How To Make Homemade Sun Dried Potato Chips#Foodieextravaganza

As summer starts  to set in, there begins making sun dried items and pickles. I, have many fond memories of my childhood summer  spent helping my mother  in making different types of  papad, pickles, washing and  drying of sacks of un- polished rice  and  grains / millets and other items.  We sister's use to take turn  to guard from birds coming and eating or spoiling them.  We use to turn and mix all the items in late afternoons.  These were made in preparation for the coming monsoons.  

Our playground use to be covered with colorful 9 yards saris and bed sheets.  The ground use to look like a bride in colorful attire. 

But sad now days we rarely get to see all these things being done at home since all items are available in stores through out the year.  The fun of getting together and doing things are all lost, miss those days.

Going back to Sun dried Potato chips - these are made in two patterns ,one is plain sliced and other is with the crisscross pattern . 

For making the crisscross pattern you need a potato slicer with a serrated blade.

 Can make the plain one with any potato slicer, mandolin, V slicer, with a food processor or even with a sharp knife.

After slicing, the chips should be placed in alum water for at least an hours then washed three to four times in fresh water to remove the starch completely and then blanched in hot water. 

It is preferred to dry them in direct sunlight but you can also dry them inside a room like I did. It only takes 2 to 3 days extra to dry.   Try to choose good quality, fresh, white and starchy potatoes – as the quality of potatoes also effects the quality and color of the potato chips.

Do try to make these potato chips from scratch, it gives you great joy to enjoy these homemade  chips and they  absolutely crisp and addictive!

Made these for our Foodie event wherein our host Karen H Kerr choose the theme Potato Chips, since March 14 is National Potato Chip Day. Thank you Karen for choosing this theme and reviving all my young age memories.

Ingredients

Medium Potato as many as you would like
Salt to taste
¼ Teaspoon + ¼ Teaspoon Alum powder /Phitkari
Red Chili powder  or Black Pepper powder– to sprinkle
Serrated Potato slicer /mandolin / V slicer
Water
Muslin cloth or plastic sheet
Oil to deep fry

Method

Wash and peel the potato  (peeling is optional and a personal choice).

Fill enough water in a large pot and add alum powder in it and mix well.

With the the help of potato chips slicer start making chips.

For the crisscross pattern you have to use the serrated potato slicer.  My these chips did not come out nicely, the serrated slicer was not sharp enough.

To make crisscross pattern first you have to put peeled potato on the slicer and then slice a chip by applying slight pressure on it. Then for the next chips slightly twist the potato and make the next slice .  So keep twisting the direction of potato after every chips.

If you want to make plain chips then you can use any normal potato slicer or a sharp knife.

Keep soaking all the potato chips in the water filled bowl in which you have mixed ¼ teaspoon of alum for  an hour.  Alum is added so that the potato slices do not discolor, so it is necessary to add it.

After an hour then drain the water and wash the chips three to four  times in fresh water so that all excess starch is removed and on your last rinse you will see the water will be clear unlike the prior washes where the water will have milky traces of starch.

Boil enough water in a big pan / pot and add salt (enough to make the water taste a little salty) and ¼ teaspoon  of alum powder.

When water starts to boil add the drained potatoes in it. Keep stirring gently till the water starts boiling again (for just 5 minutes).  Drain the blanched potato chips in a colander to drain all the water.

Spread hot chips on a muslin cloth in a single layer,avoid overlapping.

They will dry in about 3 to 4 days time or depending on the heat in the climate.  Since I get only an hour or two of light sun in gallery, these took 4 days to completely dry.

When they become dry and crisp store in a air tight jar and use till they last a year.

How to serve / enjoy these homemade  chip 

Heat enough oil in a deep frying pan.

When the oil is hot add few sun dried chips and fry .  They will expand, so do not add to many at a time.

Drain on a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Sprinkle a dash of chili powder or black pepper powder  and serve

My Notes :

Alum  /Phitkari  is  crystal white in rock form and you need to powder it.
Try to choose big, round,white and even size potatoes to make chips.

Alum is added to make chips white in colour as some times potato chips turn slightly black after drying.But don’t add too much else the chip may become red while frying.

You can add any spice of your choice on the fried chips, like dry mint powder, mango / amchur powder, black rock salt powder, roasted cumin powder, tomato powder, chat masala on fried chips to enhance the flavor.

Sliced potatoes should be completely submerged in water to avoid discoloration.

Adding salt in the water is optional ,you can also sprinkle salt after deep frying,but I prefer to add it while boiling.

Labels: Potato, Homemade, Sun Dried. Potato Chips, Foodie Extravaganza Party, Deep Fried, Indian, Snacks, Wafers, Kids delight, Aloo, Vegan, Gluten free 
Take a look at the other Potato Chips recipes.

A College Throwback + Potato Chip-Crusted Chocolate Tart from Culinary Adventures from Camilla
Baked BBQ Potato Chip Crusted Pork Chops from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
How to Make Homemade Sun Dried Potato Chips from Sneha's Recipe
Potato Chip and Roasted Cashew Cookies from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Potato Chip Crusted Salt and Vinegar Baked Cod from Palatable Pastime
Potato Chip Crust Savory Cheesecake from Food Lust People Love
Pretzel and Potato Chip Cookies with Butterscotch Frosting from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Salty-Sweet Potato Chip Cookies from Hardly a Goddess
The Potato Chip Sandwich from Our Good Life

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