Enjoy The Taste Of Deep Fried Delicacies

By Super

Wednesday, October 5, 2011, 17:06

Deep frying locks in flavor and develops great texture in cooking. However many people avoid deep fried foods, due to the fear of many health problems that become a part of life within a fraction of years. But, if you want to relish all those yummy foods, here are some must follow tips that promises, safety, taste and great health.

Choose your cooking oil carefully. Use oils, that have high, 'smoke points' or those which do not break down at deep frying temperatures. Use canola oil for frying as it is low in saturated fat, has a high burning point, and does not detract the flavor of the food. Peanut oil, corn oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil are also good choices.

Avoid using sesame oil and olive oil as it doesn't have a high enough smoking point.

The best temperature for deep-frying depends on the recipe, but most suggest to heat the oil between 350 degrees and 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

To prevent bubbling over when the food is added avoid filling the pot more than halfway with oil.

To reduce splattering, dry food well with paper towels before adding to the pot. You can also coat it in flour or bread crumbs. Let the coated food sit on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes so the coating dries and sets.

To ensure an added depth to the final flavor marinate vegetables prior to deep frying.

Place a small amount of tamarind in the pot while heating the oil, as this will absorb all the oil that has been consumed by the food.

To prevent splattering carefully slide the food in the pot.

Avoid overcrowding the pan as leaving lots of space around each piece will help the food cook evenly. If you add too much food at once, the oil temperature will drop and the food will absorb fat instead of instantly searing. It will even become very greasy.

Keep water away from the hot oil. If you pour water on the oil, the mixture will explode.

If the oil smokes or catches fire, cover it with a pan lid or cookie sheet. You can use baking soda to put out any grease fires. However be careful that you don't spread the flames around.

To reduce the amount of fat keep the temperature up. Food cooked at too low a temperature will be greasy.

Opt for a slotted spoon, an Asian wire mesh skimmer, or a pair of spring loaded tongs to remove fried foods from hot oil . Remove foods in the same order in which they were added to the pan to insure they have all been evenly cooked.

Make sure not to reuse cooking oil. Although some sources say you can strain and reuse it, but the oil has already begun to break down from the heat, and undesirable compounds have formed. Therefore discard it safely after the oil has cooled completely.