Secrets of making crispy batter. Theory and practice

Roasting technology

A huge number of dishes are prepared by frying foods or semi-finished products in batter. To do this, a high-sided frying pan heated with plenty of fat is enough. But more often, cooks prefer a deep fryer, as its use simplifies the process:

• it is easier to maintain temperature conditions;
• the product is immersed in boiling oil;
• a special grid makes it easy to remove the dish.

  

Calculating the quantity is easy. Usually this ratio is 1:1, that is, as much fish fillet as there is in the composition for frying. Products cannot be placed side by side in a frying pan. Otherwise they will stick together.

If you thought everything was very simple, don’t rush. There are some nuances that you should pay attention to. Ideally, the starch batter should completely envelop the product and not drip. To do this, watch the consistency, which resembles the thickness of sour cream, and the proportions.

Here are common mistakes:

• if the composition turns out to be runny, then the oil will be easily absorbed into meat, fish and vegetables, but the crust will be crispy and light;
• on the contrary, thick will resemble dough and the shell will be more like bread.

To check if you made a mistake, dip a dry spoon into the mixture. The composition should not drain and leave empty spaces. The products should not be wet, as this prevents the batter from sticking. It's better to dust it a little with starch or flour before dipping.

There are two more useful recommendations:

• Experienced chefs advise preparing the batter in advance so that the gluten loses its elasticity, as a result the crust does not dry out when frying;
• the use of protein in the composition will add lightness; it is better to beat and introduce it immediately before use.

Classic recipe

Products

• egg 1 pc.;
• water or milk 1 tbsp. l.;
• vegetable oil 1 tbsp. l.;
• pinch of salt;
• flour 100 g.

Recipe

1. Prepare the batter in water. You need to beat the egg with vegetable oil. If you wish, you can beat the white separately from the yolk, then you won’t need to add oil, so the batter will be more airy.
2. Add salt. Add spices to your liking, such as ground black pepper or herbes de Provence. Only a very small amount - on the tip of the knife, the main aroma of spices should come from the product that is baked in batter.
3. Add half a cup of flour to the eggs and butter, mix well. Add a tablespoon of clean cold water or milk. You can cook chicken fillet or pieces of boiled cauliflower in this dough and fry in heated sunflower oil.

We figured out how to make batter - it's quite simple. If you prepare the batter correctly, it will turn out quite thick and will not drip from the pieces when dipping. It is enough for 100 grams of product. This is the simplest batter, in which there is nothing superfluous. The egg gives a golden brown crust, vegetable oil makes the dough soft. Water is needed simply to give the dough a liquid consistency. You can do without it by increasing the number of eggs to 2, or even better, use milk, it improves the taste of the batter.

Classic way

Many housewives have tried frying this way.

We will need:

• 3 chicken eggs;
• ½ cup warm water:
• a little salt;
• 3 tbsp. l. wheat flour;
• 3 tbsp. l. potato starch;
• 1 tsp. vegetable oil.

Use this step-by-step guide to make batter using flour and starch:

1. The first step is to separate the whites from the yolks.
2. Mix the latter with a whisk with vegetable oil, salt and water.
3. Pour the sifted starch with flour and combine everything.
4. Set aside for 20 minutes.
5. After a while, beat the egg whites into a foam with a mixer or a clean whisk.
6. Mix all ingredients with gentle movements.
7. Cool slightly.

Now the mass can be used for cooking.

Diet batter for fish

Fish fillet prepared using flour, mayonnaise, fatty cheese, and then frying it in vegetable oil is a tasty, high-calorie and satisfying dish. For those who are losing weight, this is not the best food option to lose weight.

For crispy crust lovers who are watching their figure, there are dietary breading options.

Option #1

• Mix oat bran with corn starch in equal proportions, add salt and pepper, and season with a pinch of nutmeg.
• Add skim milk in portions until smooth

Option No. 2

• Beat egg whites (3-5 pcs.)
• Mix rye bran with rice flour equally
• Add egg whites to dry mixture
• Season the batter with spices, add sea salt and a little lemon juice

Option #3

Sprinkle fish fillet pieces with a mixture of buckwheat flour and lemon pepper seasoning.

IMPORTANT: To avoid gaining extra pounds, fish should be cooked by baking in the oven, using one of the diet batter options.

Thoroughly whisk the batter ingredients

With fermented milk products

Your guests will remember dishes with such starch batter for a long time. The delicate and piquant taste of meat or fish is simply guaranteed.

Let's prepare:

• 2 eggs;
• 40 g of any starch;
• a little salt;
• fresh or dry herbs;
• 150 ml fresh kefir.

