Masala chips are essentially “dirty” fries with a glorious Indian influence, they are great as a side dish or even as a movie night snack.
This delicious plate of spicy goodness cooks in well under 30 minutes and are topped with onion, chilli, tomato and coriander.
Indian Thick Cut Masala Fries
During my time in the Hungarian wilderness, I missed a load of food trends, and given the way I cook, it didn’t bother me a great deal.
Masala chips or fries are one of those trends that I definitely regret missing. Since returning to the UK I’ve noticed them on boatloads of takeaway menus.
And I have been bitten by the bug and I love them!
My site is littered with indulgent potato side recipes, whether they are fancy fondant potatoes, or simple fried potatoes reminiscent of school dinners.
Chips were a huge part of my food life growing up. One of my favourite treats are proper chippy chips, whether I cook them at home or get them from the chip shop.
This recipe is super simple and uses frozen oven chips and coats them in a superb ketchup-based Indian sauce. A sauce that rocks classic curry flavours and a bit of mango chutney.
It is then tossed together and topped with some chilli, crispy red onion, tomato and coriander.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best way to cook frozen chips?
I honestly cook my frozen chips in an air fryer now because to my mind they cook better.
It is simple and not having to preheat the oven means that they are quicker and as a result, cheaper.
Do I have to make the sauce in a wok?
No, you could make it in a frying pan or even a saucepan. But, they are much more difficult to coat will if you do this.
Of course, you do not need to coat the chips, you could just drizzle the over sauce.
Can I cook fresh fried chips?
Yes, definitely. I honestly rarely do this any more because maintaining a deep fat fryer at home is a pain in the butt!
Chips… Really?
A major source of confusion for my US based readers *waves*.
Us Brits have thick-cut “fries”, they are genius and they are called chips. What you guys call chips we call crisps, I have no idea why, but it is just the way it is. Embrace the difference lol!
Serving Suggestions
Whilst I am happy with a big bowl of masala chips as a snack I personally think that they absolutely deserve to be a strong side to a host of dishes.
They are pictured above with a masala fish fillet, I use coley.
Sticking with a similar Indian-inspired fish and chip vibe, you could serve them with my Amritsari fish fry.
You could of course go with a curry, but I prefer them with a dryer dish like this Indian roast chicken. But they are both delicious and a bit of a giggle served with my fish finger curry and absolutely rock with an egg masala curry!
They are also great with tandoori chicken or even a whole tandoori fish, a slathering of mint raita works a treat when it is served like this.
Likewise, some tikka skewers are glorious with these spicy chips. You could go vegetarian with my paneer tikka skewers, or meaty with chicken tikka or lamb tikka skewers.
Failing all of that how about you cook yourself and perfect rump steak or some chip shop style battered fish and call it dinner?
Equipment Used
I only recommend specific brands of equipment if I believe they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section.
- Stovetop.
- Oven, air fryer or deep fat fryer, depending on how you want to cook your chips.
- Large wok, I use a carbon steel wok.
- Chopping board.
- Sharp kitchen knife.
- Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
Masala Chips Recipe
These delicious spicy masala chips or fries are a wonderful quick and easy side dish or snack that is loaded with Anglo-Indian influences.
Ingredients
- 600g (21oz) Cooked Chips
- 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 3 Tbsp Tomato Ketchup
- 1 Tbsp Mango Chutney
- 1 Tsp Curry Powder
- 1 Tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves
- 1/2 Tsp Garam Masala
- 1/4 Tsp Ground Turmeric
- 1 (75-100g) Medium Red Onion
- 1 Medium Hot Red Chilli Pepper
- 1 Medium (125g) Tomato
- Handful of Fresh Coriander
- Pinch of Chaat Masala
- Coarse Sea Salt to Taste
Instructions
- Cook your chips in your favourite way. You could cook air fryer chips, chip shop-style fried chips or plain old oven chips.
- Whilst the chips are cooking cut the red onion in half, peel it and then slice it into half-moon shapes as finely as you can.
- Peel and mince the garlic cloves.
- Deseed the chilli pepper and then dice it as finely as you can.
- Deseed the tomato and cut it into a 3-4mm dice.
- Finely chop the fresh coriander.
- Combine the tomato ketchup, mango chutney with the curry powder, fenugreek leaves, garam masala and turmeric.
- 3 minutes before the chips are cooked heat a large wok or very wide-based pan over a medium-high heat and when it is hot add the oil.
- Throw in the garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds, then add the tomato ketchup mix and simmer for 2 minutes to cook out the spices.
- Add the cooked chips and toss to coat thoroughly.
- Finally add the shallot, chilli, tomato and coriander, toss to combine and serve sprinkled with chaat masala and coarse sea salt.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 632Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1517mgCarbohydrates: 99gFiber: 9gSugar: 14gProtein: 11g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.