Battered Onion Rings

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather the listed ingredients. Use yellow onions or leeks — but only the white part of the leek. You can swap the breadcrumbs for any kind of chips crushed into crumbs.

2. Step 2:

   

   Peel the onions, rinse them, and cut into large, wide rings — thick rings hold together during frying, since onion softens as it cooks. Put the rings in a deep bowl.

3. Step 3:

   

   In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with all-purpose wheat flour, salt, and ground black pepper to taste. If you like, add a little cayenne, paprika, or turmeric to boost the color. Seasoning the batter itself saves you extra work — many cooks otherwise sprinkle spices onto every single ring.

4. Step 4:

   

   Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan or deep pot until it's bubbling. Use a neutral oil: olive, sunflower, corn, and so on. Dip an onion ring in the batter and immediately roll it in the breadcrumbs. Some cooks suggest dipping the rings back and forth several times — batter, then crumbs, then batter again — but there's no need: the thicker the coating, the more likely it is to just slide off the onion.

5. Step 5:

   

   Lower the breaded rings into the hot oil and fry for about 1 minute, until golden. There's no need to flip them — they'll fry evenly as long as there's enough oil. Just don't overcook them, or the rings will turn dark and taste bitter. Work carefully so the hot oil doesn't splatter onto your skin!

6. Step 6:

   

   Line a plate with a paper towel and use a slotted spoon to transfer the golden battered onion rings onto it. Let the excess oil drain for about a minute. Be sure to taste them while they're still warm!