Instead of using the often-prescribed thick batters when frying certain vegetables, powder them with light layers of select flour or flour-mixes before frying them in shallow levels of oil or grease. This method will cut down on the amount of oil or fat absorbed in them, which enhances the flavors of the veggies. Here are our own recipes for frying three fresh vegetables to retain their healthy country-cooked flavor and one reference to fried cabbage.
Simple Pan-Fried Zucchini
Ingredients:
- 2-4 medium-sized Zucchini squashes
- all-purpose flour
- grated Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese, or a mixture of such
- salt and pepper
- high-grade vegetable cooking oil
- salad dressing or cheese dip of choice, if desired
Directions:
Wash and dry the squash
Cut off the rough ends, but do not peel
Slice into 1/4″-thick rounds; add salt and pepper lightly to taste
Warm a shallow layer (1/16″ or less) of oil in wide frying pan at medium-high heat
Powder both sides of the slices with the flour in a bowl or bag
Fry each side in the oil until golden brown, about 2-minutes each
Transfer the slices to a paper-towel-lined plate
Sprinkle them with the grated cheese to taste
Serve warm; two to four adults
Simple Pan-Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients:
- 4-6 medium-sized green tomatoes
- all-purpose flour
- grated Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese, or a mixture of such
- salt and pepper
- high-grade vegetable cooking oil
- salad dressing or cheese dip of choice, if desired
Directions:
Wash and dry the tomatoes
Remove the stem area, if any
Slice into 1/4″-to-1/2″-thick rounds; add salt and pepper lightly to taste
Warm shallow layer (1/16″ or less) of oil in wide frying pan at medium-high heat
Powder both sides of the slices with flour in a bowl or bag
Fry one side in oil until golden brown, about 3-minutes
Flip and do the other side until golden brown or done
Transfer the cooked slices to a paper-towel-lined plate
Sprinkle them with the grated cheese to taste
Serve warm; two to four adults.
Simple Pan-Fried Okra
Ingredients:
- 1-to-3-lb fresh of fresh tender okra
- 1-cup all-purpose flour
- 1-cup yellow cornmeal
- salt & pepper
- high-grade vegetable cooking oil
Directions:
Cut the stem end from each okra
Slice the okra transversely into rounds 1/8″-to-1/4″ thick
Add salt & pepper lightly to taste
Powder-down well in 1:1 mixture of flour and cornmeal in a bowl or bag
Fry in thin layer of oil with frequent turning until browned and done at medium-high heat
Serve on paper-towel-lined plate. (This dish goes well with fresh sliced or wedged tomatoes.)
Summary.
Certain food buffs prefer the heavily battered fried vegetables because the vegetables themselves are protected by their coatings. That is, the veggies remain untouched by the hot oil or grease during the frying.
However, these fried vegetables are grease blobs. Much of their actual flavor comes from the highly greased batters instead of from the inner vegetables in question. From the recipes above, one can enjoy the true flavors of fresh pan-fried veggies. For a non-battered fried cabbage recipe, see the following website.
Southern Fried Cabbage – http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Southern-Fried-Cabbage-with-Bacon-Mushrooms-and-Onions/Detail.aspx?prop24=RD_RelatedRecipes
The Author:
J. Delms – I’m a college graduate plus courses in photography, computer, leadership, teamwork, and writing. I enjoy bicycling, photography, learning, gardening, nature, day-trips, eating healthy, self-improvement, writing, and quality time with my spouse and friends. Currently, I blog and freelance on the Internet.
Photo. Hyun Chun Kim
Source: EA