Chickpea fries are a delicious way to healthily indulge. The are simple to make however you need to plan ahead as they require a minimum of 1 hour setting time in the refrigerator. You can experiment with flavors by omitting the curry, cumin, cayenne & coriander seed spices and replacing with your own seasoning creation. They are also great plain, using just the veggie stock & salt. Heres the recipe:

Prep time: 5 mins + minimum of 1 hour in refrigerator

Cooking time: 5-7 mins stovetop before refrigeration and 35-40 mins in oven after refrigeration.

Ingredients:

1 cup chickpea flour (aka besan or garbanzo flour)

2 cups vegetable stock (or 2 cups water with one low sodium veggie stock cube)

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander seed powder

Pinch salt

Dash of cayenne pepper (adjust based on desired spice level)

4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1) Place chickpea flour, curry powder, cumin, coriander seed powder & salt into a medium sized saucepan. Add the liquid and place pan over a heated stovetop. Whisk continuously on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes until mixture has thickened and starts to easily separate from the pan. Remove from heat.

2) Grease a square or rectangle pan and place mixture on top. Spread evenly to form a thin layer. Adjust the width based on the size you want for your fries. (#Note: If the mixture is over thickened here it will be tricky to spread. If this occurs you can sprinkle a small amount of water over the top to aid with the spreading process). Cover and place in the refrigerator to set for a minimum of 1 hour, up to 24 hours.

3) Once mixture is completely cool and set, preheat oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C.

3) Remove mixture from refrigerator and slice into even sized pieces (slice size is based on how you like your fries).

4) Place 1/2 the amount of oil onto a tray and then layer the chickpea fries on top. Drizzle the remaining oil over the fries and place in the oven. Bake for 20 mins and then remove and carefully turn the fries over. Return fries to oven and bake for a further 15-20 mins or until exterior is crispy and golden. Remove from oven and if needed sprinkle a small amount of salt over fries.

These make a great snack, side dish or appetizer. Serve with a chutney, greek yoghurt, tzatziki or your own dipping creation. Enjoy!