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COATINGS AND BATTERS
Coat all foods, except those high in starch, like potatoes and doughnuts. The coating
protects the food, helps prevent juices leaking into the oil and gives a crisp tasty result.
Generally, coatings won’t stick to frozen foods.
Seasoned flour
Thicker coatings don’t stick well to wet/damp foods, so coat them first in seasoned
flour. Use on its own to coat small whole oily fish like whitebait.
Egg and breadcrumbs
Popular on fish, chicken, and scotch eggs, it gives an attractive, crisp, crunchy exterior.
Ideal for foods that are to be served cold, as it stays crisp for hours.
1. Coat in seasoned flour, to dry the food. Dip in beaten egg, then breadcrumbs,
repeat till fully coated. Press well, then shake off any excess.
2. Fresh breadcrumbs give a rough appearance. Make dry breadcrumbs or raspings
by baking scraps of bread till golden, then crush or process to a fine crumb.
Basic batter
• 100g self raising flour
• pinch of salt
• cold water
Just before it’s needed, mix the salt and flour with enough water to form a smooth
cream that will coat the back of a spoon.
Basic fritter batter
• 100g self-raising flour
• 5ml (1tsp) cooking oil
• pinch of salt
• cold water
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Stir in the oil. Just before it’s needed, stir in enough
water to form a smooth batter.
Fritter batter with egg white
• 100g plain flour
• 1 egg, separated
• 150ml liquid (cold water, milk, beer)
• 15ml (1tbsp) cooking oil
• pinch of salt
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Stir in the egg yolk, then the liquid. Beat in the oil.
Just before it’s needed, whisk the egg white and fold into the batter.
Crispy Chinese batter
• 75g cornflour
• 1 large egg
• 10ml (2tsp) baking powder
• 5ml (1tsp) cooking oil
• good pinch of salt
• cold water
Mix the egg, cornflour, salt, oil, and enough cold water to form a creamy base on which
to add either egg and breadcrumbs or batter. It holds the other coatings on the food.
FRYING TIMES
Use these times purely as a guide. Check that food is cooked through before serving. If
in doubt, cook it a bit more. Chips and other vegetables should be crisp. Cook meat,
poultry, and any derivatives (mince, burgers, etc.) till the juices run clear. Cook fish till
the flesh is opaque throughout.
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