Epic Tandoori Fries

Fries but make them totally epic! These Tandoori Fries are exploding with hot and tangy flavours – I’ll take an extra helping thanks.

Perfect with that mint yogurt sauce you find in Indian restaurants .

Have I mentioned how easy these are too? Because the recipe couldn’t be simpler:

1. Cook fries,
2. Whilst they’re cooking, make the tandoori seasoning,
3. Toss it through cooked fries,
4. Serve!

I call them epic because crunchy potato + punchy seasoning means every bite’s a party. I’ll be honest, my mouth was watering while prepping them.

I’d like to highlight that there’s a different between these and my Indian masala fries . Indian masala fries are made by tossing through a cooked onion, tomato based sauce. Tandoori fries are just seasoned with spice powders – think Nando’s peri peri fries (where I actually got the inspiration from)! They stay more crisp this way.

If tandoori flavours tickle your fancy, I’d highly recommend this tandoori mogo and tandoori paneer tikka !

The Recipe & Ingredients Details

Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.

The recipe is super simple.

Let’s start with the fries themselves. I made life easy and simply used frozen French fries . They work really well but if you want to go down the homemade route, I’ve got options.

Follow the steps for my air fryer triple cooked chips – you’ll get the crispiest and most perfect chip – note these are chips and not thin fries. You can also follow my air fryer garlic fries where I make fries from scratch.

Then come back to this recipe and it’s onto the next step!

Tandoori Seasoning

As for the seasoning, I do make it at home! It’s pretty simple and I’ve picked the best combination of spice powders that aren’t too complicated or difficult to get hold of. I use:

• kashmiri red chilli powder – I highly recommend this rather than normal chilli powder. It’s vibrant red without too much heat.
• cumin coriander powder – aka dhana jeeru.
• garam masala – this handy spice mix contains lots of individual ground spices that adds so much depth and a hum of heat.
• chaat masala – needed for the tangy, lip smacking flavour that tandoori is known for.
• amchoor powder – aka raw mango powder and it adds zing! If you don’t have it, that’s fine, just squeeze a little lemon onto the chips before serving.
• kasuri methi – aka dried fenugreek leaves which also form part of a classic tandoori base
• black pepper – adds sharp heat.
• salt
• optional – sugar . A lot of store bought tandoori masala powders have a little sugar. It doesn’t necessarily sweeten but lifts the flavours of the other spices.

You can prepare a jar of this tandoori masala spice mix that’s got all the bells and whistles – I make it with whole spices so it’s extra aromatic and punchy.

Or, take things even more easy and use store-bought tandoori masala. The quality is at your discretion!

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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Tandoori Fries

Ingredients

• 750 gram fries frozen
• 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala
• 1 tablespoon amchoor powder
• 1 tablespoon kasoori methi
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar optional
• 1 teaspoon salt
• finely chopped coriander optional for garnishing

Instructions

• Cook the frozen fries based on packet instructions. I used the air fryer at 200℃ / 390℉ for 20 minutes.
• Whilst the fries are cooking, prepare the tandoori masala.
• In a bowl, add red chilli powder, cumin coriander powder, garam masala, chaat masala, amchur powder, kasoori methi, salt and sugar if using. Mix well until combined.
• Sprinkle the seasoning over the cooked fries whilst they are still hot. You might not need to use all of it. Toss well.
• Garnish with coriander leaves if using.
• Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Tandoori Fries

Ingredients

• 750 gram fries frozen
• 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala
• 1 tablespoon amchoor powder
• 1 tablespoon kasoori methi
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar optional
• 1 teaspoon salt
• finely chopped coriander optional for garnishing

Instructions

• Cook the frozen fries based on packet instructions. I used the air fryer at 200℃ / 390℉ for 20 minutes.
• Whilst the fries are cooking, prepare the tandoori masala.
• In a bowl, add red chilli powder, cumin coriander powder, garam masala, chaat masala, amchur powder, kasoori methi, salt and sugar if using. Mix well until combined.
• Sprinkle the seasoning over the cooked fries whilst they are still hot. You might not need to use all of it. Toss well.
• Garnish with coriander leaves if using.
• Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

If Khoya Gulab Jamun is the classic beauty, Kala Jamun is her sleek, glossy and effortlessly elegant sister. Deep fried balls made with mawa and paneer are drenched in a sugar syrup. These are perfectly soft & spongy inside.

Truly the “little black dress” of Indian sweets.

Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published January 26th, 2010. I’ve added new images and helpful content, the recipe remains the same.

Ask the childhood version of me what her favourite sweet was and she’d reply kala jamun without hesitation! Even at a young age, I’d watch my Mum make these – simply because I couldn’t wait to eat them!

Overtime, by assisting her, I learnt the techniques required for perfect kala jamun. What are perfect kala jamun you may ask? They should have:

• a deep, dark outer layer without any cracks
• a soft & juicy inside and evenly soaked with the sugar syrup all the way through the middle.

They’re made with khoya, paneer, plain flour, and stuffed with saffron and nuts. A pinch of sugar added to the dough makes the jamuns darker in colour.

They’re best served without too much of the syrup, can be rolled in coconut or served with whipped cream. We’ve even made a fusion version: chocolate peanut butter kala jamun !

You can even take things a step further. Imagine those inky black kala jamun tucked into my gulab jamun cheesecake or in gulab jamun truffles . The contrast is stunning!

