Chili Onion Rings Recipe
- 1 dried ancho chili
- 1 dried California or New Mexico chili
- 3 red or yellow onions
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 quart salad oil
- Salt
- Wipe chilies with a damp cloth; remove and discard stems and seeds. Lay chilies in an 8 to 9 inch wide pan.
- Bake in a 300 degree F oven until chilies just begin to smell toasted, 5 to 8 minutes; watch carefully, because they burn easily. Cool and break into small pieces. In a blender, whirl chilies until finely ground.
- Peel and thinly slice onions; separate into rings. Place half the flour and ground chilies in a 1 gallon plastic food bag, add half the onion rings, and shake to coat. Pour onto a tray. Add remaining flour, chilies, and onions to bag; shake to coat.
- In a deep 5 to 6 quart pan over high heat, bring about 1 inch salad oil to 325 degrees F on a thermometer. Add about 1/4 of the flour coated onions at a time to the oil. Stir often until golden brown, about 5 minutes; adjust heat to maintain oil temperature. As onions are cooked, transfer with a slotted spoon to towels to drain.
- Serve the warm onion rings piled in a napkin lined basket or bowl; sprinkle them with salt to taste.
