The perfect crispy batter

[Pferdestarke]

Further to the picture of the epsuma gun in 'Photo of your dinner', I'd like to know how you make a good batter.

I tend to keep eggs out as they seem to make it soggy, so usually just use, plain flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, soda water.

Sometimes it works, but often it will be a soggy greasy mess and a complete waste of decent oil.

Whilst I'm on oil, what should I use? Don't say ground nut as my fryer or large pan would cost £10 to fill with that stuff. When I use veg' or sunflower oil it degenerates so quickly after the first fry that I have to throw it away. It's as though it boils the food rather than fries.

I'm not just talking of batter for fish, but for calamari, prawns, chicken, vegetables.

Good old Heston has the answers but pouring vodka in such quantities in to a batter mix is not good on the wallet and would be better passing through my liver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQaLjLJtDEQ&fea...

How do you achieve crispy batter?

[21TonyK]

I use much the same ingredients in terms of batter although I would normally just use plain water and some or all self raising flour. Oil wise I use rapeseed for almost everything when I cook, very rarely anything else, and certainly for deep frying it's all I use. The key thing is frying in smaller batches if you don't have a large volume of oil in a commercial fryer. Also accurate temperature. I never go by the thermostat on the fryer itself. I always check it with a probe.

Edited by 21TonyK on Sunday 20th February 14:06

[pugwash4x4]

a few tips from my experience of setting up a high end chippy:

1. Water temperatute- your water wants to be cold- 3-4 degrees is best- anythign more than 7degrees is too hot.
2. Flour- use a self raising flour.
3. Liquid- we always used to cold water, but you do get better results from a carbonated drink- soda water is perfect- things like beer cause more problems than their worth as the sugars caramelise.
3. Make the batter and then leave to stand for half an hour- if it seperates then re-beat. about 8 hours is the oldest it can be before it goes really odd.
4. You want it quite thin- shouldn't be gloopy- somewhere between single and double cream (which is thinner than you might think).
5. if you ahve a very wet product then very lightly coat the item in flour first- it helps adherence of the batte.
6. Temperature- the aim is to keep oil temps above 180 at all times- below 170 is going to start to cause probs- anything less than 160 will be a greasy mess. Don't crowd the pan- always keep on eye on temps.

[Pferdestarke]

Thanks gents - I'll get frying and post some results soon.

[paulmurr]

Look for tempura batter recipies, it's proper crunchy.

Or if you're seriously lazy like me, pour a near frozen bottle of sparkling water into a packet of blue dragon tempura batter mix.

Also, make sure your oil is proper hot too.

I really fancy some tempura prawns now. Drat.

[mrazrockit]

I have found that usung a very cold high alchohol beer, something like brewdog or similar makes a great deal of difference. I could (read properly) be making this up but the increased alcohol is in form of liquid which evaporates neigh on instantly when it hits the high tempature oil thus giving you a dryer, crispier batter.

[IanMorewood]

Use tap water, put the water in the freezer an hour before you start making the batter, get the oil nice and hot, make batter, batter food and then slap straight in oil (carefully).

[chris.mapey]

I always use self raising flour, bitter and a dash of malt vinegar.

Never fails and is always crispy.