Fry-day!
My sweet carb life has always depended on
the presence of a deep fryer. Some people
have hang-ups about deep-frying at home,
but a home fry is so special – and not that
scary, I promise.

FEAR: that fried oil smell
I pop a candle on, open windows and turn on the
exhaust fan to mitigate the fry smell.

FEAR: it’s a lot of oil
I’ll be honest: it is. Keep the oil between each fry–
if  you strain it and store it in an air tight container
you can re-use it four to six times. When it gets
to the end of its life (it will darken with each use,
from a straw yellow to a deeper medium brown),
I deep-fry a schnitzel (decadently more delicious
and crisp than a pan fry) or hand-cut fries to bid my
oil the glory of a delicious departure. To dispose
of oil, a little can go into compost, or drop it off at
an oil recycling centre near you. Please don’t pour
it down the sink!
FEAR: it is unhealthy
Fried doughs are sometimes treats, and if your oil
is at the right temperature for frying, the dough
will soak up minimal oil – no mor e than the oil you
would use to pan-fry a schnitzel or eggplant.

My fry-way( s)
However you fry, DO NOT COVER THE FRYER
WITH A LID thinking it will accelerate heating.
A lid will create steam (the gas form of water),
which enrages hot oil to dangerously spatter
and thus accelerate stress!

And heed the oil amounts. You need to have
enough oil for the dough items to float and not
sit on the bottom, which will cause unsightly
dark lines or marks. I like to use an oil with a high
smoke point (which means it can reach hotter,
crisper heights) like canola oil, but I always add
a  token pour of extra-virgin olive oil for flavour.

Benchtop fryers with their in-built thermostats
provide a little extra ease, although storing and
cleaning them can be a little pesky. Just set the
temperature, but do check the timing of the first
fry (in case the thermostat is out). Fill to the
minimum oil line.

Alternatively, use the stovetop method, which
requires a little more safety know-how. Measure
1.5 litres (51 fl oz/6 cups) of oil (or measure the
depth – the oil level should reach your mid-finger
knuckle) into a 25 cm (10 in) wide heavy-based
deep pot. Heat on a low–medium heat until the
oil slowly reaches the target fry temperature.

I  love  my digital thermometer, where the probe can
remain in the oil, clipped to the side (not touching
the hotter base) for easy temperature assessment.

Don’t be tempted to skimp on oil with a smaller pot
or less oil. It is time-consuming frying in very small
batches. Larger pots need more oil.