fried shallot

Making Thai-style fried shallots at home is easy, provided you set yourself up for success and pay attention while cooking them.

Thai-Style Fried Shallots Recipe

(450 grams) shallots, peeled

(475 milliliters) vegetable oil

Kosher salt

Using a mandoline, slice shallots into 1/16-inch-thick rounds. Line a rimmed baking sheet with 4 layers of paper towels. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl or medium saucepan.

Combine shallots and oil in a medium saucepan or wok. Place over high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until shallots begin to bubble, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring constantly as the shallots fry to ensure even cooking, until shallots turn pale golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Working quickly, pour contents of saucepan into strainer set over bowl. (Shallots will continue cooking for a brief period after draining, so do not allow them to get too dark.)

Immediately transfer shallots to prepared baking sheet, spread them out into an even layer, and season with salt. Allow shallots to drain, then carefully lift the top layer of paper towels and roll shallots onto second layer, blotting gently with the first. Repeat until shallots are on the last layer of paper towels and mostly grease-free. Allow shallots and oil to cool to room temperature, then store separately in airtight containers.

Make this spicy, tingly, salty, crunchy, addictive chili condiment your own.

Homemade Spicy Chili Crisp Recipe

(1 cup) dried árbol chilies, stems removed (see note)

(3/4 cup) dried chiles japones, stems removed (see note)

(3/4 cup) dried Kashmiri red chilies, stems removed (see note)

(50 grams) roasted, salted peanuts, chopped

(30 grams) fresh ginger, sliced into thin matchsticks

(2 grams) black pepper

star anise

(6 grams) cumin

(28 grams) freshly ground Sichuan peppercorn (see note)

(12 grams) porcini

(4 grams) MSG (optional)

(20 grams) sugar

(200 grams) thinly sliced shallots (about 1mm thick)

(65 grams) thinly sliced garlic (about 1mm thick)

Place a wire rack inside a quarter- or half-sheet tray. Using your hands and kitchen shears, cut open chilies and place them on rack. Shake rack to sift off most of the seeds (don't worry about removing all the seeds). Transfer chilies to a bowl and discard seeds.

Using a spice grinder and working in batches, process chilies until they are ground to a size just larger than standard chili flakes. Transfer processed chilies to a heatproof bowl or pot large enough to accommodate bubbling oil (at least 4 quarts in size). Combine chili flakes with peanuts, ginger, black pepper, star anise, cardamom, cumin, Sichuan peppercorn, mushroom powder, salt, MSG (if using), and sugar. Set aside.

Set a fine-mesh strainer over a 2-quart heatproof bowl. In a 4-quart saucepan, combine oil and shallots. Cook over high heat while constantly stirring. Once shallots become light golden brown, strain. Pour oil back into pot and add garlic. Cook over medium-low heat, constantly stirring, until light golden brown, then strain. Return oil to pot once more. Set aside fried shallots and garlic. 

Heat oil to 375°F (190°C). Pour hot oil over chilies, spices, and other seasonings. Stir well to distribute hot oil throughout. Set aside to fully cool, about 30 minutes or until bowl or pot is cool to the touch.

Once chili-and-oil mixture has fully cooled, remove star anise and cardamom pods. Mix in fried shallots and garlic. Pour finished chili crisp into jars and store in the fridge for about 3 months. It can be served immediately, but for best flavor, eat it the next day. Stir well before serving.

The dressing here is great on this salad, but it can find a second (and third, and fourth) life in so many other simple meals. Use it as a dip for grilled asparagus and broccolini; slather it on burgers and BLTs; or combine it 50-50 with Greek yogurt and add chopped dill and black pepper to make a fried shallot Ranch dressing for dipping crudités (or chicken wings). Add it to a roast beef sandwich (or just serve it with the roast beef). It’s a great party dip for chips (or anything you’d serve French onion dip with). This recipe calls for making the mayo from scratch, but you can use store-bought mayo as the base to make it even easier.

Fried Shallot Caesar Salad

shallots

lemon juice

Dijon mustard

fish sauce

Worcestershire sauce

garlic cloves

neutral oil, such as canola or rice bran

olive oil

Salt and black pepper

finely grated Parmesan (about ½ cup),

Anchovies, left whole or torn into pieces (optional)

Prepare the shallot aioli: Combine shallots, egg, lemon juice, mustard, fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce and garlic in the bottom of a jar just wide enough to fit the head of an immersion blender (see Tip). Add the neutral oil, pouring it in slowly so that it forms a distinct layer on top of the other ingredients. Place the head of an immersion blender all the way at the bottom of the jar. Turn on the blender and slowly pull it up through the jar so that the oil is slowly incorporated and forms a creamy emulsion.

Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil, then whisk in water as needed until the dressing forms a light, creamy consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Prepare the salad: If using homemade shallots, skip to Step 4. If using store-bought shallots, toast the shallots in a large skillet over medium heat until deep caramel brown and aromatic, about 3 minutes. (Alternatively, you can toast the shallots on a sheet tray in an oven or toaster oven at 375 degrees until deep caramel brown, about 6 minutes.) Season generously with salt and transfer to a bowl.

In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with a few tablespoons of the dressing, half of the fried shallots and the Parmesan until lightly coated. Taste some of it, then add more dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper as desired. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with remaining fried shallots, grate some more Parmesan on top, garnish with anchovies (if using) and serve. Leftover dressing can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

This simple salad hinges on a classic Southeast Asian flavor combination: sweet-hot-savory. This recipe calls for watermelon, but you could also use pineapple, cantaloupe, green mango or pomelo, or even leftover grilled steak or poached shrimp, as the combination of dressing, herbs and fried shallots can enliven a wide range of flavors. But using a mortar and pestle instead of the food processor and seeking out palm sugar instead of substituting brown sugar is strongly suggested here. The recipe will make more dressing than you need, so feel free to experiment after getting used to it.

Watermelon Salad With Fried Shallots and Fish Sauce

palm sugar (see Tip)

lime juice

watermelon

red onion, thinly sliced

cucumber,

mint leaves

cilantro leaves

peanuts

Prepare the dressing: Combine garlic, chiles and sugar in the bowl of a large mortar and pestle. Pound into a fine paste. Add fish sauce and stir with the pestle until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add the lime juice and stir with the pestle to incorporate. Alternatively, you can combine the garlic, chiles, palm sugar (chop it into bits with a heavy knife or cleaver if it came in solid chunks), fish sauce and lime juice in a blender. Blend until the garlic and chiles are finely chopped, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Prepare the salad: If using homemade shallots, skip to Step 3. If using store-bought shallots, toast them dry in a large skillet over medium-low heat until deep caramel brown and aromatic, about 3 minutes. (Alternatively, you can toast the shallots on a sheet tray in an oven or toaster oven at 375 degrees until deep caramel brown, about 6 minutes). Season generously with salt and transfer to a bowl.

Combine watermelon, onion, cucumber, mint, cilantro, peanuts, half of the fried shallots and ¼ cup dressing in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Taste and add more dressing as desired. (Excess dressing can be reserved in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks.) Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with remaining shallots. Serve.

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Thai-Style Fried Shallots Recipe

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Top 4 fried shallot recipes from across the web

The most viewed fried shallot recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Thai-Style Fried Shallots Recipe

Homemade Spicy Chili Crisp Recipe

Fried Shallot Caesar Salad

Watermelon Salad With Fried Shallot...

The most viewed fried shallot recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine