Deep-frying means cooking food in hot oil. Unlike with sauteing or pan-frying, the food is totally submerged in the oil when you deep-fry. This cooking method can be traced back to exotic European and Asian roots, when the fat was rendered from meat and used to cook foods faster than with roasting or stewing. There is a lot of cholesterol in animal fats, so a lot of people prefer to cook with vegetable fats like canola oil.

Oil Smoke Points

When deep-frying, the oil you choose affects the quality and flavor of the finished dish, so it is important to know about the best oil for deep-frying. Peanut oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and safflower oil are good examples of oils for deep-frying because they have high smoke points. This means they will not break down at high temperatures. The smoke point of an oil is the temperature at which the oil starts to decompose and give off smoky fumes.

Each time you fry, you lower the smoke point of the oil. If the smoke point of your oil is about 375 degrees F (the normal deep frying temperature), the smoke point will drop a few degrees after the first use.

This makes it useless, so you should choose an oil with a smoke point of 400 degrees F or more, like safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn, canola, peanut or sesame oil.

There are a few things that will decrease the smoke point of your oil, including the temperature you heat it to, the presence of salt, if the products you are frying contain vegetable oils, the amount of time the oil is heated for, how many times it is used, and the storage conditions of the oil.

Remember that when most oils reach 600 degrees F, that is the flash point, or when it is in danger of catching fire. If this should happen, smother the flames with a sheet of aluminum foil or a tight lid. Never use water on an oil fire because it will make the oil spatter.

Recipe for Deep Fried Battered Shrimp

This recipe is very simple and makes enough battered shrimp to serve six people. There are lots of different foods you can deep fry. One of the most popular is chicken and there are literally hundreds of deep fried chicken recipes you can choose from.

What you will need:

1 1/2 lbs raw, de-veined, and peeled shrimp 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup cooking oil 3/4 teaspoons seasoned salt 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 beaten egg Oil for deep frying How to make them:

If you are using frozen shrimp, thaw them. Combine the egg and cooking oil, beating the mixture well. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until everything is well mixed together.

Preheat the deep frying oil to 350 degrees F. Dip each shrimp in the batter, then drop them in the deep frying oil and fry for thirty to sixty seconds, or until the batter is golden brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towels. Serve hot with a dip.

Who hasn't eaten this at least once in their lifetime? If you said, "I haven't" then you are missing out on some good eats my friend!

This is another thing I ALWAYS eat when I go to an Asian buffet. And boy oh boy is it good! Juicy tender chicken in a thick, savory, sweet, and not so spicy sauce - it's the quintessence of American Asian buffet food!

General Tso's Chicken

1½ cup cornstarch
¼ cup water
1½ tsp minced garlic
1½ tsp minced ginger root
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup soy sauce
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup cooking wine
1½ cup hot chicken broth
3 lbs deboned dark chicken meat, cut into large chunks
1 tsp white pepper
1 egg
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
2 cups sliced scallions
16 small dried hot peppers

Mix ½ cup cornstarch with water. Add garlic, ginger, sugar, ½ cup soy sauce, vinegar, wine, and chicken broth. Stir until sugar dissolves.

In a separate bowl, mix chicken, remaining soy sauce, and white pepper. Stir in egg. Add remaining cup cornstarch and mix until chicken pieces are coated evenly. Add 1 cup of vegetable oil to help separate chicken pieces. Divide chicken into small quantities and deep-fry at 350 degrees until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Place a small amount of oil in wok (or sauté pan) and heat until wok/pan is hot. Add scallions and peppers and stir-fry briefly. Stir the cornstarch, water, garlic, ginger mixture and add to wok/pan. Place chicken in the sauce and cook until sauce thickens. Serve this alongside a heaping bowl of hot fluffy rice and enjoy!

They are part of life in all cultures around the world and have been passed from generations to generations. They're mostly made of cast iron, tinned copper and aluminum. Just like in the old days, frying pans are used today in cooking basic dishes for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Am sure just like me, you're all aware of unhealthy properties of food prepared in this manner but they're incredibly delicious and irresistible.

In mid 50s Teflon was discovered and all through, it has been used in coating frying pans so as to prevent food from sticking. This has done a major deal in ensuring that food does not loose its taste, looks and aroma due to sticking to cooking surface.

Non-stick pans are amazingly comfortable in cooking with but on the other hand, any cook has to avoid using metal spatulas or cutlery in direct contact with the frying surface so as to avoid scratching or the coat getting marred. Efforts to counter this problem was introduction of electrical frying pans in the market. However, their limitations hindered their success. Actually most people prefer the ordinary pans.

As much as they're responsible for the delicious dishes in most of our kitchens, they are still considered to make unhealthy food ever. It's a fact that even if fat is burned whether from vegetables or not, it's still extremely dangerous for our health. In fact, it should be avoided as much as possible. Nevertheless, this pans can be used for searing and other types of cooking.

