The Art Of Deep Frying

Deep frying is a technique in which food is cooked by submerging it in a bath of hot liquid fat. The health conscious will think of blocked arteries that are caused by eating excessive fried food. The cooks will worry about the cleaning that is required after some heavy-duty frying.

Deep-frying can be easier if you follow these tips:

Keep the temperature right
Most recipes suggest that you heat the oil to somewhere between 180 and 190 degrees Celsius. The heat of the oil also depends on the size of the food being cooked. Larger items can be deep-fried at a lower temperature. Bear in mind that the temperature will drop slightly when you put in the food. The easiest way is to use a deep-fry thermometer that can be clamped to the side of the wok. You can also use a wooden chopstick or a piece of bread to check the oil. It's hot enough when bubbles form all around the chopstick or bread piece.

The type of oil you use
Peanut oil and vegetable oils are good. One of the advantages of peanut oil is that it does not burn easily even at high temperatures. Sesame oil, on the other hand, is not used for frying as it starts smoking at lower temperatures.

How you put in the food
Be careful to slide foods in to prevent splattering. Add ingredients in small amounts and don't overcrowd the wok. Overcrowding will lower the temperature and may lead to spluttering or spillage.

The amount of oil used
How much oil to use depends on the item being deep-fried. You need enough oil to submerge food completely. To be safe, it's important to leave several inches clear at the top of the wok, as the oil level will rise when the food is dropped in.

How can I reduce splattering?

The food you are going to deep-fry should be at room temperature. This reduces the drop in the temperature of the oil when you put it in, lessening the chance of splattering. You might want to drain the food of water on a paper towel. If the food to be deep-fried is in a sauce, use a slotted spoon to let it drain before adding it to the wok. Similarly, if the food is batter-coated, make sure all the excess batter has dripped off before placing it in the hot oil.

What if the recipe calls for the food to be deep-fried twice?

Some restaurants use this method whereby they cook a batch first and when a customer orders the dish, the food is fried again. This gives the food a crisper coating. Make sure you retest the temperature of the oil before you deep-fry a second time to prevent the food from soaking up some of the oil and becoming soggy.

Can I reuse cooking oil?

Yes, you can reuse cooked oil up to two times provided you fry the same kind of food. Just let the oil cool, strain it and store in the refrigerator. When the oil is no longer usable the colour will darken and it may start to smell rancid.

How can I reduce the amount of fat?

Keep the temperature up all the time. Food cooked at too low a temperature will be greasy. Don't overcrowd the wok, which again lowers the temperature, leading to greasy food. Use a wok to deep fry - the unique shape of the wok means that you use less oil to cook.