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Growing up, I loved almost all deep fried foods and the crispier the better. That explains why I was such a chubby kid. Around junior high school I learned to limit this addiction to an occasional treat and also became more health conscious. As an adult, I have found a way to balance my desire for fried/crispy foods without driving my health-nut conscience crazy. It’s called Panko.

What is panko? The short explanation is Japanese bread crumbs but amazingly contains less salt and calories. Frequent Japanese diners should recognize this as what coats Pork Katsu or Potato Croquettes, giving them such a crispy texture.

I like to mix up some spices with panko – usually cayenne pepper or dried basil, depending on what I’m making – before covering my meat or vegetables with it. Sample recipes can be found all over the internet, but I’ve selected a few easy ones that I’ve tried and liked and put them below.

CRUNCHY ONION RINGS (original recipe found at cooks.com)
You need: 2 lg. onions, 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour, 2 egg whites (or 1 whole egg), 2 tbsp. nonfat milk, 1 tbsp. cornstarch, 3/4 c. panko (which I mix with 2 tsp. cayenne pepper), and 1 tsp. seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush oil on 2 nonstick pans and set aside. (I cheat and use Pam butter spray, which has worked well for me.) Slice onions and separate rings; set aside. Place flour in a paper bag.
In a shallow bowl, combine egg whites, milk and cornstarch. In another paper bag, combine panko and seasoning. Shake rings in flour; shake off excess. Dip rings in egg mixture and then shake in panko. Place rings on pans and bake for 10-15 minutes; turn and bake until onion rings are crisp.

FAUX DEEP FRIED TOFU (I saw this done on some food network show, but I don’t have the original recipe. You can probably find it on the network’s website.)

1 lb tofu – firm is easier to work with, but I prefer using soft tofu. Word of warning: soft tofu crumbles on you very easily when making this dish, so if this is your first time making this dish - go for firm. 2 egg whites (or 1 whole egg), 1 tbsp. cornstarch, 1 c. panko (which I mix with 2 tsp. of cayenne pepper and 1 tsp. of ginger powder), 2 tbsp. sesame oil.

Cut the tofu into blocks – size of your choice, but it’s usually good to make 4 slabs. Drain out water by patting tofu down with paper towels. In shallow bowl, beat egg(s) and add cornstarch and beat some more. Dunk tofu into the beaten egg(s) then coat with panko. Heat sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tofu and turn until all sides are golden (approximately 3-5 minutes).

CHICKEN IN CREAM SAUCE

4-6 skinless chicken breasts, 2 egg whites (or 1 whole egg), 1 c. panko (which I mix with 1 tsp. of dried basil), one can Campbell’s cream of whatever (I use asparagus), approximately 1/2 c. milk, approximately 1/2 c. water, 3 tbsp. olive oil.

In small or medium sauce pan, heat cream soup. As soup warms up, add milk and water to thin soup into sauce. You may add more or less milk and water as you prefer. Leave sauce on low heat, stir occasionally. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Dunk chicken breasts into the beaten eggs then coat with panko, then fry chicken in the skillet for about 5 minutes (or until cooked/golden) on each side side. Remove and put on platter. Pour sauce on top. Good with rice, pasta, or roasted potatoes.

By Pauline (see more of her posts).