Kalabasa Fries (Squash fries)–a good and healthy snack you can enjoy in the afternoon with your family, especially for the kids!
Instead of the usual potatoes, we use a substitute that has a barely noticeable difference, so kids can still enjoy this famous and delicious food, but with the health benefits of the squash.
Learn how to make these irresistible fries by continuing to read the article below, and see some tips–as well as some trivia–for making the best squash fries for your family.
What are (Kalabasa Fries) Squash Fries?
Kalabasa fries are basically the same famous snack known all over the world made out of strips which are then fried to perfection. It is usually called in different ways such as french fries, potato fries, or chips. But for these, we use squash as the main ingredient instead of potatoes.
Kalabasa or Squash is a good substitute since they are similar in texture, and only has a subtle difference when it comes to the flavor (squash usually has sweeter notes).
Squash Health Benefits
Kalabasa or Squash is a healthier alternative for potatoes as the main ingredient of the fries because these have a number of health benefits.
The notable benefit of squash is that it is good for your skin and it is good for your overall immune system since it has a lot of vitamins and minerals, like vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and niacin. It is also rich in fiber, which promotes weight loss, since it makes you feel fuller despite eating fewer amounts.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Squash (Kalabasa)
We will need fresh ripe squash or pumpkin. To prepare this for cooking, we need to clean, peel, and cut into strips.
Flavors
The cheese powder is included in this recipe if you want to have that usual cheesy french fry taste, but you can also use other seasonings of your choice, or the common french fry powders you see at some stores. These include barbecue powder, sour cream powder, and many others.
Aside from these, we will also be using other regular pantry ingredients like flour, egg, salt, black pepper, and cooking oil. If you are filling up your pantry, here’s a handy shopping guide:
Equipment You’ll Need
- Deep Frying Pan- We will be deep frying the fries and we will need a deep fryer or a deep frying pan. Any size will do as you can cook in batches to ensure evenly cooking. Alternatively, you can also use an air fryer for this.
In need of kitchen tools and equipment? Read this before you buy:
How to Cook Kalabasa Fries
Preparing the kalabasa fries (squash fries) is not so difficult.
To start, let’s break down the recipe procedure into three parts, for easier visualization of the whole process: First, what you need to do is to cut the squash into french fry strips. Second, you need to coat them with the ingredients. And last, you need to deep fry them over medium to high heat.
Make sure that you wash the squash so no dirt will be present once we prepare it with the mixture. Remove the seeds of the squash first before peeling it, and then proceed to cut them into strips.
Cooking Tips
- To save time, put the flour mixture or the eggs in a large container with a cover. This way, you can just put the fries there and shake the container, and they will be fully coated and mixed in just a few shakes. No need to have the hassle of mixing and stirring large batches of fries just to make sure they are all fully coated.
- Make them crispy! If you have enough time before serving these fries, a good idea is to let the fries chill first in the refrigerator for about an hour or two. Once you deep fry them, it will result in crispy and delicious fries.
How to Serve Kalabasa Fries
Kalabasa Fries are commonly eaten as snack, appetizer or as a pica-pica. It is best served freshly cooked since it tends to lose its crispiness over time. Try pairing these with yummy home-cooked Max’s Style Fried Chicken!
Other Vegetable Recipes
For a quick reference about this recipe, see the recipe table below:
Kalabasa Fries (Squash Fries) Recipe
Equipment
- Deep Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 250 g (8.8 oz) kalabasa (squash), peeled and cut into french-fry strips
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 pcs egg
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp cheese powder, (optional)
- 2 cups cooking oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add-in the all-purpose flour, and season with salt and pepper. Mix until well-incorporated and then set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add-in the eggs and whisk thoroughly.
- Add-in the kalabasa french fry strips into the beaten eggs until the strips are fully coated. And then add into the flour mixture also until fully coated.
- In a cooking pan, pour-in and heat the cooking oil over high heat.
- Add-in the squash french fry strips. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.
- Transfer to a serving plate or serving tray, dry excess oil with paper towels. Sprinkle cheese powder all over and mix. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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