Amazing Sweet Potato Fries!

Dear Reader, a few weeks ago, I came home to the dismal sight below...

Yes, indeedy it is what you think it is. It's a gnawed off stump of sweet potato complete with teeth marks. Next to this dodgy looking stump of sweet potato was my husband lying down on the lounge clutching his stomach. "I've got a stomach ache" he said mournfully.

"It's because you ate half a bleeding raw sweet potato!"

"No I drank something not right..." he insisted.

I've previously mentioned how Mr NQN and his family love eating raw food and raw potato and raw sweet potato are favourites. I often have to hide both of them from him lest he steals a stash of either that I want to cook. That day I left him at home all day without having made his lunch-he is an adult of course and can fix his own lunch but often chooses the meal of least effort and that happened to be a raw sweet potato. Thankfully, he enjoys cooked sweet potato just as much or perhaps even more after his little incident.

To avoid any future tummy aches and because we both love sweet potato fries, I decided to make some for him. However I wanted to make some that were baked and not deep fried. There was a lot of experimenting to get the sweet potatoes just right. There was a batch made with egg white which was awful and soggy and then a friend suggested her method which was soaking them in water while the oven preheats and then tossing them with cornflour and flavoured salt! By George it was brilliant-the chips came out perfectly seasoned and crispy. I also went with her suggestion of a chilli mayonnaise and when they came out of the oven I was caught dipping them in the mayonnaise before realising that I needed to take photos of them. I reluctantly dragged myself away from them but it wasn't easy. If you love crunchy, crispy sweet potato fries without deep frying then I hope that you'll give these a try!

So tell me Dear Reader, have you or would you ever eat a raw sweet potato or potato (and if you want to give it a go, definitely avoid the green potatoes)? And do you eat fries with tomato sauce/ketchup or mayonnaise?

Amazing Sweet Potato Fries!

Serves 2 as a side

• 2 medium sized sweet potatoes

• 1/4 cup cornstarch or cornflour

• 1 teaspoon salt (I used a chilli salt)

• 4 tablespoons oil (I used avocado oil so it's a bit greener in colour)

• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise

• 1 tablespoon chilli sauce

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 220C/428F and line a large baking tray with parchment. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into chip sized batons. Soak in cold water while the oven is preheating.

Step 2 - When the oven is ready, take a ziplock bag and add the cornstarch or cornflour to the bag along with the salt and shake around. Drain the sweet potato batons in a colander and add to the bag. Seal the bag and shake around the sweet potato so that the pieces are coated in the flour. If you need more flour you can add it along with a bit more salt.

Step 3 - Spread out the batons onto the prepared tray and drizzle with the oil and toss with your hands. Bake for 25 minutes and then using a turner (try not to use tongs as they can be delicate and soft) turn the chips over so that they crisp on all sides.

Step 4 - Mix the mayonnaise and chilli sauce together and serve with the hot fries.