Sweet Potato Fries (Rwandan)

rwandan-sweetpotatofries Rwandan sweet potato fries, known as chips there, are not soggy at all, and like real French fries (from Belgium) you fry them twice. It requires a few steps to get them right, and they are totally worth the effort. Sweet potatoes are a resistant starch and are healthier than a normal potato. That being said, they are fried. One nice thing about this recipe is that you can crisp them up in the oven after they are fried so you can make them ahead of time. Always a plus especially when cooking for a crowd. The trick to making these crispy is the not only frying them twice but soaking them first in water and then coating them with a cornstarch slurry. Yes it truly is the cornstarch that is the secret ingredient to keeping them crispy. The soaking makes them nice and tender almost pillowy on the inside. These are crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. You will love them.

2 sweet potatoes (about 1 lb)
½ cup cornstarch
6 Tbsp. club soda
vegetable oil, for frying
kosher or sea salt

Wash and peel your sweet potatoes. Cut into ¼" thick fries, making sure they are uniform

In a large bowl, soak the potatoes for about 10 minutes in cool water.

Dry thoroughly with paper towels

Mix the cornstarch with the soda water to make a paste in a large shallow bowl.

Add sweet potatoes and use tongs to toss and coat them on all sides.

Heat your oil in your fryer to 350°F (180°C).

Add the fries 1 at a time so they don't stick together, don't overcrowd your pan.

Fry for 1-2 minutes (don't let them brown) and drain on paper towel.

Once all the fries are done with their first dip in the oil, start the second round of frying.

Fry them the second time for an additional 1-2 minutes, until they're browned and crispy.

Season while hot with salt to taste.

Makes 4 servings.

Cook's Notes: If you are making them ahead of time simply put them in a 325°F (165°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 3) oven for about 5 minutes to crisp them up again.