Ingredients notes & tips

Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.

Mawa – I make mine at home, specifically a smooth mawa made from milk powder . It’s already soft, making it much easier to work with than store-bought. If you do get it from the store, first grate it and then use in the recipe.

Paneer – like mawa, I also make paneer from scratch . It’s very easy and you basically get chhena (the cheese that forms from curdling milk). You don’t even have to wait for it to set – just drain away the excess whey.

Sugar – a little white granulated sugar is added to the dough to help with caramelisation and also needed to make the sugar syrup.

Nuts – chopped almonds and pistachios for the stuffing and optionally for decorating

Saffron and cardamom – also needed for the filling and for the sugar syrup. For the stuffing, I’ve used crushed cardamom seeds. For the sugar syrup, whole cardamom pods.

Baking powder – a little baking powder helps make the kala jamun soft.

Lemon juice – added to the sugar syrup to prevent crystallising. Bottled or fresh work.

Oil – needed for deep frying. I’ve used sunflower oil and I suggest using a similar flavourless oil.

Garnishing – edible silver leaf .

How to make Kala Jamun & My Tips

Follow the step by step process below or follow along with the video recipe found in the recipe card below.

Make the sugar syrup

In a sauce pan, combine water and sugar. Cook on medium heat to dissolve the sugar and stir occasionally. Add saffron threads and crushed cardamom pods (I find they release more flavour that way). Once the syrup gets a little stickier on your fingers (careful not to burn yourself!) and thicker, turn off the heat. Add lemon juice to prevent the sugar syrup from crystallising.

The chashni process will take approximately 5-10 minutes.

Prepare the kala jamun dough

Set aside a few spoons of mawa. You will need it for the small stuffing balls later.

Knead the khoya and paneer using the palms of your hands until smooth and lump free. Bring together to form a mass.

Add a spoon of plain flour (maida) at a time to help the mixture hold its shape; the dough should be soft, not stiff. If it feels dry, I soften with a few drops of milk — if sticky, I dust with a touch more flour.

Next I add the sugar and baking powder and knead to combine well. However, I do not overwork the dough as the flour will activate gluten and make the kala jamun chewy.

Making the stuffing and shaping

Now you’ll need the mawa you set aside earlier. To it, add saffron, nuts and cardamom powder. Divide equally into small pea sized balls.

Now divide your dough into equal portions. Shape into round, smooth and crack free balls by placing a little stuffing ball inside. As you prepare each one, keep the balls covered in a clean slightly damp cloth to prevent drying out.

Note – you cannot directly add the nuts, saffron and cardamom to the whole dough. It will disturb the texture of the kala jamun.

Frying and Soaking

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat. To check the heat is optimal, drop a small piece of dough into the oil. It should rise slowly and only have a few bubbles around it. If it browns too fast, the heat is too high. If you have a thermometer, aim for the oil temperature 150C.

Fry the balls gently, with continuous gently stirring. This helps with slow, even caramelisation until they are deep brown to near-black. Darken gradually – avoid high heat or they’ll burn on the outside and stay raw inside.

As you do this, check on the heat of the syrup. It should be warm, not unbearably hot or too cold. You should comfortably be able to keep your finger inside the syrup or use a thermometer and aim for a temperature of 50C. Too hot and the jamun can split, too cold and the jamun won’t absorb the syrup.

Remove the kala jamun from the oil and immediately immerse the hot jamuns into the warm syrup. Cover and leave to soak. This process takes a couple of hours – I recommend overnight. Keep stirring to allow the syrup to absorb all the way through.

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!

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Kala Jamun

Equipment

• 1 Flat bottom pan

Ingredients

Sugar syrup

• 3 cup sugar 600 grams
• 4 ¼ cup water
• 10-12 threads saffron
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom seeds
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Jamun

• 1 cup khoya 250 grams
• 1¼ cup paneer 65 grams
• 3 tablespoon plain flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1-2 tablespoon milk
• oil or ghee for deep frying

Stuffing (optional)

• 2 tablespoon khoya
• 2 tablespoon finely chopped pistachio and almonds
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
• 5-6 strands saffron

Garnish

• edible silver foil
• nuts slivers
• edible dry rose petals

Instructions

Sugar syrup

• In a large flat bottom pan, combine the sugar and water, add the saffron and cardamom. Bring to a boil.
• Simmer over medium heat till the syrup is just sticky. No thread consistency required here.
• Turn off the heat and add lemon juice, mix well and set aside.

Stuffing

• In a plate combine khoya, nuts, saffron and cardamom powder.
• Divide into equal, pea-size balls.
• Set aside for later use.

Jamun

• In a big wide plate, mash khoya and paneer with the heels of your palm until smooth.
• Add plain flour, sugar and baking powder.
• Combine everything together and if needed use milk to knead a soft dough.
• Divide the dough into the equal portions and make round balls.
• Keep the dough balls covered with a clean and slightly damp kitchen towel.
• Take one ball. flatten on your palm by pressing gently. Place a stuffing ball in the centre and seal it from all sides. Make sure it is sealed properly to keep Jamun crack free.
• Heat oil in a kadai, and deep fry jamuns on a low heat until they turned deep dark brown/black. Continuously stir to cook evenly.
• Remove from the oil and place in the warm sugar syrup.
• Soak for 5-6 hours or overnight.
• Garnish it with vark, nuts and rose petals.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.