If you’ve always wondered which foods need shallow frying, read this article! With this handy guide to shallow frying, you’ll be frying like a pro in no time!
Shallow Frying for Beginners
The best way to understand shallow frying is to contrast it with two other kinds of frying: deep frying and pan frying. Pan frying is cooking food in a pan with very little amount of oil. On the other hand, the food is completely submerged in a sea of oil when deep frying.
Shallow frying is somewhere in the middle. It means submerging, at most, half of the portion of the food you’re cooking. It requires less oil than deep frying and therefore guarantees you eat less amount of fat. For the types of foods you should shallow fry, keep on reading!
1. Meat Slices
This is a broad category and often gets a lot of misconceptions. Meat slices which are suitable for shallow frying are portions of poultry like chicken breast, fish fillets, pork chops, and even steak. The rule is: if the meat slice is around 1-inch thick, shallow frying is the way to go.
2. Battered or Wrapped Foods
While battered foods are commonly associated for deep frying, they can also be good for shallow frying. Foods such as food cakes or lightly battered fish or pork will do better when shallow fried. This is to control how the batter clings to the food. It’s much easier to do this when shallow frying than deep frying. The same applies to wrapped foods such as dumplings or spring rolls.
3. Chunky Vegetables
Not all kinds of vegetables are good for shallow frying. Most of them are meant to be stir-fried. But when dealing with chunky vegetables, it’s best to shallow fry. Vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, eggplant, and cauliflower come out beautifully when shallow fried with the right spices and sauce.
4. Egg-Based Dishes
The reason egg-based dishes should be shallow fried and not deep fried or pan fried is because their shape and structure are hard to control. So when making foods like crepes, omelettes, or frittatas, shallow frying is a must.
5. Sausages
Some people like their sausages grilled, but when you don’t have the time (or equipment) it’s best to shallow fry them. You may opt to shallow fry your sausages as it is or cut them up first into bite sizes. I prefer the latter because it makes sure the oil seeps through every part of the sausage, cooking it evenly.
Watch this video from ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen for more ideas on shallow frying:
Knowing which foods need shallow frying is the only the first step. Now that you know which kinds of food are suited for this cooking method, you can begin experimenting and creating your best dishes! Just remember: shallow frying must be done in moderation. When shallow frying, always have some paper towels nearby to drain the excess oil after cooking. Shallow fry healthily!
For your shallow frying needs, check out this post on the Best Oil For Frying! Do you have any tips for shallow frying? Let us know in the comments section!
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