Instructions: This is one of the most important techniques in Chinese cooking. The trick is to regulate the heat so that the surface of the food is sealed but does not brown so fast that the food is uncooked inside Although deepfried food must not be greasy the process does require a lot of oil. The Chinese use a wok for deepfrying which requires rather less oil than a deepfat fryer but I think you should avoid using the wok unless you are very sure of it. If you do be certain that it is fully secure on its stand before adding the oil and on no account leave the wok unsupervised. Most people will find a deepfat fryer easier and safer to use. Be careful not to fill this more than halffull with oil.

Some points to bear in mind when deepfrying are: Wait for the oil to get hot enough before adding the food to be fried. The oil should give offa haze and almost produce little wisps of smoke when it is the right temperature but you can test it by dropping in a small piece of food. If it bubbles all over then the oil is sufficiently hot. Adjust the heat as necessary to prevent the oil from actually smoking or overheating.

Be sure to dry food to be deepfried thoroughly first with kitchen paper as this will prevent splattering. If the food is in a marinade remove it with a slotted spoon and let it drain before putting it into the oil. If you are using batter make sure all the excess batter drips offbefore adding the food to the hot oil.

Oil used for deepfrying can be reused. Cool it and then strain it into a jar through several layers of cheesecloth or through a fine mesh to remove any particles of food which might otherwise burn what food you have cooked in the oil and only reuse it for the same thing. Oil can be used up to three times before it begins to lose its effectiveness

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