Fried Onions or Birista are thin onion slices deep-fried in oil till golden brown and crisp. Use these golden fried onions for making biryani, soups, dals, sandwiches, or sprinkle them over Khichdi or Matar Pulao for delicious flavor enhancement.
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About This Recipe
Birista is nothing but thinly sliced onions that are deep fried till they turn crispy and golden brown in colour. They are often used to garnish dishes such as Biryani, Pulav, Dal, Soups, Curries, etc.
I sometimes even add them in my Sandwiches, Burgers, Rolls, and Wraps, actually, it goes with almost everything.
These Fried Onions are,
- Versatile
- Full of Flavour
- Easy to make
- A great twist to a simple dish
Ingredients
To make these crispy fried onions, you will need just 2 ingredients – Onion and Oil.
Onion – Use red onion to make birista as they have a nice pungent flavor and they hold up well after the heavy-duty frying. If making a French-style recipe, you can use white onion as well.
Oil – Use any neutral flavored oil to fry the onion. I used sunflower oil to fry mine.
How to make Fried Onions?
Peel the onions and wash them. Cut the onions into thin slices using a sharp knife. Make sure the slices are almost equal in size to ensure even browning. You can use a mandolin slicer or a food processor to slice the onions.
If the onions are very sharp, you can soak them in cold water for 15 minutes before slicing. You can also wear safety glasses while slicing the onions.
Take a large kitchen towel and spread the onion slices over it. Leave on the counter for a few hours to get rid of the excess moisture.
Heat 8–10 cups of oil in a large pan. The oil should be enough to cover the onion slices. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Never add the onion in less hot oil. They will not become crispy afterward.
Fry on high heat for 8-10 minutes. Frying on high heat for 8-10 minutes is important to get rid of the moisture in the onion slices. Now simmer the heat to low and fry till onions are golden brown. Keep stirring the onions very frequently.
Once the onions are browned, remove them on a plate lined with kitchen tissue. Keep in mind that onions will brown slightly more even after taking out from the oil.
Spread the Birista over the plate lined with kitchen tissue. Leave the Birista on the plate for 4-5 minutes. It will become crisp in this time. Store in an airtight container.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fried Onions are crispy when compared to caramelized onions which are soft. Caramelized onions are cooked on low heat until they turn brown and are soft in texture.
Caramelized Onions also uses sugar or brown sugar sometimes that helps in the browning of onions, but in fried onions, there are only two ingredients, onions, and oil.
You can make fried onion in an air fryer as well. Preheat the air fryer at 120 degrees C.
Transfer the sliced onions to the basket of the air fryer and spray with oil. Air fry for 5 minutes.
Mix the onions once and keep air frying for 5 minutes and mixing them until they turn nicely browned.
Fried Onions are very popular in French cuisine as well and they are used to top salads, casseroles, and other sides. But they are made in a slightly different way.
Cut the onions into rings. Dip them in egg and then coat with flour panko mix
Now deep fry the onions until they are crispy and browned.
Pro Tips By Neha
Use thinly sliced onions to make Birista or Beresta. They get fried evenly and the result is crispy.
Make sure that the oil is hot, while you add the onions, otherwise, the onions 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 in color. They burn in a wink.
Once you fry the onions, spread them on a kitchen towel or paper towel so that it soaks up the extra oil and moisture.
Also, perfectly fried onions take time and patience, therefore let them fry on low heat. Do not be in hurry and fry them on high heat, otherwise, they will get brown early without being crispy and have a high chance of getting burnt.
The oil should be enough to cover the onions, otherwise it won’t fry well.
The onions will become browner after you take them out from the oil, so make sure you do not over fry them.
Before storing them, let them cool down fully.
The leftover oil can be used to make dosa, uttapam, or parathas. It has a lovely aroma of fried onions.
Some people add cornflour to the onion to make them crispy but I never do that and my onions still turn out crispy and stay crispy for a long time.
Usage Ideas
Popularly, Birista or Beresta tastes the best in Biryanis. Just add some in the layers and sprinkle some on the top of the Biryani, yum!
Add them in your Kebabs, it lends a fantastic flavor to them.
They also come in handy to make quick Korma and other rich creamy curries.
I also like to sprinkle these crispy onions in my regular Rice, Khichdi, and Dal recipes or use them inside your Sandwiches, Burgers, Wraps, Rolls, or even on Pizzas.
It is also popularly used in an Asian recipe, Khowsuey, which is a soup made with coconut milk, noodles, and lots of vegetables.
You can even sprinkle some on your open toast or bruschetta or salads. Even add in your casserole recipes!
Storage Suggestions
I am such a big fan of Birista, that I always have a big jar full of these golden brown and deep-fried onions in my freezer.
To store them, just add them to a clean airtight container and freeze them for about 6 months.
Make sure you don’t keep them at room temperature or refrigerate them, only freeze them. Storing them in the refrigerator makes the fried onions go rancid within 4-5 days reducing the shelf life and taste of it
So I would recommend you to make a big batch of Birista, and then use it throughout the month to add a twist to your basic recipes.
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Recipe Card
Fried Onions Recipe
Instructions
- Peel the onions and wash them. Cut the onions into thin slices using a sharp knife. Make sure the slices are almost equal in size to ensure even browning. You can use a mandolin slicer or a food processor to slice the onions.
- If the onions are very sharp, you can soak them in cold water for 15 minutes before slicing. You can also wear safety glasses while slicing the onions.
- Take a large kitchen towel and spread the onion slices over it. Leave on the counter for a few hours to get rid of the excess moisture.
- Heat 8–10 cups of oil in a large pan. The oil should be enough to cover the onion slices. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Never add the onion in less hot oil. They will not become crispy afterward.
- Fry on high heat for 8-10 minutes. Frying on high heat for 8-10 minutes is important to get rid of the moisture in the onion slices. Now simmer the heat to low and fry till onions are golden brown. Keep stirring the onions very frequently.
- Once the onions are browned, remove them on a plate lined with kitchen tissue. Keep in mind that onions will brown slightly more even after taking out from the oil.
- Spread the Birista over the plate lined with kitchen tissue. Leave the Birista on the plate for 4-5 minutes. It will become crisp in this time. Store in an airtight container.
