Masala Animal Fries

These fires are the spicy, cheesy, and tasty version of the animal fries with an Indian touch! This has every component that you'll fall in love with easily - the crispy fries, the spices, the cheese, the caramelized onions, and the amazing tandoori ranch.

If you and your family members are a great fan of the animal fries from In-N-Out, then this masala animal fries is the one for you with a touch of Indian flavors comforting you in each and every bite. The standard animal fries come with crispy fries with melting cheese, caramelized onion and the thousand island ranch. This masala animal fries sounds very much similar but with top notch flavors and spices from the spice mix and the tandoori ranch (check here for the tandoori ranch and homemade tandoori masala recipe). This is kind of having your restaurant food made in your comfort flavors and that is always a winner! Don't you agree?

The spice mix fries that is cheesy, along with caramelized onions and the amazing tandoori ranch, there is going to be flavor explosion in every bite. You can hear the mmmmph and oooohs automatically! It is no surprise, rather it is expected!

Fries are loved universally. It is a great snack, or a side. It is purely addictive! Right! Fries as such are comforting but they are versatile and can take up any flavors. It is possible to keep elevating with different flavor combinations to suit your tastes. Not only this masala animal fries, try this Paneer Tikka Poutine, which is my take on the traditional Canadian Poutine. I am guaranteeing that these will be a huge hit in your home too.

This is easy to make and just to keep things easier, I used frozen fries which comes in handy to fix quick snacks for the lazy weekends. While the fries bakes in the oven, caramelize the onions and make the spice mix and Tandoori Ranch. Once the fries are ready, add the cheese on the fries, melt, garnish with onions, sauce, and cilantro. This will be a crowd pleaser and will give you all the comfort with the flavors that you love to the heart. Homemade fries can also be used.

Now, the fries after baking, it can be transferred to individual bowls, topped with cheese which is returned to the oven to melt. This can be done on a sheet pan too. After you mix the spices to the fries in a sheet pan, top with cheese, return to oven and melt the cheese, top with toppings and garnishes. The toppings of caramelized onions and tandoori ranch can be adjusted according to preference. This is a suggested quantity and based on your preference can be increased or decreased.

In our Foodie Monday Blog Hop group, Sujata suggested potatoes as the theme. There is no single way to make potatoes. The meaty potatoes absorb different flavors and makes great appetizers to sides. These potatoes are always great in chaats and check out these Baked Potato Ragada Chaat, my spin on the classic Baked Potatoes with chaat flavors, an Indian street food flavor. When speaking of street foods, try these Turkish style baked potatoes, Kumpir, that have layers of flavors and textures. 

Baby potatoes are yum too and we love to make a pulao with it. Whether you make a pizza with it or a soup, or a simple aloo masala curry (the best accompaniment for poori or chapathi) , or the classic paratha, this tuber is always loved by everyone. Plus this potato is the base of our all time favorite samosa, and check here for some samosa filling inspired recipes. I am also linking these fries to Sundays on Silverado, What's For Dinner, and Happiness is Homemade.

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8

French fries - 1 and 1/2 sheet pan fries, frozen

Cheddar cheese - 2 cups, shredded

Cilantro - 2 to 3 tbsp, chopped

Garlic - 1 tsp, chopped fine

Tandoori ranch dressing - 1/2 cup (recipe here)

Salt - 1/3 tsp

Sliced Thai chilies for garnish

Oil - 1 tbsp

Spice Mix

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Cayenne - 1/2 tsp

Tandoori masala - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

For Caramelized Onion

Onions - 4 cups, sliced

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt - a pinch

Method

Arrange the fries as a single layer and bake according to package directions.

In the meantime, heat the oil and add the chopped onions and caramelize them stirring now and then. his would take about 15-20 minutes depending on your pan  and heating.

Mix the spice powders and set aside.

When the fries are ready, add the salt, spice mix, garlic, cilantro (half the amount) and a tablespoon oil. 

Mix completely.

Transfer to individual serving bowls and top with cheese. Return the fries to the oven to melt the cheese. When itis melted, remove from the oven. The cheese can be added to the sheet pan fries and melted too.

Top with caramelized onions, tandoori ranch. Garnish with cilantro and sliced Thai chilies.

Serve immediately.