Snacking is one the most common causes of gaining weight. From biscuits to cakes, the tidbits that you nibble in between your meals is what adds to the calories. While in-between snacking can be avoided with wholesome meals, it is evening hunger pangs that are hard to suppress. People often resort to fried and crispy delights like fries, potato bites and even onion rings.
For the unversed, onion rings are a form of appetiser in British and American cuisines. Made with onions dipped in batter and breadcrumbs, the deep-fried delight also becomes a side-dish for burgers, sandwiches and more. But what if we tell you that you could take your onion rings for a toss and actually eat in a healthy way? A few simple tips and tricks that alter the method of cooking can go a long way in making healthy snacks. Right from the kind of bread you use for coating as well as the oil and method of cooking the onion rings, each step can be altered in a certain way for the healthier version.
Here are a few tips and tricks to try at home.
1. Use Gram Flour
Usually, all-purpose flour is used for making the batter for onion rings. To give it a healthier touch, replace it with gram flour. Since it is made with lentils, it is healthy and lighter. The flour can always be thickened with the addition of whisked eggs into the batter.
2. Opt For Whole Wheat Brown Bread
The next most important thing to take care of after the flour is the bread. Any onion ring becomes crispy only when it has a coating on it, which consists of breadcrumbs. Stale, toasted slices of bread, crushed into powder-like consistency work best for onion rings. For this step, opt for whole wheat brown bread. This is healthier than the white, all-purpose flour bread.
3. Go For Baking, Instead Of Deep Frying
If it is onion rings, it has to be fried. That is the most common notion regarding this crispy snack. In order to retain the crispiness of the snack as well as enjoy a healthy treat guilt-free, the rings can be baked instead of deep-fried. Preheat the oven and slather some olive oil on the tray. Place your rings dipped in batter and coated in breadcrumbs and bake it until golden-brown.
4. Choose The Right Condiment
While onion rings are crispy and delicious as it is, they definitely need some condiment on the side. What would be the go-to sauce? Tomato ketchup or mayonnaise dip, right? Instead, try to make a creamy dip using hung curd and a few spices. This turns out as smooth as any mayonnaise dip minus the calories.