Fried Anything

Fried Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Okra, Zucchini,  etc.

Cornmeal and oil were both cheap in the South, plus our climate is great for growing all kinds of vegetable vines and bushes.  Maybe that is  how we got into the habit of frying just about anything and everything.  Batter it up and deep fry, dip it in ketchup and you can eat just about any vegetable that can be grown here.

NOTE: Fried Anything does NOT include Twinkies, Oreo’s or any of those carny-type Southern knock-off foods.  Southerners never mess with a good dessert by deep frying it.

Southern Cornmeal Crust

  • 2-3 cups firm raw vegetables, sliced 1/4-inch thick (1/2-inch thick for okra)
  • 1/2 Cup to 1 Cup Cornmeal
  • 1 beaten Egg
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons to 1/4 cup vegetable 0il

Slice vegetables, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and set aside.  Beat egg in a shallow bowl.  Place cornmeal in a shallow dish like a pie pan.  Place oil in a small non-stick skillet.  Turn on heat and heat for up to 1 minute while you prepare the first batch of vegetables for frying.

Using the first cup of vegetables, dip each side of each piece in the beaten egg and then press each side down into the cornmeal.  Using a pancake turner, transfer the cornmeal coated vegetables to the hot oil.  Fry 3 minutes on each side and drain on paper towels in a colander.  Repeat with the remaining 1 or 2 cups of sliced vegetables.  When frying okra, you need a large slotted spoon because it takes too long to move the small vegetables with a pancake turner.  Instead of trying to turn the okra over, just stir it around once each minute while it is frying (5 minutes total) to keep the hot oil touching all sides.

Onion Rings

Onion Rings need a different type of batter and are deep-fried.

  • 6 sweet onions (1015), sliced in ½ inch rings
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • dash of salt
  • cooking oil for deep-fat frying

Mix all ingredients –except onions and the frying oil– until well moistened.  Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer (FryBaby or other brand) to 375°F.  Using a fork, dip the onion rings individually in the batter.  Fry in a single layer for 2-3 minutes.  Stir once to separate rings.  Drain on paper towels.

Diane Foshee