Name: Carrot Fries, Carrot Chips
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Ingredients: 2 medium carrots; 3 tablespoons flour; 1/4-1/2 teaspoons dry thyme ((rosemary or mint)); pinch of salt; 1/2 teaspoon dry chilli pepper; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar ((optional)); vegetable oil for deep frying

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Carrot fries are sweet, delicious and easy to make, they taste like sweet potato fries. They are so good, you can make a batch and they will be gone in minutes and the only complaint you will get is, you didn’t make enough. They are similar to french fries (potato chips) which itself is the ultimate fast food especially paired with a hearty hamburger.

Carrots are versatile in usage, they can be used raw or cooked, boiled, fried, steamed or roasted. Used in both sweet and savoury dishes, in soups and sauces, salads, chutney, drinks, rice, couscous, dal, stir-fries and wraps. Carrots are used in desserts or vegetable sides, in baking cakes, muffins, jams and puddings, it is an excellent baby food when pureed.

It can be dehydrated to make chips, flakes or powder, it can also be deep-fried or baked into carrot fries. Carrot fries are a healthy alternative to french fries and to make them even healthier and Paleo, bake them in the oven. They are gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, keto and paleo. Add a pinch of my Homemade Shawarma spice mix to your Carrot fries.

Carrots are high in antioxidants, beta-carotene and other health-supporting nutrients, especially orange carrots. It might surprise you to know that a very small percentage of the beta-carotene in raw carrots is released during digestion but if the carrots are cooked, the absorption is up to 6.5 better. You can increase the release of beta-carotene by pulping, cooking and adding cooking oil.

Almost all tubers and root crops can be turned into fries, eg. yam, sweet potato, eggplant, squash etc. If you need that fried food hit, try these carrot fries, they are a perfect side dish or snack and both adults and kids love them. It is also an excellent way to get veggie haters to eat vegetables. They are best served hot and crisp. Their crispiness doesn’t last for too long as if served cold.

To prepare Carrot Fries

2 medium carrots
3 tablespoons flour
1/4-1/2 teaspoons dry thyme, rosemary or mint 
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon dry chilli pepper
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional)
vegetable oil for deep frying

Wash and peel carrots. Cut carrots into sticks. Pat dry and set aside.

In a small bowl mix together thyme, a pinch of salt and chilli pepper, set aside.

Into a large plastic bag, mix together flour with salt.

Put carrot sticks into the plastic bag and toss them around to coat each stick in flour.

Pick out the carrot sticks, shake off excess flour and place on a plate, set aside.

Place a frying pan with oil over medium-high heat, when hot, add the carrots and fry until browned, about 8 minutes.

Drain onto a rack or sieve.

Sprinkle and toss with the thyme mix and spray or drizzle with apple cider vinegar.

Serve with tomato salsa, ketchup, peri-peri sauce or mayonnaise and grilled fish.

For baked Carrot Fries

Carrot fries can also be baked.

Place flour-coated carrot sticks on an oiled baking tray making sure they are spread out on a single layer.

Place in the oven at 230 deg. C for 40-45 minutes.

Bake until crisp and slightly browning at the edges.

Notes

Carrot fries take time to brown because of the high water content of carrots.
The carrots don’t really need to be peeled before coating and frying.