Paprika Onion Rings

Prepare the onions:

• Peel the onions and cut them into slices approximately 1cm thick.
  2 large yellow onions
• Carefully separate each slice into individual rings. Keep the larger and smaller rings separate so you can choose the best ones for coating.
• Pat the onion rings dry with kitchen paper. Removing excess moisture helps the coating stick properly.

Prepare the coating:

• Place the flour into one shallow bowl.
  120 g plain flour
• Crack the eggs into a second bowl and beat until smooth.
  2 large eggs
• In the third bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs with the paprika. Add a good pinch of salt and black pepper, then mix thoroughly.
  150 g breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons paprika, salt, black pepper

Coat the onion rings:

• Take one onion ring and coat it lightly in the flour. Shake off any excess.
• Dip the floured ring into the beaten egg, making sure it is completely covered.
• Finally, place it into the paprika breadcrumb mixture. Gently press the breadcrumbs around the onion so they form an even coating.
• Repeat with the remaining onion rings.
• For extra-crispy onion rings, repeat the egg and breadcrumb coating a second time.

Option 1: Deep-Fried Paprika Onion Rings:

Heat the oil:

• Pour enough vegetable or sunflower oil into a large frying pan to provide a good depth for frying.
  Vegetable oil
• Heat over medium-high heat.
• The oil is ready when a small piece of breadcrumb immediately sizzles when dropped into it.

Fry the onion rings:

• Carefully place several coated onion rings into the hot oil.
• Don't overcrowd the pan because this will lower the oil temperature and can make the coating greasy.
• Fry for approximately 2–3 minutes per side, turning carefully with a slotted spoon.
• The onion rings should become golden brown, crisp and beautifully coloured from the paprika.
• Remove them from the oil and place them on kitchen paper to drain.
• Continue cooking in batches until all the onion rings are ready.

Option 2: Air Fryer Paprika Onion Rings:

Preheat the air fryer:

• Preheat your air fryer to 200°C / 400°F for approximately 3 minutes.
• Lightly spray the coated onion rings with vegetable or sunflower oil. You don't need much; a light coating is enough to help the breadcrumbs become golden and crisp.
  Vegetable oil

Air fry:

• Place the onion rings into the air fryer basket in a single layer.
• Leave a little space between each ring so the hot air can circulate properly. Cook in batches if necessary.
• Air fry at 200°C / 400°F for approximately 8–12 minutes, turning the onion rings carefully halfway through cooking.
• They should be golden brown, crisp on the outside and tender inside.
• If they need a little more colour, cook for another 1–2 minutes.

Air Fryer Tip:

• Don't skip the light spray of oil. Panko breadcrumbs can become beautifully crisp in an air fryer, but a small amount of oil helps produce that gorgeous golden finish that makes onion rings so tempting.
• Also, keep an eye on the first batch. Air fryers vary considerably, so your onion rings may cook slightly faster or slower than mine.

Serving:

• Whichever cooking method you choose, serve the Paprika Onion Rings immediately while they are hot and crisp.
• Pile them onto a large serving plate and add a selection of dips for everyone to enjoy.