The truth is, you don’t need a fryolator or a hazmat suit—or the stress. You just need a little planning and some oil intel, which we’ll happily share. Read on, then fry, fry away. ◀The most-used tool in my kitchen rarely does what it was designed to do. Sure, I sometimes use my bamboo skimmer (or spider), a Chinese restaurant staple, to skim foam while making stock.
But that’s not why I reach for it so often. As a mini-colander, it can’t be beat for pulling short pasta shapes from boiling water, retrieving blanched veggies, or scooping up grains. Best of all, it fishes out frites and fritters from hot oil so well I won’t fry without one.
What won’t it do, Break the bank. Find one for a few bucks in a Chinatown near you. You’ve got a vat of boiling oil, so don’t be careless. A few rules to fry by: 1. Make sure there are at least 3 inches from the surface of the oil to the top of the pot so that when the oil bubbles up, it doesn’t bubble over.
When in doubt, use a bigger pot. 2. When frying in a pot with a handle, make sure the handle is tucked to the side—never sticking out over the stove—so no one knocks into it and tips the pot. 3. Gently lower food into the pot. This is not the time to make a splash.
There are a few things you’ll need before you take the plunge. Clear the area around the stove to defend against grease splatters (maybe throw some newspaper on the countertop, too). Dress the part with an apron: You can wipe oil off of kitchen counters; a silk blouse, not so much. You want one that conducts heat well, is wide enough to fry without overcrowding, and high-sided so bubbling oil stays in the pot. A Dutch oven is perfect, but the size depends on what’s on the menu. Four quarts is plenty of room to make a bowl of stuffed olives. Planning platters of risotto balls, Increase to a 6- or 8-qt. pot. Pick a deep-fry/candy thermometer that clips onto the pot.
The funny thing is that I don't care for some of the ingredients by themselves but together they are delightful! I had Curry on New Years Day at my wife's aunt's house and it was good. I wish I ate it more! I only eat it about4 times a year but not really sure why, Curry is probably my favorite dish from Asia and I prefer mine spicy, although usually Khmer people keep it mild (which is weird because they like to spice Everything up!) I appreciate your comment Dave!
It's interesting to see how curry is made in different parts of the SEA. In Singapore, we would blend the fresh ingredients first and then fry it in oil until fragrant. I see you guys have it the other way round. Thanks for sharing--your curry must be interesting. Hello JS: This is really a great resource for many people who have not experienced the thrill of curry.
I have always found cooking with curry to be fairly easy but I remember being intimidated by incorporating foods different then my normal ingredients into foods that I knew how to cook. I would advise people who read this article to actually try these recipes and you will find that the ingredients become very second nature rather quickly. One of the greatest benefits of expanding our cultural cooking list is the idea of how to improve recipes we already love. Votes up and shared. I always love your comments tamarindcandy!
Thanks again for stopping by! Always love these recipe hubs, thank you! I appreciate all of your comments! Thanks again for stopping by and voting! Galangal root is not native to Europe or the US but can usually be found in Asian Stores. If you can't find it locally you can always order it online. I hope that this answers your question and I appreciate you reading and leaving a comment!
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