It’s hard to deny the allure of a big ol’ pile of hot, fat, crisp, salty chips, but with the festive season finally over, now is a time to ring the changes. And if that means swapping your spuds for another veg, so be it. For a good chip alternative, “any fibrous root vegetable that can hold its shape will fry up a treat”, says Alice Zaslavsky, author of Salad for Days, but you don’t necessarily have to fry them: “You can roast them, or you can cook them in an air fryer. As long as there’s enough oil and a high enough temperature, you’re good to go.”
Sweet potatoes are the obvious alternative, but they have a higher moisture and sugar content, and have form for turning soggy or just plain burning. “If you want to get them lovely and crisp, make sure they are cut into similar-sized pieces, then toss in a little cornstarch [about one tablespoon per kilo] before adding oil,” says Christina Soteriou, author of Big Veg Energy. Just don’t use too much of the latter: “That can make them go soggy, so just barely coat them.”
