Chickpea Fries with Lemon Tahini Dip is a magical combination of crispy and creamy ~ this Mediterranean tapas dish is always a hit!
I don’t know about you, but some of the best food I’ve ever had, I’ve had in bars. That includes wine bars, tapas bars, pubs, any drinking establishment that also serves food. I don’t know, maybe it’s the proximity to all that booze, but food just tastes better in a bar. We first had crispy chickpea fries in our favorite little tapas bar tucked down a tiny brick alleyway in Portsmouth New Hampshire. We’d go as a family to enjoy the European concept of tapas, where little plates get passed around the table and shared by everyone. But beware ~ the concept doesn’t seem to work so well when it comes to chickpea fries…these fries inspire an everyman/woman/child for themself mentality — basically a grab fest.
Let’s dig in
Chickpea fries are called panisses in Provence, panelle in Tuscany.
They are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. You’ll need chickpea (aka garbanzo bean) flour to make these, and luckily there’s been an explosion in the popularity and availability of specialty flours. Lots of large grocery stores and most high end and whole foods stores carry them these days. Chick pea flour has a beautiful, finely ground silky texture. I use it to make Indian pakora, too, so a bag never goes to waste.
Chickpea fries ingredients
- chickpea flour
- cayenne pepper
- cumin
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
for the dip
- tahini
- lemon juice
- garlic
- salt
What is chickpea flour?
It’s a gluten-free flour made from grinding dried chickpeas into a fine powder. It’s a staple ingredient in many cuisines, particularly in India and the Middle East. (I use it to make Indian pakora.) It’s also high in protein, fiber, and nutrients like folate and iron.
You can make your own chickpea flour by grinding dried chickpeas in a high-powered blender.
If made properly these are to die for. As with all frying, getting the oil hot enough is essential for success. You need an inexpensive clip on thermometer to do this properly. The result will be glorious—crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. Traditionally the batter for these fries isn’t heavily seasoned, but my recipe has a Middle Eastern kick to it You can serve them with all kinds of dipping sauces, but I made a simple yogurt tahini sauce because it’s the way we first had it at the tapas bar.
related: Whipped Tahini Sauce
Make crispy chickpea fries ahead
You can cut the fries and stack them between waxed paper ahead of time and then refrigerate until you’re ready to fry. This is a good idea because they taste best straight out of the oil.
More tapas style small plates
- Fried Olives with Spicy Yogurt
- Crispy Crab Balls
- Fried Green Beans
- Baked Truffle Fries
- Fried Rosemary Mozzarella Balls
- Mini Crab Cakes with Ginger and Scallions
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Chickpea Fries with Lemon Tahini Dip
Equipment
- 9×5 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups chickpea flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- vegetable oil for frying
- parsley and sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Line the pan or pans with plastic wrap or parchment paper, letting the ends extend over the sides of the pan so you can easily lift the chilled dough out for cutting.
- Whisk together the chickpea flour, salt, pepper, and spices.
- Heat the water and oil to boiling in a saucepan. Turn down the heat and slowly whisk in the chickpea flour, stir until it thickens and is smooth, about a minute. It will look like a thick oatmeal.
- Spread the mixture in the pan, smoothing it with a spatula. Take another piece of parchment and lay it over the top and continue to smooth it out as evenly as possible.
- Refrigerate for 2-3 hours until fully set. It will set up just like polenta.
- Meanwhile make the dipping sauce by whisking all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Chill till needed. If you like a thinner sauce you can whisk in a little water.
- When the dough is completely chilled, carefully lift it out of the pan and cut into 1/4 x 4 inch strips for matchstick style, and 1/2 x 4 inch for thicker style.
- Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a pot or skillet until it reaches 350-360F. Be patient, this takes a few minutes, and you want the oil to be hot enough to crisp the fries, not soak into them. Fry the chickpea strips in batches, if the oil is the right temperature they should be golden in 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- Season with a little fresh ground sea salt, dust with parsley and serve right away with the dip.
These fries look so good and I love the dip!
I have chickpea flour left over from making socca. These look amazing Sue, so creative love the Middle Eastern spin on here. Will be making soon.
I’ve never had socca, now you’ve got me going, I need to make some!
I’m going to experiment and bake SOME of them by misting them with olive oil and placing them on a wire rack over a baking sheet (this allows the hot air to circulate around the food). Will use a hot oven (450 degree) oven temperature.
Sherice—I haven’t tried to bake them, it might be worth a try. I will say, though, that one of the best things about them is the contrast between the crisp outside and the fluffy interior, and I don’t think baking would give you that crispy texture. You don’t need to deep fry them, I’ve make them using only about 1/4 inch of oil turning them once during the cooking. If the oil is hot enough they don’t absorb much. Hope this helps!
could you bake these or do they have to be fryed?
I’m finally trying these out! They’re setting up in my fridge at the moment. So easy. Can’t wait to try them.
you don’t have to have chickpea flour to do this. just put your pre-soaked (and drained) chickpeas in a blender with water.
let that settle and skim off the foam on top.
then you’re good to go.
The chick pea flour is different! Can’t wait to try these fries.
i love the flavor of chickpeas, though i’ve never worked with the flour. these look positively scrumptious, sue!
Yum, chickpea fries? I’ve never seen them before, but they sound so good for you and would satisfy a french fry craving.