The beauty is that you can use another fermented milk product: sour cream or yogurt. Just watch the consistency. You may need to add or, conversely, reduce the amount of dry ingredient.

There is nothing to invent here. Just mix everything in a cup with a whisk. Only in this case the composition needs to sit a little longer.

A few tips for preparing batter correctly

• Products for cooking should be thoroughly mixed until creamy, using a regular fork, whisk, mixer, blender
• To get an airy batter with a pleasant ruddy tint, use sparkling mineral water as a liquid filler.
• You will get a beautiful and appetizing crust if you keep the prepared batter in the refrigerator for about an hour before frying. The batter becomes elastic and homogeneous

With mayonnaise

Now it has become popular to add mayonnaise to starch batter for fish. The casing not only helps preserve juiciness. It will be unusually airy, so you will write this recipe down in your cookbook.

Ingredients:

• 80 ml boiled water;
• 1 tsp. salt;
• 3 eggs;
• 50 g wheat flour;
• 50 g potato starch;
• greens optional;
• ½ tsp. baking powder;
• 2 tbsp. l. mayonnaise with high fat content.

Separate the yolks into a deep bowl and grind together with salt and mayonnaise. Pour in water at room temperature. After adding flour, baking powder and starch, mix the mixture thoroughly to break up all the lumps. A whisk or fork works better in this matter. Let it rest, covered with a lid or cling film.

After 10 minutes, we begin to beat the chilled egg whites. Then, in small batches, add chopped herbs to the main composition and combine. It is better to use immediately.

The best cheese batter for fish

Fish pieces in batter with cheese will decorate your everyday and holiday tables. The unique cheese aroma goes perfectly with fish fillet. And the golden brown, crispy shell enriches the taste of the dish.

Basic cheese batter

We offer a recipe for classic cheese breading for any fish. By adding different aromatic additives: spices, herbs, ground nuts, sesame seeds, you can diversify the flavor notes of the dish.

Ingredients:

• hard cheese - 200 g
• eggs - 3 pcs.
• flour - 2 table. heaped spoons
• salt - 1/2 teaspoon. spoons
• black pepper - 1/4 teaspoon. spoons

Preparation

1. Stir the eggs
2. Add grated cheese
3. Salt
4. Spice up
5. Add flour in parts until homogeneous.

Parmesan cheese is grated to make batter.

Italian batter with parmesan

Ingredients:

• Parmesan cheese - 50 g
• flour - 3 table. spoons
• egg - 3 pcs.
• milk - 3 table. spoons
• dry mixture of Italian herbs - 1 teaspoon. spoon
• salt - 0.5 teaspoon. spoons

Preparation

1. Break eggs, stir
2. Add milk
3. Grate Parmesan
4. Stir into egg-milk mixture
5. Add salt and spices to the liquid mixture
6. Gradually add flour to desired viscosity

Fish cooked in air batter

Chinese version

This recipe for fish batter with starch will be useful for lovers of Asian cuisine.

The set of products is simple:

• 3 eggs;
• 5 tbsp. l. corn starch.

The calculation of ingredients is made for approximately 1 kg of product.

We only need egg whites. We immediately begin to beat them in a large bowl with a mixer at medium speed. We remove the device and use a fork to thoroughly mix it with the starch.

Wash the fish fillet, dry it a little or let the water drain, placing it in a colander. All that remains is to dump it into a cup with the prepared mixture and stir.

Start deep frying.

Lenten fish batter

Lenten food should not be monotonous and boring in preparation at all stages of cooking. Prohibition and restrictions on the consumption of a number of products is not a reason to refuse delicious and tasty dishes. We offer a recipe for cooking fish in lean breading.

Christmas fish in lean breading

Christmas fish in lean breading

Ingredients:

• fish fillet (portioned slices) - 1 kg
• flour - half a glass
• water - as much as needed
• lemon
• vegetable oil
• salt
• pepper
• greenery

Preparation:

1. Marinate the fish pieces for half an hour: mix lemon juice with a small amount of vegetable oil, salt, herbs and pepper
2. Prepare lean breading: mix flour with 2 tbsp. spoons of butter, salt and add water until the dough has a liquid consistency
3. Immerse fish slices in the mixture and fry until an attractive crust is obtained.

Lenten batter recipe, video

No eggs

This version of the batter with the addition of starch is quite suitable for people who do not consume animal products or are simply fasting.

Compound:

• 400 ml water;
• 1 cup each cornstarch and flour.

