Ever ordered Salt and Pepper Chips from a local Chinese takeaway? Oh, yes! Savoury, aromatic, mildly spicy and sweet, these perfect chips with a Chinese twist are one of the most popular side dishes here in the UK! In this recipe, we will walk you through all the simple steps for a homemade version of this irresistible treat, that is cheaper, healthier and do we dare say, even more delicious!
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A perfect accompaniment for your Chicken Manchurian, Crispy Chilli Beef, Chilli Chicken or Sticky Shiitake Mushrooms, this fakeaway version of salt and pepper chips are baked, so no need for deep frying and lots of excess oil!
What Are Salt and Pepper Chips?
Salt and pepper chips are a popular dish typically found in Chinese takeaway cuisine, especially in the United Kingdom. They consist of crispy French fries or potato wedges seasoned with a spice blend that includes Chinese Five spice, salt, pepper, and ground Sichuan peppercorns for a unique flavour.
The flavour is also typically enhanced by MSG (monosodium glutamate), which you can easily skip if making a homemade version.
Have Leftover Seasoning? Try it in other Chinese foods, like Salt and Pepper Chicken, Salt and Pepper Tofu or Chinese-style Beetroot Salad!
What To Serve With Salt and Pepper Chips?
Salt and Pepper Potato Chips is a great recipe to pair with a variety of dishes, complementing both Asian-inspired and Western meals:
- Chinese-style dishes: Serve them alongside classics like Crispy Honey Chicken, Lemon Chicken or Kung Pao Tofu (or Kung Pao Chicken)! Want more? Head to our Chinese Fakeaway Recipe Collection!
- Burgers and Sandwiches: They make a tasty side dish for Halloumi Burgers, BBQ Chicken Wraps or Chicken Mayo Sandwiches.
- Grilled meats: Salt and pepper chips can be a delicious accompaniment to grilled meats such as BBQ Pork Tenderloin, Lamb Shashlyk or Chicken Thigh Skewers.
- Dipping sauces: Offer a selection of dipping sauces such as sweet chilli sauce, homemade barbecue sauce, or ketchup for added flavour variety.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- potatoes: use floury type (not waxy), like Maris Piper, King Edward or Red Potatoes.
- neutral oil: we typically use sunflower or vegetable oil, but any odourless oil with a high smoke point will do.
- seasoning: freshly ground black pepper (or white pepper or szechuan pepper powder), chilli powder, Chinese five-spice, caster sugar and salt (use Chinese salt or Maldon sea salt flakes for best results).
- brown onion: can be replaced with white or yellow onions.
- bell peppers: we use red and green peppers
- garlic cloves: may be replaced with ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder mixed in with the rest of the spices.
- red chillies: take the seeds out if you don't like your chips overly spicy.
- spring onions: also known as green onions.
What's In Chinese Five Spice Powder? The five spices that go into this famous seasoning known for its excellent balance of aromas are star anise, cloves, cinnamon, pepper and fennel seeds.
Can I Make Salt & Pepper Chips Using Frozen Chips?
Yes, if you are looking for a quick simple dish, use frozen oven chips instead of homemade chips. We personally prefer thick cut chips to french fries for this recipe. Cook your chips on a mesh tray to ensure crispy chips following packet instructions.
Note that straight cut chips are better than crinkle cut in this cake, as all the nooks and crannies will hold too much seasoning, making your Chinese-style chips too strong-tasting!
Step-By-Step Method
Preheat the oven to 200° C Fan. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or foil.
Cut the potatoes into wedges (about 8 wedges each) keeping the skin on.
Place them in a large pot, pour boiling water over them, cover with a lid and leave the potatoes to soak for 10 minutes.
Drain and leave the wedges to steam dry in a colander, then dab with kitchen towels to remove excess moisture.
Tip the oil over the dry wedges and gently mix to coat. Spread them on the prepared baking tray in a single layer and place them in the oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring them gently once halfway through.
Your potatoes should be fork-tender and golden brown (adjust the cooking time if needed).
In the meantime, stir fry the chopped onions, bell peppers, garlic and chilli in a large frying pan (or a large wok) over medium heat for 6-7 minutes until the veggies are starting to soften slightly and brown.
In a small bowl, mix the seasoning ingredients: Chinese five spice, sugar, salt, chilli powder and black pepper. This is your salt and pepper seasoning.
When the potato wedges are cooked, tip the stir-fried vegetables and sliced sWhen the potato wedges are cooked, tip them and spring onion into the stir-fried veggies. Sprinkle everything with the spice mix and toss to combine. Toss them in the pan for 1-2 minutes to warm through and serve immediately.
Recipe FAQs
What Are The Origins of Salt & Pepper Chips?
It is believed that salt and pepper chips were invented in Liverpool in the 1960s by a Chinese immigrant, who owned a fish & chips shop. The recipe has since become extremely popular in the UK, and you can get them from almost all Chinese takeouts, Fish and Chips Shops and Chinese restaurants.
Can I Use The Spice Mix on Deep Fried Chips?
Absolutely! You can use it on oven-baked or deep-fried chips, homemade, or shop-bought!
More Side Dishes To Try
If you liked our salt and pepper chips recipe, why not make some more delicious Asian-style side dishes next time:
Homemade Salt and Pepper Chips
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 large potatoes floury type
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil vegetable or sunflower oil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- ½ brown onion cut into thin wedges
- ½ red pepper diced
- ½ green pepper diced
- 1 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- ½ red chilli thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice
- ½ teaspoon caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 spring onions sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C Fan. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or foil.
- Cut the potatoes into wedges (about 8 wedges each) keeping the skin on.
- Place them in a large pot, pour boiling water over them, cover with a lid and leave the potatoes to soak for 10 minutes.
- Drain and leave the wedges to steam dry in a colander.
- Tip the oil over the dry wedges and gently mix to coat. Spread them on the prepared baking tray in a single layer and place them in the oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring them gently once halfway through.
- In the meantime, stir fry the onion wedges, bell peppers, garlic and chilli over medium heat for 6-7 minutes until the veggies are starting to soften slightly and brown.
- In a small bowl, mix the Chinese five spice, sugar, salt, chilli powder and black pepper.
- When the potato wedges are cooked, tip them and spring onion into the stir-fried veggies. Sprinkle everything with the spice mix and toss to combine. Toss them in the pan for 1-2 minutes to warm through and serve immediately.
Nutrition
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