the process of cooking food in hot fat or oil in an open pan. The fats and oils used vary from place to place. All share the quality that they can be heated to a much higher temperature than boiling water. The surface of food cooked by frying therefore coagulates quickly; further cooking induces flavour changes and the result should be an attractive, crisp-textured food.
Deep-frying, in which the food is submerged in oil, lard, or dripping heated to a high temperature in a deep-sided pan, is something of an art. Many foods, including chips (French fries), doughnuts, and fritters, are cooked this way. Careful temperature control is necessary for optimum results: too low, and the food will emerge pale and greasy; too high, and the exterior will scorch and toughen. If the temperature is correct, the outside cooks instantly, forming a seal, and the water inside the food converts to steam, from the surface inwards. This has the dual effect of cooking the food very quickly, and preventing fat from entering, as much of the steam escapes outwards through the surface. The fat or oil should not be allowed to burn (‘smoking hot’ fat is too hot—it smokes because it is burning). A frying thermometer is useful here. Otherwise a small cube of bread can be dropped into the oil and observed; it should take about a minute to brown, in which case the temperature is satisfactory.
Foods destined for deep-frying may be prepared by coating them with batter or egg, substances which form effective seals when they come into contact with hot fat; alternatively they may simply be dusted with flour, or blotted with paper or cloth, to remove surface moisture. After frying, they are allowed to drain briefly, then served up quickly, as fried food which has gone cold becomes unattractive. An exception to this rule is a tribe of fried confections and biscuits, many of Middle Eastern and Indian origin; see jalebi for the best-known example.
Shallow-frying, using smaller quantities of oil or fat in a low-sided pan, is used for many foods, including eggs, fish, and steaks, which are allowed to brown on one side and are then turned. The residue left in the pan after meat has been shallowfried is often used as the basis of a sauce (see deglaze). The method is sometimes called ‘pan-frying’ in English.
Both shallow- and deep-frying are popular methods of cooking, but deep-frying has also developed into a specialist craft. The speed with which the food cooks, and the appetizing smell produced make it a favourite method for cooking snacks and street foods around the world. Many festival foods are deep-fried, an echo of times when fats were in shorter supply and were reserved for special occasions.
Laura Mason has written about several aspects of British food in books including Sugar Plums and Sherbet (1998), Farmhouse Cookery (2005), and Traditional Foods of Britain (1999), which she co-authored with Catherine Brown.
