You don’t need a big fluffy batter for crisp onion rings; just dredging with chilli-spiced flour will give the rings a golden coating. Serve with a grilled steak, or as a snack with drinks.

Ingredients
Feeds 4. Takes 15 mins plus 1 hour soaking.

2 large red or white onions
250ml milk
100g plain flour
2tbsp cornflour
½tsp cayenne pepper
½tsp paprika
½tsp salt
½tsp pepper
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Salt for serving

Peel the onions and slice into 1cm slices, then separate into rings. Soak in a bowl of milk for one hour. Drain well. Sift the flour and cornflour into a bowl and stir in the cayenne, paprika, salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan until it is hot enough to brown a cube of bread in 30 seconds. Toss the onions in the flour until well coated, and shake off any excess.

Fry the onions in batches, cooking them for less than a minute until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towel, sprinkle with salt and serve crisp.

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