Ingredients

500 grams sliced shallots 

3 cups vegetable oil or any other neutral oil 

2 tbsp Corn starch

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

Direction

• Peel and slice shallot into equal thickness.

• Transfer the sliced shallots into a bowl, sprinkle with salt, toss and let it dehydrate over 30-60 minutes. Once ready, rinse the shallots with water and drain. Spread over a pan and pat dry with paper towel. Add corn starch to dried shallots and mix to coat evenly.

• Have a bowl, strainer and sugar ready next to the stove. Add oil into a heated pan over medium heat. The amount of oil is dependent on amount of shallot and size of pan.  Oil is ready if you drop a piece of shallot and it bubbles up and float to the surface. Add the rest of the shallot into the pan. Stir frequently to ensure even cook. Lower the heat to medium-low once shallots start to brown (after about 4-5 mins). Rely on visual cue and continue to cook until the color is 2 shades lighter than your final desired color. Total cook time is about 8-9 minutes.

• Things will look the same for a while, but it can go from light brown to burned in less than a minute, so it’s important to lower the heat and pay close attention at the end.

• Once ready, pour everything through a fine mesh sieve over a heat resistant bowl. Shake to remove excess oil and immediately sprinkle with sugar. Let it cool down completely and season more to your liking if desired. 

• The fried shallots could be stored in an air tight container at room temperature up to a week. You can have it on its own as a snack like onion chips or sprinkle over any dish. Definitely save the oil as it is infused with all the wonderful aroma from the shallots. It can be used to cook or drizzle over any savory dishes.