Everything is quite simple here. Add dry ingredients to the liquid in small portions and stir. In this case, a whisk will be a good helper.

If you wish, you can pour a little vegetable oil.

The right batter for pollock fish

Pollock is a low-fat fish, low in calories, and affordable. The disadvantage of fish is its “dryness”. Frying pollock in batter is considered one of the best options for preparing this fish. Under the fried crust, pollock retains its delicate taste and juicy texture. Pollock fillet prepared according to the following recipes turns out to be extremely tasty.

Pollock pieces in batter

Pollock in batter, cooked in an air fryer

• Prepare pollock batter from flour, water, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients into a creamy mixture.
• Dip small pieces of pollock in batter, place on the air fryer rack and bake until golden brown at a temperature of 260 degrees and high fan speed

Pollock in classic batter

This recipe is very easy to prepare. Liquid batter is suitable for thin slices of pollock, hake, and pangasius fish fillets.

• Dilute a glass of flour with two glasses of water, add salt
• Dip fish in batter and fry

Delicious milk-egg batter for pollock

Milk-egg batter emphasizes the delicate taste of pollock, eliminating its “dryness”. The fish acquires an amazing taste when combined with a crispy crust.

Ingredients:

• flour - half a glass
• water - one glass
• eggs - 2 pcs.
• salt and spices - to taste

Preparation

1. Mix eggs with milk
2. Add salt and spices
3. Slowly add flour while stirring

Batter with added cheese

With milk

This starch batter recipe is perfect for meat chops as it does not change the taste of the dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg;
• 50 ml cow's milk;
• salt to taste;
• 100 g flour;
• 50 g potato starch (can be replaced with rice starch);
• spices as desired.

Using a whisk, quickly mix the milk with the egg, salt and potato starch. If you decide, then add herbs and the necessary seasonings.

Now we dip all the prepared products into the batter. After holding it a little, roll it in flour on all sides and immediately begin frying it in boiling deep fat.

Crispy fish batter

To get crispy fish slices, we offer you a recipe from Chinese cuisine. The Celestial Cooks cook fish according to this recipe over high heat in special round deep frying pans - woks.

Crispy breaded fish

Chinese crispy fish

• Mix corn or rice starch with egg and add salt
• Dip small pieces of fish fillet into the batter and quickly fry on both sides over high heat in boiling oil.

With cheese

If you decide that the crispy crust will taste like feta cheese, then follow the instructions.

We need to prepare:

• 40 g of premium wheat flour;
• 80 g corn starch;
• table salt;
• 3 tbsp. l. any cheese;
• 5 tbsp. l. milk;
• 4 eggs.

Break an egg into a bowl, pour in milk, add mayonnaise, salt and beat at low speed with a mixer.

Three cheeses on the large side, which, for convenience, can first be kept in the freezer for a little while. First mix with starch and flour (necessarily sifted). It is better to do this with a fork, which will easily break up all the formed lumps.

Now you can dip the prepared product in batter and fry.

Simple batter for fish

Fish fried in a diluted batter - batter - acquires an unusual flavor. The French translation of the word means “liquid” (clair). A specially prepared batter is designed to uniformly envelop pieces of food (fish, meat, vegetables, fruits, cheese, seafood, etc.) before deep frying.

Fish in liquid flour breading

• Fish slices in batter are a favorite food of many peoples. There are many different options for liquid breading. Pieces of tender and juicy fish, covered with a crunchy and aromatic shell, will not leave even sophisticated gourmets indifferent
• The basic components of the batter are flour and chicken eggs. Liquid ingredients help give the liquid flour breading the desired consistency: water, dairy products, beer, wine and even vodka. Sometimes yeast or soda is added (to add airiness)
• Some recipes suggest adding herbs and certain spices, which gives the crust flavor and a certain taste sensation.
• Mushrooms, cheese, pumpkin, bell peppers, nuts and other ingredients can be added to the batter as aromatic fillers. The main condition is that solid ingredients should be finely chopped or crushed

IMPORTANT: The viscosity of the batter is an important indicator on which the thickness of the crust covering the fish slices depends.

Eggs and flour are the main components of the future crispy crust

• To prepare a basic fish batter, beat 3-4 eggs, add salt and pepper. You can put some chopped herbs and use different dry spices
• Gradually stir in the sifted flour to the desired consistency. The more viscous texture of the batter will provide a thick crust, the liquid mixture will create a thin, crispy shell for the fish pieces
• The viscosity of the test structure can be checked as follows: place a spoon in the batter and watch how the dough spreads over the surface of the spoon. Skillfully prepared batter is distributed evenly, the dough does not leave gaps and does not flow quickly from the spoon.

