Fried sliced shallots and oil are made from frying finely sliced shallots in oil. They are very aromatic and enhance the taste of some Chinese cuisine when added in small quantity as garnishing.

The fried crispy shallots and the oil can be used separately on their own or together depending on the type of cuisine. For example, fried sliced shallots are added as garnishing for stir-fried noodles – they are added on top of the noodles before being served. The oil, when used in place of ordinary cooking oil, for frying eggs, especially enhances the taste.

The crispy shallots and oil are usually prepared in advance and stocked up for use as and when needed. They can keep for at least a week but of course become less aromatic the longer they are kept.

Ingredients 10 shallots 6 Tablespoons cooking oil

Preparation
Slice the shallots finely.

Method
Heat the oil in a small pan on low medium heat. When oil is hot (not smoking hot), put in the sliced shallots. Stir to get all the shallots into the oil, and then leave them to fry. You need not turn them until some shallots begin to brown. They shouldn’t brown too quickly – if they do, it means the heat is too high. It should take a good few minutes before the first ones turn brown.

Now keep stirring to get the shallots to brown evenly, otherwise some may brown too quickly. As soon as almost all of them have turned a light brown, the heat should be turned off, and the frying completed with continuous stirring.

The fried sliced shallots are ready when they are a golden brown color – they shouldn’t be dark brown or else they’ll taste bitter.