Batter (cooking)

Batter is a liquid mixture, usually based on one or more flours combined with liquids such as water, milk or beer. Egg is also a common component. Often a leavening agent is included in the mixture to aerate and fluff up the batter as it cooks (or the mixture may be naturally fermented for this purpose as well as to add flavour).

The viscosity of batter may range from very "stiff" (adhering to an upturned spoon), to very "thin" (similar to single cream). Heat is applied to the batter, usually by frying, baking or steaming, in order to cook the ingredients (thus rendering them palatable) and to "set" the batter into a solid form. Batters may be sweet or savoury, often with either sugar or salt being added (sometimes both). Many other flavourings such as herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables may also be added to the mixture.

The word 'batter' comes from the old French word 'battre' which means 'to beat' [ [http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/batter_2?view=uk AskOxford.com] ] , as many batters require vigorous beating or whisking in their preparation.

Usage

Batters may be used to make crepes, dosais, idlis, vadais, Yorkshire pudding, fritters, doughnuts, hushpuppies, tempura, cakes, some breads, to coat meat or vegetables when frying, or to make pancakes, waffles or some cookies.

Batter is also very commonly used in some parts of the world to coat fish before frying. Batter makes up a critical component of the famous British dish Fish and chips for instance.

Non-alcoholic beers can be used to batter foods which is common in family restaurants. Often times, the purpose of battering foods with beer is to provide a healthy and hearty barley or wheat flavor to the food. The concept of beer battering is not only popular in America, but throughout Europe, Russia, and the Middle-East. When foods are beer battered and fried (fish, chips, onion rings, etc...), the alcohol diminishes, as the heat generated by the frying process evaporates any and all alcohol.

Quotes

cquote|Watching a woman make Russian pancakes, you might think that she was calling on the spirits or extracting from the batter the philosopher’s stone. [ [http://www.bartleby.com/66/14/11814.html Bartleby.com] ]

- Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

References

ee also

* Breading

External links

* [http://www.mrsbeeton.com/27-chapter27.html#1384 Yorkshire pudding recipe (Mrs Beeton)]
* [http://www.bento.com/tr-temp.html Tempura batter recipe (Bento.com)]
* [http://indiaheritage.org/cuisine/show_reciepe.php?id=179 Sada Dosa recipe (IndiaHeritage.org)]