If you’ve ever fried something in breadcrumbs, chances are it was a hunk of meat or fish. But it’s just as good for making vegetables more appetising.
The Austrians may have the best response to the question: What can I cover in breadcrumbs and fry? (The answer is schnitzel) but that doesn’t mean the technique should be saved for meat alone.
The basic idea behind a breadcrumb coating is to first dunk whatever you plan to fry in flour, then a beaten egg, and lastly, breadcrumbs.
Breadcrumbs for frying are usually pretty easy to find at a supermarket, with variations such as whole-wheat or flakier texture, for example panko, often available. In a pinch, you can also make your own with a kitchen grater and an old loaf of bread, which will be coarser.
For one, a breadcrumb coating is a surefire way to make vegetables more delicious and hearty if you’re trying to move towards a more plant-based diet. Everything from aubergines to yellow squash can be schnitzel-fied.
Pumpkins and turnips don’t even need to be cooked beforehand, unlike celery roots and red beets, which need to be boiled first until they’re firm to the bite. Dagmar von Cramm, a nutrition scientist in Germany, recommends taking oyster mushrooms, pressing them flat and then coating them in a nut flour before frying them in clarified butter or coconut oil. “Delicious,” she promises.
If you’re avoiding gluten, replace the flour with uncooked polenta. Vegans can also get on board by simply replacing the egg with a runny mixture of soy flour and water. The breadcrumbs can be made a bit fancier by adding anything from herbs like thyme or rosemary, ground hazelnuts or walnuts, a little Parmesan or minced olives.
Heck, even the breadcrumbs can be replaced! Nuts that are ground into a flour-like consistency are great, and in addition to simply boosting flavour, they help avoid carbs. “Sesame seeds or coconut flakes also work as breadcrumb alternatives,” says Inga Pfannebecker, a cookbook author, who also suggests cornflakes or rolled oats.
Pfannebecker adds that, in general, if you use seeds or nuts as a coating, use a lower temperature for frying to avoid any burning. – dpa
