Basic food preparation skills can save you a lot of time and effort in the kitchen, especially when deep frying.
Lovers of deep-fried food will affirm that it is always a risky endeavour, and the best way to ensure your safety and avoid a messy kitchen is to take a few precautions.
While the revolution to move to a deep fryer may not be an option for everyone, that shouldn’t stop you from cooking.
Additionally, it is important to stick to a few simple rules that can help avoid some common mistakes. They include;
Ensure that the oil is not fuming
It is important to monitor the temperature of the cooking oil, as it must be hot enough to fry but not too hot to spill. Deep fry a small amount to determine if the oil is hot enough.
A good hack to know how hot your oil is; use a wooden spoon and stick the end into the centre of the hot oil. When the oil is at a suitable temperature, you will see tiny bubbles sizzling.
Alternatively, you can throw a pinch of flour into the oil, if it sizzles, you’re good; if it browns immediately, the oil is too hot.
Slide ingredients from the side
Don’t drop what you want to fry, but slide it from the sides. Carefully place food into the oil using a slotted spoon or tongs. To avoid splashing hot oil everywhere, don’t drop food into the oil as it will splash.
Use a deep, wide pot and cook on low flame
Make use of a wider cooking pot or Sufuria (or a dedicated deep-fryer) and place enough oil to submerge the food you will be frying. If you plan to deep-fry, leave at least four inches between the top of the oil and the lip of the pot to avoid spillovers and splatters.Â
Fry in small batches without crowding
When the oil gets too crowded, it will drop in temperature, which will result in greasy, stuck-together food. If you’re frying in batches, allow the oil temperature to be hot enough before adding another batch.
Allow each piece some space
When your food clumps together, separate the pieces and move them around in the hot oil to get crispier results.
Once the exterior of the food is golden brown, test to see if it has cooked all the way through. If it is golden brown on the outside but undercooked on the inside, reduce the oil’s heat and begin again.
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