Onions are the base—the very foundation—of Indian cooking, and yet here, they are used to add a crispy topping, as a finishing flourish to a dish.

　　

Ingredients

Makes ½ cup

　　1 cup vegetable oil

　　2 cooking onions, finely sliced

　　

Step 1

Heat oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat until hot enough to fry. Add one piece of onion to test the oil (it should begin to sizzle right away). Sauté onions for 15–20 minutes, until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer onions to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Spread onions out to drain and cool.

　　

Step 2

Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

　　Excerpted from Coconut Lagoon: Recipes from a South Indian Kitchen by Joe Thottungal with Anne DesBrisay. Photographs by Christian Lalonde. Copyright 2019 by Coconut Lagoon. Excerpted with permission from Figure 1 Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.Buy the full book from Amazon.