National French Fry Day: Vegan “Fish” ‘n’ Chips

By Marion McGivern - July 13, 2020
french fries
Image courtesy of Wing Yip.

Ingredients

  • 1 x 510 g can Nature’s Charm Banana Blossoms
  • Frozen French fries
  • Oil for frying
  • For the Marinade:
  • 1 tbs kelp powder
  • 1 tbs lemon juice
  • 1 tsp chopped dill
  • For the Batter:
  • 120 g (4¼ oz) flour, plus extra for coating
  • 1 tsp celery salt
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ¾ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • Pinch garlic powder
  • 236 ml (8½ fl oz) ice-cold IPA or other beer
  • For the Vegan Tartar Sauce:
  • 60 g (2¼ oz) vegan mayo
  • 1 tbs minced cornichons (small pickles)
  • 2 tsp capers, chopped roughly
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
Recipe courtesy of Wing Yip. Recipe by Megan Sadd of Carrots & Flowers (carrotsandflowers.com).

We love our french fries here in the UK, so we’re more than happy to celebrate National French Fry Day with a recipe.

This is a slightly different take on the traditional fish and chips. Great for vegans who don’t want to miss out!

Method:

  1. Drain the banana blossoms then shape them into filets. Wrap the blossoms in clean kitchen towels and squeeze out all of the brine.
  2. Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl with 470 ml (17 fl oz) water. Submerge the banana blossoms in marinade. Cover and place in the freezer for 1 hour.
  3. Place the beer and flour in the freezer for ten minutes to chill 40 minutes after the blossoms were put in there. This will help the filets stay extra crispy when frying.
  4. Once it’s chilled, mix the flour with the rest of the batter ingredients except for the beer. Next, slowly add the beer to the flour mixture while stirring. Cover and place the batter in the freezer for ten minutes so it is extra cold.
  5. Bake the french fries according to package instructions.
  6. To make the tartar sauce, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cover and place in the fridge.
  7. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet to 185 deg. C., 365 deg. F.
  8. Meanwhile add some flour to a plate. Take the banana blossoms out of the freezer and drain. Gently wrap the blossoms in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze all of the water out. Press the leaves together tightly to form a filet shape, then coat them in the flour, getting in all the crevices. Dunk them in a thick coating of batter then fry them in the hot oil until golden brown and crisp – about 4 minutes. Flip halfway.
  9. Fry the banana blossoms in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. If the temperature of the oil drops, the filets will become greasy. Heat the oil again between batches so the second batch is perfectly crisp.

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