The first time I had crispy fried leeks was at a restaurant in Nantucket that is known for their salads. The crispy fried leeks were so delicious that one day, I actually ordered a Chinese chicken salad and instead of the fried wonton skins, I opted for the crispy fried leeks instead. Now when I make them at home, my husband and I will eat them like french fries, they are that good!
These fried leeks are great for a garnish on salads, soups or any entree. They add the perfect amount of crunch and flavor to any dish, and they are packed with nutrients and health benefits such as improving digestion, reducing inflammation, fighting heart disease and combatting cancer!
Tips for making Crispy Fried Leeks
Leeks.
Leeks can be found in many grocery stores. They look like oversized scallions with flat, thick stems. The entire leek, including the darker green stems can be eaten. It can be substituted for onions and garlic. Leeks are very nutritious and are becoming more and more popular in many cuisines.
Leek
Potato starch.
The leek strips are dredged in potato starch rather than all purpose flour. I've experimented using all-purpose flour, tapioca starch and potato starch. A potato starch dredge results in a light and crisp string rather than a heavy, not-as-crispy string from an all-purpose flour dredge.
Potato starch
Cooking the crispy fried leeks.
The leeks are deep fried. If you don't have a dedicated deep fryer, you can fry it in a small saucepan with high sides. It is important to have sufficient room for the oil to bubble and not overflow so pick the saucepan carefully!
Enjoy and let me know what you think.
Storing the crispy fried leeks.
These crispy leeks do tend to lose their crispiness over time. However, I've eaten them a few days later and it's still crispy. If you do have any leftovers or want to make these crispy fried leeks ahead of time, store it in a well-sealed container with a paper towel on the bottom to absorb any oil.
CRISPY FRIED LEEKS
Ingredients
- 1 leek
- ¼-½ cup potato starch
- ⅛-¼ tsp salt
- 2 cups cooking oil. for frying
Instructions
- Cut the stalks of the leeks into 3" matchstick strips.1 leek
- Wash and rinse thoroughly.
- Remove water by straining leek strips through a colander. They should not be completely dry.
- Heat the oil in a tall walled saucepan.2 cups cooking oil.
- Add potato starch and salt into a shallow container.¼-½ cup potato starch, ⅛-¼ tsp salt
- Dredge the leeks in the potato starch mixture, a handful at a time.
- Place the dredged leeks into a sieve over a bowl to remove the excess potato starch.
- Fry the dredged leeks in the oil until crisp and slightly golden.
- Place the fried leeks onto container lined with paper towels.
- Garnish and enjoy!