Checking the viscosity of the batter

Basic version of batter

We offer a simple method of making breading in batter. The liquid mixture prepared by this method is suitable for frying not only fish fillets, but also meat products, vegetables and fruits.

Ingredients:

• eggs - 2-3 pcs.
• flour - 0.5 cups
• water - 0.5 cups
• salt - 0.5 teaspoon

Preparation

1. Mix eggs with salt
2. Sift the flour until fluffy and mix with the eggs until smooth.
3. Gradually add chilled water to form a batter until thick, about the same as store-bought sour cream.

Fish slices in mayonnaise breading

With beer

Some people are afraid to use alcoholic beverages in cooking. You should calm down. Everything associated with intoxication quickly disappears during heat treatment, but it helps saturate it with oxygen. Let's figure out how to prepare batter with starch.

Ingredients:

• 1 glass of light beer;
• 4 eggs;
• 5 tbsp. l. potato starch;
• 200 g wheat flour.

Step-by-step recipe:

1. After whisking the eggs a little, pour in the beer.

   

2. Add starch and mix well.
3. Take a piece of any product and completely immerse it in the mixture.
4. Transfer immediately to a flat plate with sifted flour and roll on all sides.
5. Immediately transfer to a hot frying pan or deep fryer with vegetable oil heated to a boil.

To collect excess fat, place cooked items on a wire rack or paper towels.

Batter for fish without eggs

Beer batter without eggs with turmeric

Ingredients:

flour - 1 cup

• ice-cold light beer - 0.5 l
• turmeric - a pinch
• parsley - a few stalks
• ground black pepper - to taste
• salt - to taste

Preparation

1. Mix sifted flour with turmeric, salt and pepper
2. Slowly add beer
3. Stir until smooth
4. Chop the parsley

Basic beer batter without eggs

A simple and affordable instant breading idea:

• Take beer and flour in a 1:1 ratio
• Add sifted flour to beer in small portions until desired viscosity
• Season with salt and add black pepper or other spices if desired.

Fish fillet in batter with potatoes

With vodka

It is known that this drink is part of brushwood. It is he who gives such airiness. Let's prepare a crispy batter with starch based on it.

We will need:

• 2 yolks;
• 100 ml cold vodka;
• 100 g sifted flour;
• salt;
• 50 g starch.

Grind the yolks with salt. Pour in the alcoholic drink and, stirring constantly, add the dry ingredients in parts.

Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. And then we use the batter for its intended purpose.

Fish batter: mineral water recipe

• Bubbles of mineral water add airiness to the liquid breading, thereby forming a layer of crispy, appetizing crust.
• Any sparkling mineral water, pre-chilled, is suitable for the batter. Combine the egg with flour, salt and part of the mineral water. Gradually add cold mineral water to the dough until the desired condition
• For exotic lovers, you can suggest replacing mineral water with Coca-Cola or Fanta drinks. Pieces of fish in batter with the first drink acquire a nutty taste, and the dish will acquire a citrus aroma and a bright orange crust thanks to the use of Fanta.

Breaded fish with Fanta and sesame

More options

Chefs all over the world are not asleep and are coming up with new compositions for starch batter.

For example, there is a method that is more suitable for extreme sports enthusiasts. Some people add cola instead of water, which will add a nutty flavor to the dish. There are also those who use Fanta and get a citrus taste.

Recipes containing walnuts or nutmeg are considered original. Sometimes white wine is also used.

To add your favorite taste, you can add mushrooms chopped in a blender, and to change the color, bell peppers and herbs. For those who like it spicy, you can add a little soy sauce.

Cooking in a slow cooker

To cook wings in a slow cooker you will need:

• Starch - 2 tbsp. l.
• Egg
• Salt, spices
• Vegetable oil
• Wings – 6 pcs.
• Two cloves of garlic
• Ketchup – 2 tbsp. l.
• Oil – 2 tbsp. l.
• Vinegar – 1 tbsp. l.
• Sugar - teaspoon

Prepare the wings: wash, cut into pieces, dry. Then mix them with ketchup, chopped garlic, vinegar, sugar, salt, and vegetable oil. Leave in the refrigerator for an hour. Make a batter - add starch, salt, spices to the beaten egg, stir.

Advice! Spices used include dried garlic and coriander.

In the multicooker, set the “Fry” mode, heat the oil, dip the wings into the batter with tongs, and place in the bowl. Turn over after browning. Cook without a lid.