These are not chips. If you’re hankering after a fluffy, carby heap of fried potato, I’ll be honest, these courgette numbers probably won’t cut the mustard. If, however, you like the idea of hot, crisp, juicy veg, then you’re in luck. As well as a vegetable side, these make a fantastic snack with drinks, particularly when paired with a hot sauce or punchy dip.

Prep 15 min
Salt 30 min+
Cook 15 min
Serves 8 as a side

2 medium courgettes
Salt
150g plain flour
2 egg whites
Light olive or neutral oil

1 A note on the courgettes

You can use just about any size of courgette or other summer squash for this, but do bear in mind that the bigger the fruit, the more seeds it will contain, so consider using a teaspoon to scrape out the watery core of larger courgettes and marrows, because the steam those seeds give off during cooking may turn the batter soggy.

2 A note on the shape

Having tested various shapes, I found that the thinner the cut, the crisper the outsides, though at the expense of the juicy centre. Chunky matchsticks seem to me the best compromise, but you might like to cut yours into bigger batons for easier dipping. If using a rounder squash such as a pattypan, half-moons also work well.

3 Cut the courgettes

Trim the ends off the courgettes, then cut each one in half lengthways. Stand one on its wider end and carefully slice down into roughly 5mm-thick pieces (use a mandoline to do this, if you have one). Stack the slices on top of each other, cut into matchsticks, and repeat with the remaining courgette.

4 Salt the courgettes

Toss the matchsticks with a fairly generous sprinkling of salt, then put them in a colander or sieve set over a bowl or sink and leave to drain for about 30 minutes. You can skip this step if you’re pressed for time, though it does draw out the water, making for a crisper finish; it also seasons the courgettes from the inside out.

5 Start the batter

Meanwhile, put the flour (a gluten-free variety will also work just fine here) in a wide, shallow dish, then stir in enough lukewarm water (probably about 250ml) to make a batter with the consistency of double cream (for non-UK readers, a thick but pourable liquid). Season lightly and rest for 20 minutes, if you have time.

6 Whip the egg whites

Put the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk to stiff peaks (if you like, use the yolks to make a mayonnaise for dipping; any blender mayonnaise recipe will work). Stir a spoonful of the egg white mix into the batter to loosen it, then carefully fold in the rest.

7 Heat the oil and turn on the oven

Fill a large, deep pan by a third with oil, then heat it to 170C (150C fan)/335F/gas 3½ (or use a deep-fat fryer set to the same temperature). Turn on the oven to low, and have ready an ovenproof tray lined with kitchen paper near the hob. Squeeze the excess liquid out of the salted courgettes, then tip them into a clean tea towel and rub as dry as possible.

8 Fry in batches

When the oil is hot, drop a handful of the courgettes into the batter, then shake off as much excess batter as possible. Fry, stirring to separate the fries and prevent clumping, for three to four minutes, until golden. Scoop out on to the kitchen paper-lined tray, season lightly, then keep warm in the low oven while you repeat with the rest of the courgettes, making sure the oil comes to temperature each time.

9 Serving suggestions

You can cut the courgettes and make the batter up to 24 hours in advance, and store both in the fridge. The cooked fries pair well with garlic mayonnaise, hot sauce, salsa verde or a quick dip made by mixing thick plain yoghurt with crushed garlic, crumbled feta and fresh herbs, then season and add lemon juice and olive oil to taste.