Gioacchino Rossini "I know of no better occupation than eating, eating well that is. Appetite is to the stomach what love is to the heart. Our stomach is the conductor to the grand orchestra of our passions".

This quote of Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) helps us understand the devotion of the Italian master to food.

His biographers write that already as a boy, one of his joys was to be an altar boy so that he could drink the sacramental wine left over from mass! Before becoming famous, and consequentially rich, he is said to have been always short on money because he could not resist the temptation of a good restaurant or bottle of fine wine.

In the span of time between his first opera "Demetrio e Polibio", which he wrote at 14, and his last "Guillaume Tell", written at 37, Rossini claimed to have "known all of the most famous chefs on the continent." He spent the last 40 years of his life largely in Paris, enjoying the company of his friends and the comforts of good food.

Antonin Carême, the most famous chef of the century, held that no one on earth understood his cuisine better than Rossini. A close friendship between the two "maestri" arose. Many dishes were dedicated to Rossini by Carême and the chefs of the numerous fashionable restaurants where there was always a table reserved for Rossini and his friends. Upon entering a restaurant, it was Rossini's habit to greet and shake hands with first the maitre and the sommelier and then all of the waiters. Before sitting down, he visiting the kitchen to greet the chef and see what was cooking. There are two stories about the tournedos Rossini. One holds that it was the chef Casimir Moisson from the Maison Doree restaurant to have dedicated it to him. The second instead holds that while at the café des Anglais in Paris, Rossini insisted upon going into the kitchen to see the chef while cooking. Since he kept on interfering with the chef's work, the poor chef dared voice his objection to the constant interruption and so the maestro responded "et alors, tournez le dos!" (So then, turn your back!).

Serves 4

4 slices white bread, without crusts and trimmed to the size of the tournedos

150g butter

4 slices of fois gras

4 120g tournedos fillets

2 spoons of olive-oil

salt and pepper

12 slices of black truffle

The sauce:

3 spoons of Madeira

1 lean spoon of Maizena

200ml of chicken broth or surrogate

salt and pepper

Cut the slices of bread in such a way so that they have more or less the diameter of the fillets, fry them in 50g of butter on both sides and keep them warm.

In a non-stick pan, pan-fry the fois gras in another 50g of butter on both sides over a low flame. These warm as well. In the same pan add 2 spoons of olive oil and the remaining butter, cook the 4 fillets over a high flame, 2 minutes on each side, so that they become medium-rare. Add salt and pepper and set the fillets on the bread slices. Pan-fry the truffles in the leftover juices from the fillets and then set both the fois gras and the truffles on the fillets. Always in the same pan, dissolve what is left at the bottom of the pan with 2 spoons of Madeira, then add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Thicken the sauce by adding the Maizena and the remaining Madeira. Top it off with a pinch of salt. Mix the sauce well, pass it through a strainer and then pour it onto the fillets.

Cooking utensils are the basic things needed in a kitchen. Some of cooking utensils needed are as follows:
o Pans
o Pots
o Spoons
o Ladles
o Spatulas
o Spoons
o Bowls
o Plates
o Stove

Other utensils necessary inside the kitchen would include a food processor. It is used for chopping, slicing, grinding and mincing. Another would be a so-called "state-of-the-art microwave" which can cook, heat, bake and grill food. Then, there are the blenders and misers that can make up interesting concoctions; plus, of course, a fridge.

It is really important to choose cookware with utmost care. You can go for pans that are non-stick. Aside from being the latest kitchen innovation, it can help you cook foods without further hassle.

Other utensils are as follows:
o Stainless steel ladles
o Wooden spatulas
o Ceramic and colorful tableware
o Elegantly styles tea cups
o Bright coffee mugs

In India, cooking utensils were considered sophisticated many years ago. Even so, the foods prepared from these traditional kitchens were aromatic, flavorful and delicious. These traditional kitchens even have very distinct yet simple kitchenware.

