Onion Rings

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Battered is best!

Who doesn’t like onion rings?!  I know I like them!

Growing up, there was a time when onion rings were hugely fashionable! You found them at every fast food restaurant’s menu. I don’t know why but this cloudy weather today reminded me of this yummy snack. I guess because most of my early memories are of growing up in the harsh winters of Amman. So when it gets cloudy, early memories come up and food is a big part of those memories!

I remember my mum making these alongside homemade chicken burgers, when we used to get snowed in for a couple of days. When snowed in – in Amman, or at least back then –  there was absolutely nothing to do! We were just simply stuck at home! The streets would get blocked and the cars at times hidden under the snow… Added to that, mum had to manage us all with loads of energy and no outlet. After playing with the snow and complaining that we are bored, she used to prepare this meal for us, and have us help her in the kitchen. I always loved adding onion rings on top of my chicken burger drizzling the whole thing with her delicious home prepared mustard sauce on top!!! Mmmmm- heaven! And a very good break from our otherwise very healthy eating routine.

So here is the recipe for the onion rings and I also included a video for you for Martha Stewart’s onion rings as I love how she explains different onion types and want to encourage us to experiment with different onion types as well as appreciate the variations that mother earth gifts us. It’s good to have both recipes anyway, variety is always good.

Ingredients

Serves: 6
  • 4 medium sized brown onions, cut into slightly thick slices and separated into rings
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • ¾ cup flour
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp vegetable cooking oil
  • A pinch of DS Himalayan Pink Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp ground paprika

A Quick Note on Serving & Presentation

Onion rings are a very good appetiser to start your meal. But they can also be used as part of sandwiches especially burgers. You can present them diner style – in a basket lined with baking paper, or in paper cones for a city vendor feel! For cocktail parties, I like to make super small paper cones, fill them with 2 or 3 rings lightly drizzled with dip, which guests can pick with sandwich skewers or mini cheese forks. Tie the whole thing with a ribbon, or tie the ribbon on the sides as a handle! A very cute way to serve these in a cocktail party or a birthday party.

TIP: Most diners and restaurants would fry foods in either shortening or goose fat. Oil is much lighter, but will not have the same deep fatty flavor as frying in those fats. Oil is, however, relatively healthier. The choice is yours 🙂

 

Prepare your batter in a large bowl: combine flour, milk, egg, oil and seasoning and whisk until smooth (you can do this process in a blender as well).

Heat the frying oil in a large pot for deep frying the rings.

  • If you have a heat proof thermometer you need the fat to reach 365°F for best results.
  • If you don’t have a thermometer, make sure the oil is hot before adding the rings.
  • Frying in oil that is not properly hot results in foods soaking up the oil and turning out greasy and without crunch

Meanwhile, using a fork, dip the separated rings into the batter. Lift up and drain off excess batter.

Fry the rings in a single layer (a few at a time) in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Separate the onions if they stick together while frying.

Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels, then transfer to serving plate, or cones.

 

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