Crispy Fried Onions (Birista) are thinly sliced onions deep-fried in oil till golden brown and crisp. Use these for making curries, biryani, soups, and dals (vegan, gluten-free).
Try more recipes using onions as the star ingredient – Vinegar Onions, Laccha Onions, and Onion Marmalade.
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About Crispy Fried Onions
Crispy Fried Onions (Birista) are thinly sliced onions deep-fried until they turn crispy and golden brown.
Although readily available in stores, I like to make mine at home. Homemade birista is free of any preservatives, colors, and chemicals. It is much more economical to make at home too. If frozen properly, it stays good for 5-6 months.
Birista is a must-have ingredient when making biryani and korma. You can also sprinkle it over green bean casserole, burgers, hot dogs, and soups and enhance their flavor.
These onions are vegan and gluten-free; you can easily double or triple the recipe.
Ingredients
Red Onions – Red onions are best to make birista as they have a nice pungent flavor, and they hold up well after heavy-duty frying.
Use any variety of onions that are readily availabel.
Oil – Use a neutral, high-heat oil like sunflower or canola oil. Ghee would also work.
How To Make Crispy Fried Onions (Birista)
Preparation
Peel 2 pounds (1 kg) of red onions and wash them with water.
Slice the onions into thin slices evenly using a mandoline slicer, food processor, or sharp knife. Make sure the slices are almost equal in size to ensure even browning.
Tip – If the onions are very pungent, soak them in cold water for 15 minutes before slicing. You can also wear safety glasses while slicing to avoid tears.
Spread the sliced onions over a dishcloth and leave them on the counter for a few hours to eliminate the excess moisture.
Make Birista
Heat 4-5 cups of neutral oil in a large pan over high heat. The oil should be enough to cover the onion slices.
When the oil is hot, add the sliced onions.
Note – Never add the onions in less hot oil. They will not become crispy afterward.
Fry on high heat for 8-10 minutes. Frying on high heat is essential to remove the moisture in the onion slices.
Now reduce the heat to low and fry till the onions are golden brown. Keep stirring very frequently.
Once the onions are browned, remove them on a plate lined with paper towels and spread them on the plate. This step is essential to get crispy birista. Leave it on the plate for 4-5 minutes or until they become crispy.
Remember that onions keep browning from the residual heat after removing them from the oil.
Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months. Use as desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Making fried onions is a relatively quick process where onion slices are fried in hot oil over high heat. In contrast, caramelization is a slower process where onions are sauteed in oil over medium heat until they are browned and softened. Caramelized onions are soft, sweet, salty, and oily, while fried onions are crispy and mildly pungent.
To make birista without frying, make them in an air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 120 degrees C (250 degrees F).
Transfer the sliced onions to the air fryer basket and spray them with oil. Air fry for 5 minutes. Toss and keep air frying for 5 minutes and tossing them until they turn nicely browned and crisp.
Fried onions are also very popular in French cuisine and are used to top salads, casseroles, and other sides. But they are made in a slightly different way.
Cut the onions into rings. You can use red or white onions. Dip them in whisked eggs and then coat them with flour panko mix. Now deep fry until they are crispy and browned.
Pro Tips By Neha
Use thinly and evenly sliced onions to make Beresta. They get fried evenly, and the result is crispy.
Make sure that the oil is hot when you add the onions. Otherwise, they will soak oil and will become soggy. The oil should be enough to cover the thinly sliced onions well.
Be very careful once the onions turn brown. They burn in a wink.
Once the onions are fried, spread them on a paper tissue to soak up the extra oil.
Before storing them, let them cool down completely.
The leftover oil can be used to make dosa, uttapam, or parathas. It has a lovely aroma of fried onions.
Some people add cornstarch to the onions to make them crispy, but I never do that, and my onions still turn out crispy and stay crisp for a long time.
Usage Ideas
Birista is an essential ingredient in making biryani. It adds a lovely flavor, be it mutton biryani, chicken biryani, veg biryani etc.
It is also used to make kabab, korma, and rich non-veg curries.
I also like to sprinkle these crispy onions over my regular Steamed Rice, Khichdi, and Dal recipes or use them in Sandwiches, Burgers, Wraps, Rolls, or even on Pizzas.
It is also popularly used in an Asian recipe, Khowsuey, a soup made with coconut milk, chickpea flour, noodles, and many vegetables.
You can sprinkle some on your open toast, bruschetta, or salads.
Storage Suggestions
Crispy fried onions will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
The ideal way to store them is in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the freezer. They keep good for up to 6 months.
Just pull out the container, take out the birista and use it in the recipe. There is no need to thaw it.
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Recipe Card
Crispy Fried Onions Recipe (Birista)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds red onions (1 kg)
- 4-5 cups oil for frying (use any neutral oil)
Instructions
Preparation
- Peel 2 pounds (1 kg) of red onions and wash them with water.
- Slice the onions into thin slices evenly using a mandoline slicer, food processor, or sharp knife. Make sure the slices are almost equal in size to ensure even browning.
- Tip – If the onions are very pungent, soak them in cold water for 15 minutes before slicing. You can also wear safety glasses while slicing to avoid tears.
- Spread the sliced onions over a dishcloth and leave them on the counter for a few hours to eliminate the excess moisture.
Make Birista
- Heat 4-5 cups of neutral oil in a large pan over high heat. The oil should be enough to cover the onion slices.
- When the oil is hot, add the sliced onions.
- Note – Never add the onions in less hot oil. They will not become crispy afterward.
- Fry on high heat for 8-10 minutes. Frying on high heat is essential to remove the moisture in the onion slices.
- Now reduce the heat to low and fry till the onions are golden brown. Keep stirring very frequently.
- Once the onions are browned, remove them on a plate lined with paper towels and spread them on the plate. This step is essential to get crispy birista. Leave it on the plate for 4-5 minutes or until they become crispy.
- Remember that onions keep browning from the residual heat after removing them from the oil.
- Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months. Use as desired.
pragati
Hello neha, Thanks for posting this..i always shy away from making these thinking it needs a lot of oil. Great tip about varying the heat level – that should prevent burning and still give a crunch!
msnehamathur
Thnx a lot Pragati. Try these, you will get awesome result.
Rahul
Hi! Thanks for the effort, please 1 kg of Raw onion will make how many grams of Barista?
Neha Mathur
I think around 250 grams. Will update the post soon with exact measurements.
Mary
????????????????????????????????
Neha Mathur
Thanks
MALHOTI KARMAKAR
Absolutely turned out so well colour & all