Chickpea Fries With Rosemary Garlic Aioli

Step 1

To begin, lightly grease a medium (8xcasserole dish with neutral oil of choice (we use a spray avocado oil). Set aside.

Step 2

Then, whisk the chickpea flour, salt, and garlic together in a medium bowl. Once mixed, bring 2 cups water to a low simmer in a saucepan. Whisk in the dry ingredients. Continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth and thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Note: you should be whisking the whole time.

Step 3

After the batter is quite thick (like porridge or polenta), transfer it to your greased casserole dish, then smooth it with a spatula (working quickly). Cover the dish with plastic wrap, press it down so it's touching the chickpea batter, then transfer the dish to your fridge and chill for 4 hours or overnight.

Step 4

In the meantime, prepare your dipping sauce by finely mincing the rosemary or crushing it in a mortar and pestle. In a container, mix rosemary, minced garlic, lemon juice, and vegan mayo together. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Cover and transfer to your fridge.

Step 5

After the chickpea batter has cooled, turn the dish upside down on a cutting board and knock the mixture out (you may have to pull it away slightly from the edges to break it free). Slice into ½-inch wide rectangle pieces.

Step 6

Heat about 1 cup of neutral cooking oil in a pan over medium-high. You’ll know the oil is hot enough when you stick a wooden handle in and you see bubbles forming around it.

Step 7

Fry the pieces for 2-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. You may have to fry them in batches depending on how big your saucepan is.

Step 8

If you own an air fryer, lightly spray both the fries and air fryer with a neutral oil (we use spray avocado oil). Then, set the air fryer to 400°F if you have that option, and spread the chickpea fries out evenly in a single layer. We have an oscillating fryer, but we don't use it for this recipe.

Step 9

Cook for about 5 minutes, flip the fries and cook for 5-7 minutes more (if it's looking dry, add a little more oil when you flip them). Again, you may need to cook them in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.

Step 10

Serve chickpea fries immediately with a side of rosemary garlic aioli for a delicious appetizer or snack!