Mmm..., hot crispy chips and french fries - a heart's nightmare and a belly's delight!

Here are some ways to do that.

Decide if you want to use frozen potato chips (which are quicker) or making them from scratch. This method works for both types.

Making them from Scratch - select your potatoes, ideally they should be a variety called "floury" which have low water content. Ask someone at the store if its not easy to find. Russet Burbank is a good variety if you can find it.

Peel and cut your potatoes into chips with some recommendations here:

    * French fries are strips the length of the potato, but 1/2cm wide and tall.
    * Chips are 1.5cm wide and tall, also the length of the potato.
    * Wedges are usually in slices about 1 inch thick, then the slices in angled cuts so there is a thin end and a wide end.
    * You can be precise if you want, but its never essential.

Heat a pan of oil - peanut, canola or vegetable are good types as they can be heated quite high without burning.

For thick chips and wedges you want a temperature between 150 and 160C. You can test this by a thermometer or placing a scrap of bread to see how quickly it browns. It should bubble gently and brown within 1 minute.

For raw large chips & wedges, add them to the oil - you may rinse the chips first under water, but they must be patted dry with paper towel to avoid burns.

Remove them when they are light golden - this can be about 5 minutes. This process is just to cook them through.

For both french fries (raw), frozen chips and the first cooked chips from above, Reheat oil to 175C (this is when a cube of bread browns within 10-20 seconds) add chips and cook until crisp and golden.

Season, serve and enjoy!