Karen's Kitchen

INGREDIENTS:

Fried Onion Mums
3 cups cornstarch
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons garlic salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper 24 ounces beer
Oil for deep-frying 6 onions, at least 4 inches in diameter
Seasoned Flour (recipe follows)
Creamy Chili Sauce (recipe follows)

Make a batter by mixing the cornstarch, flour, garlic salt, paprika, salt and pepper until
well-blended. Stir in the beer. Mix well and set aside. Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 375 to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, cut about three-fourths of an inch off the top of each onion and remove skin. Slicing
vertically through the top of each onion to about 1/2-inch from the base, divide each onion into
quarter sections. Do not cut through base. Slice each quarter section vertically flour more times. Gently spread the slices apart to form petals. Remove some petals at the center of the flower to make room for dipping sauce. Dip the cut onion into Seasoned Flour, shaking afterward to remove any excess. Mix the reserved beer batter again to blend the ingredients. Separate the floured petals and dip onion into the beer batter to coat petals. When oil in deep fryer is at 375 to 400 degrees, gently lower the batter-coated onion into the fryer basket. Deep-fry for 11/2 minutes or until golden brown. Turn onion and continue frying to brown the other side. Remove to drain on paper towels. Place the fried onion upright in a shallow bowl. Serve hot with Creamy Chili Sauce in the center of the onion. Repeat procedure with remaining onions.

Yields 6 servings of 1 onion each.
Per onion (without sauce): 1,102 calories; 55.6 g fat (6.9 g saturated fat; 45 percent calories from fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 852 mg sodium.

Seasoned Flour
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a 1-quart bowl, stir together flour, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Use to coat onions or other foods prior to adding batter coating for deep-frying. Makes enough for six onions.

Creamy Chili Sauce
1 pint mayonnaise
1 pint sour cream 1/2 cup bottled chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In blender or large jar, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, chili sauce and cayenne pepper. Blend to mix thoroughly. Serve with Fried Onion Mums.

Yields 4 cups. Per tablespoon: 60 calories; 6.2 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat; 93 percent calories from fat); 8 mg cholesterol; 63 mg sodium.