Deep-Frying

Appears in

By Ken Hom

Published 1981

  • About
Proper deep-frying does not produce greasy food. The secret is the temperature of the oil: it must be hot enough to seal the surface of the food immediately to keep the oil from penetrating. The trick is to regulate the heat so that the surface of the food is sealed but does not brown so fast that the food remains uncooked at the center. This requires some practice, but it is not terribly difficult. The wok is an efficient piece of equipment for deep-frying. It uses less oil than a standard pot because of its bottom, which curves inward. Because the food floats to the surface, having a wide base of oil at the bottom is not important. Also, since the rim of the wok is so wide, it catches any splatters that occur.