Ingredients
700g potatoes (about 3 medium-to-large), 3 tbsp cornstarch, cooking oil for deep frying, 1 tbsp cheese powder, 1 tbsp dried or chopped coriander (or parsley), and a quarter tsp salt for boiling.
Instructions
Peel the potatoes and cut them into even fry-sized sticks. Place them in a pot of water with the salt and boil for exactly 3 minutes. Drain immediately and transfer to a bowl of cold or ice water to stop the cooking. Once cooled, drain them well.
Place the drained potato sticks in a bowl or wire basket, sprinkle the cornstarch over them, and toss well until every piece is evenly and lightly coated. Put the coated fries in the refrigerator or freezer for 12 hours.
When ready to fry, heat a generous amount of oil in a deep pan. For the first fry, cook the fries for 6 minutes at a moderate temperature until pale gold. Remove, drain, and let them rest for at least 5 minutes. Then increase the oil temperature and fry them a second time for 3 minutes until deep golden and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.
While still hot, transfer the fries to a large bowl, sprinkle the cheese powder and coriander over them, and toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately.
Notes
The secret to truly crispy fries lies in four things working together: the brief boil softens the inside, the cornstarch creates the crust, the long rest in the freezer dries the coating completely, and the double fry drives out all remaining moisture to produce that signature shattering crunch. Do not rush the 12-hour rest — it is the step that makes the biggest difference.