Crispy Shallots: Crispy shallots are a great garnishing and topping for many Chinese dishes, but the trick is in controlling the fire so that the shallots don’t end up burnt and bitter!
Crispy shallots are a great garnishing and topping for many Chinese dishes, such as Century Egg Congee, Cabbage Mushroom Rice and Cuttlefish Tang Hoon, just to name a few. It’s actually very easy to make but the trick is in controlling the fire so that the shallots don’t end up chao ta (burnt), otherwise they will be very bitter and inedible! You want the shallots to just turn golden, not even golden brown as they would be slightly bitter already.
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So what’s the trick? You need to switch OFF the fire, the moment the shallots start to turn light brown, and continue to stir them constantly. The heated oil will continue to cook the shallots until they turn just golden in colour. It will take a bit of practice to control the heat precisely, but trust me it will be worth it in the end!
The method for frying crispy shallots is very similar to frying crispy garlic, which makes a great topping for Wanton Noodles, or even a simple dish of Cold Silken Tofu!
Crispy Shallots
Ingredients
- 300-350 g Shallots
- 1.5 Rice bowls Oil For frying
Instructions
PREPARATION FOR CRISPY SHALLOTS RECIPE (5 mins)
- Remove the skin from the shallots. Wash and pat dry. Cut it cross-section-wise thinly.
COOKING METHOD FOR CRISPY SHALLOTS RECIPE (15 mins)
- In a wok, add 1.5 rice bowls of oil in a wok and turn to high heat.
- Add in the shallots and fry, stirring it constantly.
- Once they start to turn slightly brown, turn the heat down to low. Continue to fry till light brown, then immediately turn off the heat.
- Continue to stir and fry continuously with heat off until the shallots just turn golden.
- Pour the oil into a bowl through a metal sieve to separate the fried shallot from the shallot oil. Once cooled, place the fried shallot in an air tight glass jar to keep it crispy.
Notes
- Be careful when you fry the shallots as they get burnt very easily. You need to control the heat. Initially you can turn heat to high, and when the oil is heated up, add in the shallots. Once they start to change color, lower the heat to medium low. When they turn light brown, lower the heat further and continue to fry until it turns golden.
- The last few minutes are crucial. Don't walk away even for a minute, you need to watch closely because it can get burnt in just a second. That would spell disaster and you will probably have to dump it because it will be too bitter and will ruin rather than enhance the dish that you have painstakingly prepared.
- Its better to switch the fire off too early, rather than too late. If you switched the fire off early and the shallots are underdone, you can always turn the fire back on and fry them for a little while more. But once the shallots are burnt, you can't salvage them!
Hope you enjoy this recipe, and please leave me a comment below if you have any questions, suggestions or feedback for me!
Suggested Modifications for Special Diets
- Child-Friendly: No modifications needed.
- Egg-Free: No modifications needed.
- Fish-Free: No modifications needed.
- Gluten-Free: No modifications needed.
- Nut-Free: No modifications needed.
- Shellfish-Free: No modifications needed.
- Vegan: No modifications needed.
- Vegetarian: No modifications needed