When it comes to cooking, using flour as an ingredient is pretty common. You may add it to soups and stews to thicken them, mix it with water to create a dough for baking, or use it for dredging meat or vegetables before frying. But have you ever tried mixing flour with oil? This may sound unusual, but adding flour to hot oil can actually be a game-changer in the kitchen. In this post, we’ll explore the different ways you can use this combination and the delicious dishes you can make with it.
Can You Cook Flour with Oil?
Yes, you can! In fact, cooking flour with oil is the base for many classic dishes like roux, which is a thickening agent for sauces and stews. When flour is cooked in oil, it creates a paste-like mixture that can take on different colors depending on how long you cook it for. You can make light roux that’s used in white sauces or dark roux that’s used in gumbo or jambalaya.
What Can I Make with Flour, Water, and Salt?
When you add water and salt to flour, it creates a simple dough that you can use for various recipes. Here are a few ideas:
- Homemade Pasta: You can make homemade pasta by mixing flour, water, and salt together and rolling it out flat. You can then cut it into strips or shapes and cook it in salted boiling water.
- Flatbread: Mix the flour, water, and salt, and roll them into flatbreads. You can then cook them in a pan or on the grill until they’re golden brown.
- Bread: Combine the flour, water, and salt together to create a dough that you can use for making bread. You can then use this dough to create different types of bread, such as sourdough or baguette.
What Can I Make with Flour and Oil?
When you mix flour and oil, you can create a mixture that’s called roux. You can then use this roux for various dishes, such as:
- Gumbo: A thick stew made with meat, vegetables, and roux, which is traditionally served over rice.
- Mac and Cheese: You can use a roux to thicken the cheese sauce for mac and cheese, giving it a creamy texture.
- Bechamel Sauce: The base for many different types of cream sauces, béchamel is made by mixing roux with milk.
What Can I Make with Flour, Water, and Eggs?
Adding eggs to the mixture can also open up a world of recipe possibilities. Here are a few ideas:
- Pancakes: By mixing flour, water, eggs, and a few other ingredients, you can make light and fluffy pancakes for breakfast.
- Crepe: Similar to pancakes, crepes are made by mixing flour, water, eggs, and milk. You can then fill them with various sweet or savory fillings.
- Quiche: You can use the same mixture to create a quiche crust by rolling the dough out and baking it in a pie dish before adding your filling.
How Do You Mix Flour and Oil?
Here’s a simple recipe for making roux:
- Melt butter or oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat.
- Add equal parts flour and whisk until it forms a smooth paste.
- Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it turns a light or dark brown color, depending on the recipe.
What Can I Make with Flour and Water and Oil?
With just flour, water, and oil, you can make a few simple dishes like the ones listed below:
- Fried Chicken: Mix flour with your favorite seasonings, and then dip chicken pieces into the mixture before frying them in hot oil.
- Tempura: Mix flour with ice-cold water and a few other ingredients to create a batter that’s perfect for frying vegetables and seafood.
- Breaded Shrimp: Mix flour and seasonings together and coat shrimp in the mixture before frying them in oil.
Oil and Flour Roux
As mentioned earlier, roux is a mixture of flour and oil that can be used as a thickening agent in soups, stews, and sauces. Depending on the recipe, you can use different types of oil for your roux. For example, you can use butter or vegetable oil for lighter-colored roux and oil with a high smoking point, such as peanut or grapeseed oil, for darker roux.
Simple Things to Make with Flour
Flour is a versatile ingredient that can be used to make a variety of dishes. Here are a few simple recipe ideas:
- Pizza Dough: Mix flour, water, salt, yeast, and a bit of olive oil to create the perfect pizza dough. Add your favorite toppings before baking in the oven.
- Cake: Mix flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, and baking powder to create a fluffy, delicious cake that you and your family can enjoy.
- Muffins: Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together before adding eggs, melted butter, and milk. You can then add your favorite mix-ins for different types of muffins.
Flour and Water Recipes
Aside from the recipes mentioned above, here are some other dishes you can make with flour and water:
- Dumplings: Mix flour and water to create a simple dough that you can use for dumplings. Fill them with your favorite meats or vegetables before steaming or boiling them.
- Potato Gnocchi: Boil potatoes until they’re soft, mash them, and then mix them with flour and egg. You can then roll the dough into small, bite-sized pieces before boiling them.
- Tortillas: Mix flour and water together to create a dough that you can use for making tortillas. Roll them out flat and cook them in a pan until they’re golden brown.
What Does Putting Flour in Oil Do?
When you mix flour and oil, it creates a smooth, thick paste that can be used as a thickening agent or for dredging meat or vegetables before frying. Depending on how long you cook the mixture, it can take on different colors and flavors. Roux, which is the most common use of flour in oil, can be used to create rich and flavorful sauces and stews.
What is Flour and Oil Mixed Together Called?
As mentioned earlier, when you mix flour and oil together, it’s called roux. Roux can be either light or dark depending on how long you cook it and what color you want it to be.
Final Words
Flour and oil may seem like an odd combination, but it’s the base for many classic dishes and recipes. From roux to simple doughs, the possibilities are endless. We hope this post has given you some ideas for new recipes to try in your own kitchen. So why not give it a go and see what delicious meals you can create with flour and oil?