Hence, a lot of these traditional utensils are still a part of Indian kitchens. This would include the following:
o Kadhai or the wok - The round one is used for stir-frying, sautéing and for cooking curries that has lots of gravy.
o Degchi - An essential Indian utensil that is deep, broad-rimmed, and round pan used for cooking lentils or Daals, rice pudding or Kheer, and other delicacies tha has a liquidized base.
o Haandi - A type of vessel that has a round bottom having a broad rimmed opening used for cooking pilafas as well as meats that are under pressure or Dum Phukt. Due to this, the Haandi's mouth is being covered w/ a plate; plus, the edges are actually sealed with a thick and single layer of dough.
o Ghara and Kalash - These are vessels that are broad and round bottomed. These are used for storing grains and water.
o Lota - This is a miniature version of the Kalash. It is used as a tumbler when you drink water as well as wash your hands.
o Karchi - This is type of ladle that has a long handle. It is also used for actually "doling out" curries, lentils and gravies.
o Palta or the Khunti - This is a teal type of spatula that has either a triangular or square headpiece as well as a long handle. It is very convenient for turning fish meat and vegetables, as well as for stir frying in an open pan.
o Bonti - This is crescent shaped, sharp edged blade that is being screwed onto a rectangular and solid piece of wood. This is common not only along the coastal areas but also in the eastern parts of India as well. It can be used for chopping, peeling, slicing vegetables, deveining prawns and making fillets.
o Thalis - These are large platters that go hand in hand with bowls or "Katoris", particularly used in serving food. In Indian culture, the bowls and plates of the rich are made out of silver, while it is either clay or brass for the commoners. There are also those who use the Banana plant's leaves or the Saal trees'. These serve as disposable, hygienic and bio-degradable plates. It is still being used during community meals.

Other cooking utensils in India are either made from:
1. Metals
o Iron
o Alloys (Brass and Bronze)

2. Earthenware

One of the most delicate meats ever are the scallops. They are beautiful and have a great flavor.

There is nothing better in how to cook sushi. The shortest cooking times are required by the scallops. Even more, if you overcook them it's bad. Overcooking the scallops results in loss of flavor Also the meat will get tough. And your dish won't taste as good as it's supposed to.

The portions depend on how to cook scallops. If you will use this method then it's basically the same as in how to cook sushi. The delicious way. About 5 scallops per person should suffice.

The first thing you will need is a pan. As we are about to fry these scallops. It's very easy. So just prepare the pan. Washed really well. Os it doesn't copy the tastes from previous foods. The scallops should be well dried I some kitchen paper. This is a very important step. Salt and pepper are highly important. After you have dried the scallops really well season with salt and black pepper.

Coat the pan with fine fresh vegetable oil. And leave it on fire until the oil gets really hot. The hotter the oil, the better the scallops afterwards. If the oil is hot they will get coked in the oil, and not in their own juices. This is very important when learning how to cook scallops or how to cook sushi.

Once this step is complete and the oil is hot enough just place the scallops in the pan. Finish everything by adding butter over the scallops. Let the butter turn brown. And then remove all the scallops from the pan. There is nothing tastier than the scallops fried in hot oil with nice butter.

You are ready to serve the scallops you just learned how to cook.

My wife and I tend to get disappointed when we dine out anymore. Other than a choice few restaurants we dine in the vast majority of the time. We do this a lot because I know I can make it better and healthier at home in my own kitchen. Having managed Italian restaurants in the past, I have come to enjoy simple Italian cooking and have come up with what my wife, family, and friends consider to be the best eggplant Parmesan recipe ever! Couple this recipe with a simple roasted red pepper sauce and a simple pasta side dish and I guarantee a meal better than most of the Italian restaurants in town!

Parmesan Ingredients
1 -- Eggplant. You are looking for the best cylindrical shape you can here.
2 -- Large Eggs
1 and half -- Cups Italian Bread Crumbs
1- Cup all purpose flour
18 -- Slices Mozzarella Cheese (the fresher the better)
2 -- Tablespoons water
1/2 -- Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 -- Cup Parmesan Cheese

Sauce Ingredients
1 -- Red Bell Pepper
1 -- 16oz Can Diced Tomatoes
1/4 -- Cup Chopped, Fresh Basil
2 -- Teaspoons Dried Oregano

Putting it All Together
Halve and deseed the red bell pepper. Brush the surface of both halves lightly with olive oil. Place under a broiler until the skin starts to char (do not blacken!) and bubble.

Roughly chop the pepper and place in a blender with the diced tomatoes, half of the basil, and the oregano. Blend until well mixed and then place in a sauce pan, covered under low heat.

Heat olive oil in a deep frying pan until hot enough to pop a small drop of water (safely). Preheat oven to 425. Wash and slice the eggplant into quarter inch or thinner rounds. Vigorously mix the eggs with the water to make a "wash". Put flour and bread crumbs into separate, "dredgeable" pans (I use pie pans).

Dredge the eggplant first through the flour, egg wash, and the bread crumbs (follow this order). Fry the eggplant in the hot olive oil and set aside on paper towels when lightly browned.

In a baking dish put a light coat of the sauce you were heating on the bottom. Stack the eggplant and the Parmesan alternately (Should be about 3-4 rounds high with eggplant on top). Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese has melted and bubbly.

Serve lightly covered with sauce and garnished with Parmesan and basil. You should be able to yield 6 servings and have some eggplant left over that you can slice thinly, fry, and toss with freshly grated Parmesan as an appetizer later.