Kalabasa Kropek

Cook kalabasa
1

In a pot over medium heat, boil kalabasa in salted water until tender. Drain well and transfer to a bowl. Reserve 1/3 cup of the boiled liquid to be used later.

Season
2

In the bowl, mash the boiled kalabasa until it turns into a smooth purée. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, chicken powder, then mix well.

Loosen the mixture
3

Add the reserved liquid 1/3 at a time, mixing the kalabasa mixture well after each addition until the mixture becomes looser.

Prepare thickener
4

In a bowl, mix together the rice flour and cornstarch until well combined. Add the flour mixture into the kalabasa little by little until it forms a shaggy dough.

Shape the dough
5

Knead the dough into smooth thick cylinders. The dough should be moist and not dry.

Boil to float
6

In a pot over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil. Gently drop and boil the dough until they float on top of the water, around 20-30 minutes. Let cool and chill overnight.

Slice and bake
7

Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into thin slices then spread onto a wire rack and dry the chips in a 120°C oven.

Deep-fry
8

Heat oil in a large wok/pot over high heat and drop the dried kalabasa chips until they puff up. Drain excess oil and serve immediately. Serve with sweet chili sauce or spiced vinegar.