How to cook arbi chips / taro fries - Fried and oven baked taro root recipe – From bowl to soul (2024)

Arbi fries or Taro fries / chips recipe is a super simple , healthy taro root snack recipe for both kids and grown ups . It is a great alternative to potato fries , wedges or potato chips. Made using just one ingredient -arbi (taro root) and a few basic dry spices this is quick to cook, delicious , filling vegan and a gluten free snack .

Why try this recipe of Arbi chips / taro fries ?

• Its is a great way to get some veggies in, and arbi / taro root is one of the healthiest root veggies to eat. Check out the benefits of eating taro root in my blog post Crispy masala arbi recipe.
• Arbi / taro fries make a great, healthy, filling snack, a great alternative to potato fries.
• This is a kids friendly recipe. I doubt any kids like arbi (Taro root), but i’m sure kids would happily gobble these fries up with some ketchup , dip or chutney.
• This is one of the easiest Taro root recipes. It is super simple, and requires very few ingredients to cook.
• This recipe gives you two version of the Taro chips or taro fries. You can either fry it or bake it, as per your choice.
• This is a vegan, gluten free, low calorie snack , especially the baked version.
• There are so many ways to adapt this Arbi recipe by using different types of spices you add to it .You can absolutely personalise it, as per your taste.

Ingredients required to cook arbi chips / Taro fries

Arbi or Taro root– This is the main ingredient. Make sure the arbi is fresh and firm, properly peeled, washed , sliced and dried.

Spices– I use salt, red chilli powder, amchoor (dry mango powder) and chaat masala for this fried taro recipe. You can absolutely add or take away any spices as per your preference.

This dish can be simply sprinkled with just a little sea salt/ table salt.If you prefer it spicy you can increase the chilli powder as per your preference and taste.

Amchoor is essential to add that tanginess without making it soggy and i would suggest not omitting it.

Chaat masala– This has various spices mixed and adds a lot of flavour to the chips. I generally used MDH chaat masala , or you can make homemade chaat masala by mixing salt, black salt, amchoor, cumin powder, a pinch of hing (asafoetida powder), black pepper powder, dried ginger powder, coriander powder and dried and powdered mint .

Oil– Quantity of oil will depending on whether you want to fry it or bake it. You can use any oil to make these chips.I generally use vegetable oil to fry and olive oil to make the baked version.

Instructions to prepare arbi / Taro root

Cleaning and preparing arbi to make taro fries (Chips)

Before you start ‘handling‘ taro root/ arbi, there is one thing that you need to keep in mind . Arbi can cause itching in hands, so apply some cooking oil on your hands ,before you start peeling and slicing it.

Just 2-3 drops is more than enough to add a coat to your hands. If you use more oil, it will be very tricky to peel arbi, as it will keep slipping.

Once the arbi is peeled, slice it long like you do for potato fries/chips.

After the arbi is sliced, rub some salt on arbi and keep it aside for 5-10min to remove excess stickiness and bitterness . In the meantime gather rest of the ingredients.

Now wash/rinse the slices properly in cold water , pat them dry using a kitchen towel and it is ready to cook.

Oven baked version – Arbi chips / Taro fries

Take washed and dried arbi slices in a bowl.

Add oil, salt and red chilli powder . Rub everything nicely on the arbi so that all slices are coated in the masala.

If you do not want to add all the spices , you can simply use salt , or a combination of salt and chilli powder. Check my notes above (Ingredients section) .

Layer the arbi slices in a single layer on the baking tray.

Use a ceramic or a glass tray to avoid the arbi sticking on the base.

Bake the arbi at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes, till it is half done. Then gently toss the slices and bake again for 10 -15 minutes, till it is done.

Once done take it out. Add amchoor and chaat masala. Check seasoning.

Mix gently and it is ready to be served.

Fried version- Arbi chips (Taro Fries)

Heat the oil in a kadhai or a deep pan.

Slowly add the washd and dried arbi slices to the hot oil and deep fry till the arbi turns golden outside and tender from inside , that is properly cooked.

Using a slotted spoon drain oil and take out fried arbi .

Drain the fried arbi on paper towel.

Add the dry spices- salt, red chilli powder, amchoor powder and chaat masala.

You can add just salt if cooking for kids, or use any of the spices as you like.

Toss and mix the spices gently.

Serve hot with ketchup or any chutney of your choice.

Storing Taro fries

This taro root recipe is best had fresh.

However if you have cooked excess , these arbi chips can be stored in fridge for a good 3-5 days. Just heat them in the oven again for 5-7 minutes and they are good to go.

Taro fries can be freezed as well. Let them cool after cooking and store in a zip pouch or a container in the freezer. Do not thaw these.

Simply take out of the freezer and heat in the oven at 180 degrees for about 7-8 minutes or till hot.

Faq’s

Extra tips to cook this recipe

• Arbi chips taste good as is with the recipe, but if you want to enhance the flavour , try adding a tsp of carrom seeds(caraway seeds or ajwain) in the baked version while you are adding salt, chilli and oil to the arbi.
• Amchoor (Dry mango powder) adds a lot of flavour and taste to this snack, and helps maintain the crispiness. If however you do not have amchoor powder, you can squeeze some fresh lime juice on the baked chips.
• Serve taro fries immediately to enjoy them hot and crispy. They get soggy quickly, though they still taste delicious , they will lose that crispness if left for long.
• Try to cut the chips equal width so that they cook evenly.
• For both the options you can always squeeze some lime juice at the end for that extra tanginess.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these arbi / taro fries as a snack , hot with a side of ketchup, chutney or a dip.

It also goes perfectly well as a side dish to Indian meals, or replace your potato chips with these delicious Arbi / Taro chips in any of your British meals.

Add them to your sandwiches or toasts.

It stays perfect in the fridge for almost 3-5 days.Check out the instructions under ‘Storing arbi chips ‘ for more details.

If you try this and like this recipe, please rate it by clicking the stars below. And don’t forget to like , share the recipe and tag us on Instagram or Facebook using #frombowltosoul_ and #frombowltosoul . Please Comment below for any queries, suggestions and ideas .I would love to hear from you.

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