Potato shortage: how to make your own perfect hot chips

The best fish and chip shops have been able to get by despite the severe shortages of frozen potatoes (read: chips) in the major stores.

But you've come to the right place. Necessity is the mother of invention, so let's take the chance to work out how to make our own chips from scratch in the kitchen at home.

This method is tried and true and has pleased many a chip lover in our house. We're keeping it simple - not cooking them several times, not using a deep or air fryer.

Restaurant chefs like using animal fats - duck and goose are particularly popular, beef fat sometimes features - for the extra flavour they bring but we're going to stick with everyday oils.

And we don't have the huge fryers that proper fish'n'chip shops have, so we'll have to get by with a heavy tray and some good oil that has a high smoke point.

This method is all about the almost-cooked potatoes going in to a hot dish with hot oil, and staying there til they crisp up.

Sure, it takes a little longer, but it works just as well for roast potatoes (which would be cut differently and cooked for longer) so it's two recipes in one.

Ingredients:

1 kg (or more) potatoes. The variety really does make a difference. Choose a starchy, not waxy, potato because they're better at going crispy on the outside, and hot and fluffy inside. Look for Russet Burbank (widely regarded as the best), Sebago, Royal blue, or the plain brushed spuds that are sold without a name (for shame!).

1 cup sunflower oil (or grapeseed, canola)

Preparation:

1. Turn your oven on high (200-220 C) with the heaviest-based baking dish you have - or even better, two - inside to heat up.

2. Peel potatoes and slice them into sticks 1-2cm thick, depending on your preference. Thinner can be fun but they're more likely to break. Try and keep a fairly uniform thickness or some will cook slower than others.

Keep the skins if you like - wash them well and bake or fry in oil for an extra-crunchy treat with sour cream and chilli sauce.

Method:

1. Boil potatoes or microwave until they are almost cooked through. If using microwave, put less than 1 cup in the dish with potatoes, and cover. It will probably be about 8 minutes depending on the quantity.

2. Drain potatoes in a colander. Toss them around a bit to roughen up the edges, creating more jaggy surface area which will turn into crunch when cooked. Try not to break them too much.

3. When the oven is hot, add plenty of oil to baking dishes (carefully) and return to oven for 3 minutes.

4. Remove dishes. Add potatoes quickly. Be careful, the oil is likely to splash, and it's hot. Spread them out so they're not touching, with wide surface down. Return to oven.

5. When you see the underside going golden brown and crispy, use a steel slide to turn the chips.

6. Once all crisped to your liking - do not undercook your chips - remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towel. Season to taste and serve to howls of delight from the table.

Choose your seasonings:

Rosemary salt: Grind together dried rosemary leaves, pepper, garlic powder and salt, sprinkle over your chips and elevate them to the next level.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Chicken salt: Buy it by the jar at the supermarket, fruit shop or some fishmongers. Or make your own approximation by combining powdered chicken stock, fine salt, and any other spices you like. Use gluten free stock powder so there's no flour.

Shaker seasoning: Combine salt, white pepper, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder and chilli powder to taste. Shake in a paper bag with chips to coat as soon as they're cooked.