On Sat, 25 Oct 2003 13:12:27 GMT, Frogleg wrote:

On Fri, 26 Sep 2003 15:02:58 -0800, "Heather Fair"
wrote:
I recently came across a recipe for Kluai Khaek (Thai fried bananes) and I'm
anxious to try it. However, it calls for 3 c. cooking oil. What *kind* of
oil? ... I presume it would do to have a heavily flavored oil such as peanut,
and I'm not sure how hot the oil needs to get so IDK if a simple corn oil
would work or not (I'm thinking not). Any ideas?


...For Heather, I would assume (with no expert knowledge) that the
bananas can be fried in any neutral-flavored veg oil. It's the frying,
not the oil, that is important. I don't find peanut oil (which I use
for high-temperature stir-fry) has any particularly distinctive
flavor. I *do* claim to be able to detect an identifiable taste in
things that are prepared with coconut oil. but that may very well be
my imagination.

At last a vote for sanity. I would question anyone who claims to
detect whether a deep fried food is cooked in any of the most common
frying oils - corn, safflower, peanut or the ubiquitous "vegetable
oil." I have never found a good grade of peanut oil to leave any
trace of "peanut" flavor. Cheaper oils are less refined/clarified and
can have small amounts of sediment which would/could add some
"flavor."

As for temperature, deep frying ranges from 325 to 375. The lower
part of the range for "denser/wetter" ingredients and the higher for
those that need minimal cooking. If you fry at 350, you'll usually do
ok except for the extremes of food ingredients - let's say fritters vs
onion rings.

I do hope people new to food preparation will try to be less dependent
on formal "recipes" and precise measuring. (Baked goods - cakes,
breads - do require measuring.) Read recipes for the ingredients,
order and method of cooking, and ratios of ingredients. Then go to it
and adjust to suit your tastes. In fact, buy books with fewer recipes
and more text. Cooking will become a MUCH less onerous task and one
will learn how food preparation works.

As for the recipe for Kluai Khaek (Thai fried bananes) the type of
bananas would make much more difference than the type of oil.
Should they be firm green or soft somewhat brown or the small very
sweet finger bananas or the larger less highly flavored plantain-like
ones?