Baked Kohlrabi Fries with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

Despite being one of the healthier alternatives to classic French fries, these baked kohlrabi fries miraculously capture the crispy crunch of regular potato fries without all that residual grease. Kohlrabi is a vitamin-packed root vegetable whose texture most resembles the stems of broccoli, making it a phenomenal substitute for potato fries. Sweeter than your average cruciferous cold-weather crop, kohlrabi boasts a pleasantly distinctive flavor while remaining an excellent source of antioxidants like vitamin C. Requiring minimal effort though somehow yielding maximum results, this recipe is truly as good as it gets!

Ingredients

For kohlrabi fries:

1 Local Roots kohlrabi

⅓ cup Local Roots all-purpose flour

¾ cup cornmeal

1 large Local Roots egg

¼ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. salt, divided into two

¼ tsp. black pepper

For cilantro dipping sauce:

¼ bunch cilantro

1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

⅛ tsp. ground cumin

½ clove garlic, grated

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tsp. sesame oil

Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Top, tail, and peel kohlrabi. Cut into thick french fry sized planks.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, mix flour, paprika, garlic powder, and one tsp. salt. In another bowl, mix together cornmeal, one tsp. of salt, and black pepper to taste. In a third bowl, whisk the egg with a few Tbsp. of water.

3. Lightly grease a baking sheet with a neutral oil.

4. Begin by coating each fry in the flour mixture, then the beaten egg, and finally, the seasoned cornmeal. Place on tray with a half an inch of space in between each fry.

5. When every kohlrabi fry is coated, place into the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping the fries halfway through.

6. While the fries are baking, make the dipping sauce. Chop the cilantro leaves finely and grate ½ clove of garlic. Stir the cilantro, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, cumin, and mayonnaise together. Serve and dip!

This recipe was created by Local Roots recipe contributor Irena Huang.