Air Fryer Recipe
Moroccan Spiced Pumpkin Fries
Pumpkin fries offer a delightful contrast with their crispy edges and soft, sweet centres. The air fryer is perfect for this dish, as it quickly removes moisture, allowing the spices to toast beautifully without becoming mushy.
Ingredients
- 800g peeled pumpkin or firm winter squash, cut into fries about 1.5cm thick
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp extra if needed
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1 tsp ras el hanout (or ½ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground coriander, pinch of ground cloves)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper or chilli flakes, optional
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt, plus extra to finish
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp runny honey or maple syrup, optional
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or flat-leaf parsley
Method
- Peel and deseed the pumpkin, then cut into fries roughly 1.5cm thick and 7–9cm long.
- Spread the cut pumpkin on kitchen paper and pat dry.
- Toss the pumpkin with cornflour in a large bowl until lightly dusty.
- Mix olive oil, ras el hanout, smoked paprika, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Pour the spiced oil over the pumpkin and toss until evenly coated.
- Preheat the air fryer to 190°C for 3 minutes.
- Arrange half the fries in the basket in a loose single layer and cook at 190°C for 10 minutes.
- Shake the basket, turn any stubborn pieces, and continue cooking for 6–8 minutes until tender and browned.
- If needed, increase to 200°C for 2–3 minutes for additional browning.
- Repeat with remaining pumpkin.
- For a sweet glaze, toss hot fries with honey or maple syrup and return to air fryer at 190°C for 1 minute.
- Finish with lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped herbs, and a pinch more salt.
- Serve with yoghurt and harissa, or tahini sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
