3. Rules for frying:
(1) Use a deep iron, steel, or granite kettle, which will hold the heat.
(2) Put in sufficient fat to cover the food well, but never fill the kettle more than two-thirds full.
(3) Heat the fat to the desired temperature.
(4) Have the food as dry as possible and not very cold.
(5) When the fat begins to give off a small quantity of white vapour, test it for the required heat, as follows:
(a) For raw food, put in a small square of bread, and allow it sixty seconds to brown.
(b) For cooked food, allow a square of bread forty seconds to brown.
(6) Put the food carefully into the hot fat, and only an amount which will not cool it too much.
(7) When the food is nicely browned, lift it from the fat with an open spoon or lifter and drain over the pot until it stops dripping.
(8) Lay the food on crumpled brown paper or blotting paper, to absorb any fat still clinging to the surface.
(9) Strain the fat through cheesecloth and set it away to cool.
4. Effects of frying:
(1) To sear the surface and prevent it from absorbing fat.
(2) To cook or heat the food to the centre.
(3) To brown the surface of the food and make it crisp.
(4) To develop a delicious flavour in the browned surface.
(5) To make the browned surface indigestible, because it has absorbed highly-heated fat.
Note.—As frying requires the fat used to be at a very high temperature, it is dangerous to let young children take the responsibility in this method of cooking. For this reason, it may be wise to defer lessons on frying until the Fourth Form, or even later.
For practice in the methods of cooking, the following is suggestive:
Boiling.—Cooking of any vegetable or fruit in season or rice, macaroni, eggs, coffee