Evening star., 1934-02-09

"HE correct way Of frying IN
deep fat can be easily learned
and can be applied to wide
i variety of foods In no other
way can we obtain the dis
tinctive f1avorS and decorative eHecVs
which characterize fried dishes. Care
fully fried foods show almost no signs
of having been near the frying Kettle.
Strange as it seems, they absorb less
fat than foods which have been
cooked in a shallow pan. This IS
chiefly because surrounding the food
with very hot fat cooks it SO quickly
that there is little time for tat TO soak
into it, Keep the fat covered and IN
a cool place when it is not IN use.
The fat must. of course, not lmpart
to foods fried in it any foreign f1avors
or odOrS.
Suitable Utensils.
A few suitable utensils can dlSpel
all fears of being unlucky in frying.
IF Won use a cast-iron or caSt-alum-
mum pan it will be easy to maintain
the desired even temperature. Also,
q nan that is deep and narrow Is pet-
ter than a shallow broad one, because
less surface of the fat is exposed.
A thermometer is of great assist
ence. The temperature for Trying
some foods can be tested with CUBES
of bread. but when batters or doughs
pre involved the temperature Is so M
portant that it is difficult to judge ac-
rrratelv enough without a ther-
mometer. If you are obliged to test
temperatures without a thermometer
Use 1-inch cubes OF bread. lmmerse
n couple of cubes in the lat, nOtlng
the exact time At 375 degrees F. the
cubes will be golden brown in 60 Sec
onds and at 400 degrees F. they brown
in 40 seconds Test the temperature
as often as is convenient during fry
ing AS cold food is added to the lat
the temperature is lowered, so do not
add too much food at one time, ana
keep the fame high until the tat IS
hot again. A wire basket which just
fits inside the pan is helpful for low
ering the food into the fat and lifting
It out.
If vou have ever used for trying
q fat which smoked excessively you
know how important the choice OF tat
Is It must be one that can be heated
to a very high temperature without
deteriorating. For each kind OF 1at
there is a fairly definite temperature
at which undesirable chemical
changes begin. Smoke appears more
readily in frying after the fat has
been used several times, if it has been
allowed to get too hot. Fat that is
not hot enough gives greasy
product. Clarifying the fat each time
It is used prolongs its life Tor Try.
ing A white potato cut IN small
pieces will help in this process, as
burned materials will cling to them.
then the potato should be removed.
The temperature of the fat should
be such that the food Is cooked in
the shortest time possible without
burning. For cooked foods this is
usually 400 degrees Fahrenheit, since
the food needs only to be heated
through and the outside OF 1t
Drowned. If this temperature were
used for uncooked foods, the outside
would be burned by the time the in
side was cooked, so for them tenn
perature of 373 degrees Fahrenheit
Is better The actual frying takes
such a short time that 1t pays to
stay near the kettle. AS damp food
is added to the fat, there is a good
deal of sputtering. and If the Kettle
IS too full, the fat overf1oWs.
What to Cook.
Excess fat should be drained from
the food as soon as it has been fried.
Lift the basket, let 1t drain over the
kettle, then turn the food out on
crumpled brown paper. AS soon as
the paper becomes greasy. move the
food to a fresh portion. Some foods,
such as croouettes, parboiled vege-
tables and fish should be Dreaded to
keep them from absorbing fat that
Is. they should be dipped in egg,
slightly beaten, and one tablespoonful
of water added for each egg to form
film over the entire surface, then
rolled in crumbs If the food has a
surface to which egg will not cling,
dip 1t first in crumbs, then in the egg,
then In crumbs again. The food is
then ready to be fried. During the
first few seconds that the Dreaded