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SAFETY AND PRACTICAL TIPS FOR DEEP FRYING

  • To check the temperature of oil without a thermometer, test by carefully putting a cube of bread in the hot oil.  If the bread browns within —

60 seconds, the temperature is about 160°C/320°F (low)
40 seconds, the temperature is about 180°C/356°F (moderate)
20 seconds, the oil is about 190°C/374°F (hot)

  • To cool the oil down when it is too hot, turn off the stove or fryer and add slices of bread to the oil to help cooling it down. Discard the bread when the oil has reached the correct temperature.
  • If using an electric fryer, dip the basket of the fryer in the hot oil to coat the wires before adding the food.  This will prevent the food from sticking.
  • Cook the food in small batches.  If you crowd the pan, the oil will cool down and the food will absorb too much oil, thus preventing it from becoming brown and crispy.
  • Always drain deep-fried food on paper towel placed on top of folded newspaper to absorb the excess oil.
  • Fried food needs a free circulation of air to stay crisp when keeping it warm.  Spread it out on an oven rack and leave in a warm oven with the oven door ajar.
  • Deep fryers are preferable to chip pans because they are less likely to tip and generally have thermometers to prevent overheating and fires. 
  • Water in hot oil cause splatters and fires. In case of fire, do not use water, use a fire blanket or suitable extinguisher.
  • Have a fire blanket immediately to hand, to smother fires, or a specialized fire extinguisher
  • Do not overheat the oil .  Oil is flammable and oil fires are extremely dangerous.  Oil for deep frying  is generally between 175º and 190 °C/345–375 °F.
  • Do not overfill the fryer.  There must be space in the fryer for food to be added otherwise the oil can overflow causing fire or burns.   Always cook smaller quantities at a time.
  • Use metal utensils to manipulate food in a fryer – a wire cage is the main tool, and a spider or long-handled chopsticks can be used for additional manipulation.
  • Valuable rules:
    • do not leave unattended
    • do not allow small children near the frying area

By STELLA

I have had no formal chef’s training. Classical piano was my parents’ choice, and that took care of the first 20 years of my life. Journalism and radio followed (my own choices, this time), and these opened many doors for me into different countries, people, cultures — and, of course, foods. In a six week series on radio I used it as a platform for my love of food and shared lots of interesting recipes and food news with listeners.
My earliest memories of food come from the family kitchen at home; I can still remember the wonderful smells of the dishes my mother prepared. I became aware of the flavors of her creations at an early age. Some I enjoyed and preferred, while others depressed me with their lack of interesting flavors. My mother was a good cook, but not a gourmet, and sadly this often showed. What I did appreciate was that she always involved me in the preparation, sharing her knowledge of nutrition, flavor, color, and the harmonies of each plate she dished up. She was also a genius with leftovers and quick meals when unexpected guests arrived. This is one of the things that stands out in my mind, and it inspired me to create wonderful dishes from leftover foods myself.

I carried on with the tradition of carefully planning meals to combine nutrition, color and flavor, while at the same time offering variety and elegant presentation. In the process, I developed a passion for seeking out the best available products, adhering to each season’s offerings, and treating it with the respect it deserves, which eventually became part of my daily culinary life and travels. I did these things not because I wanted to become a chef, but to satisfy myself, family and friends with creations of gorgeous food and exciting flavors. All of which, I hope, is reflected in this blog.

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