Idaho® Potato Fire Fries
This recipe for Fire Fries is not for the faint of heart. Keep a glass of water handy, just in case.
- Duration
- Cook Time
- Prep Time
- 3-4Servings
Ingredients
Fries:
- 1 pound Idaho® Russet Burbank potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled
- Peanut oil for frying
- 3 ounces Red Curry Paste (recipe follows)
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
Red Curry Paste:
- 20 dried red chiles (half-fresh dried/half-red Thai chiles)
- 1/4 cup coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 pound shallots, peeled
- 8 garlic cloves
- 5 slices fresh galangal
- 4 fresh red chiles
- 3 stalks lemongrass (bottom 2 inches of stalk only)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 bunches fresh cilantro (roots and stems only)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1 cup peanut oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons paprika
Preparation
Fries:
1. Slice skin-on potatoes lengthwise, then into batons about 3/8 X 3/8 inch. (Or use a french-fry cutter.)
2. "Blanch" fries in 350°F peanut oil about 3 minutes. Arrange in single layer on parchment paper. Refrigerate overnight.
3. At service, fry in 350°F peanut oil until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
4. While fries are browning, sauté 1/2 ounce peanut oil and red curry paste until aromatic, about 1 minute.
5. Mix together fish sauce, lemon juice and sugar; stir until sugar is dissolved. Toss mixture with fries.
6. Toss fries with sautéed curry paste, then with cilantro.
Red Curry Paste:
1. In small skillet over medium heat, toast dried chiles, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns until fragrant. In ventilated area, grind to medium powder in spice grinder or blender.
2. In a food processor, combine shallots, garlic, galangal, fresh chiles, lemongrass, lemon juice, fish sauce, cilantro roots and stems, salt, sugar and lime zest; grind to paste. Blend in 1/4 cup peanut oil and paprika.
3. Remove paste to bowl. Stir in remaining 3/4 cup peanut oil.
4. Transfer to jar; refrigerate. (Curry paste will keep for about a week.)
Source: Idaho Potato Commission
