oz) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
50 g (1¾ oz/½ cup) flaked almonds, toasted
pinch of red Aleppo pepper (pul biber)
pinch of sumac
pinch of ground coriander
coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve
lemon wedges, to serve
METHOD
1 Pour some canola oil into a deep frying pan, about 4 cm (1½ inches) deep, then heat over medium–high heat until it shimmers. If you have a kitchen thermometer, the oil will be ready when the temperature reaches 180°C (350°F). Alternatively, use a deep-fryer. Carefully add the French fries to the pan and cook for 3–5 minutes until golden brown.
2 Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes or until nut brown in colour and frothy. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3 Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium–high heat, add the garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant. Add the chips, straight from the pan, then add the almonds, Aleppo pepper, sumac and ground coriander. Toss really well to ensure all the seasonings are well dispersed. Drizzle over the brown butter and scatter over the coriander leaves. Place in a serving dish with lemon wedges on the side and serve immediately.
Tip
Spicy dahlia chips are great served on their own, but are also delicious served with grilled fish and at barbecues.
Recipes and Images from Spice Journey by Shane Delia, Published by Murdoch Books.
