Vegetable chip facts for kids
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Vegetable chips, also called veggie chips, are crunchy snacks made from vegetables. Unlike regular potato chips, these are made from many different kinds of vegetables. They can be cooked in several ways, like frying, deep-frying, baking, or just drying them out. You can eat vegetable chips as a snack or with dips. They are also great as a topping on other foods. In many places, like the United States, you can find many brands of vegetable chips in stores.
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How Vegetable Chips Are Made
Vegetable chips are made by slicing vegetables very thin. Then, they can be cooked in different ways. Some are fried or deep-fried in oil. Others are baked in an oven, which can make them a bit healthier. Some are even just dried without any cooking at all!
Many different vegetables can be turned into chips. These include root vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beetroot. You can also make chips from leaf vegetables like kale and spinach. Other popular choices are onions, zucchini, and cassava.
To make baked chips, thin slices of vegetables are lightly coated with oil. Then, they are baked until they become crispy. Using oils like "heart-healthy" olive oil can make these chips a healthier choice.
Simple vegetable chips can be made by just slicing and drying vegetables. No cooking is needed for these. Sometimes, a special tool called a mandoline is used to slice the vegetables. This helps make sure all the slices are thin and the same size.
Flavors and Additions
Vegetable chips can be flavored with many different spices. Common ones include salt, pepper, curry, and paprika. You might also find flavors like adobo seasoning or dried chives. Chips that are made in large factories might have preservatives or monosodium glutamate to keep them fresh. You can also make your own vegetable chips at home using many recipes.
- Different kinds of vegetable chips
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Cassava chips with chili sauce in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia
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Jerusalem artichoke chips
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Zucchini chips
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Peperoni cruschi chips from Basilicata, Italy
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Carrot Chips
Carrot chips are made from carrots that have been fried or dried. Some companies in the U.S. make and sell carrot chips in stores.
Cassava Chips
Cassava chips are a popular food in many parts of Africa. This includes countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, and Malawi. In Ghana, cassava chips are known as konkonte. Dried cassava chips are also used to feed farm animals in Ghana. In Malawi, cassava chips are made by soaking the cassava, slicing it, and then letting it dry. This is how cassava is often moved from farms to markets.
Besides chips made from fresh cassava root, some chips are made from cassava flour. First, a dough is made from the flour. This dough is steamed, sliced thin, dried, and then fried in oil. This type of cassava flour chip is popular in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Kale Chips
Kale chips became very popular because kale is known for being healthy. Kale is a leafy green vegetable, not a root. Kale chips usually have oil and salt, and sometimes other seasonings.
Bittergourd Chips
Bittergourd chips are made from a plant found in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. The chips are made from the fruit of the plant. They can be sliced and dried in the sun, or coated in batter and fried.
How We Use Vegetable Chips
Vegetable chips are a tasty snack. You can eat them on their own or with different dips. Popular dips include salsa, guacamole, and bean dips. They are also used to add crunch to soups, salads, and other meals.
Vegetable Chips in Stores
Many types of vegetable chips are made in large factories and sold in supermarkets. Some well-known brands that make vegetable chips (other than potato chips) include Calbee, Terra, and Sensible Portions. For example, Kettle Foods started selling their "Uprooted" brand of sweet potato chips around 2016. These chips are lightly seasoned with oil and sea salt.
