Onion Petals w/Dipping Sauce

My kitchen gets really busy around mealtime! We're always exploring new recipes, sometimes adapting them to our taste, and always sampling them for flavor, adding spices, or trying something new.

A basic meal of hot dogs turned into quite a treat last night when we decided to make Onion Petals to go with them. I'm not usually one to make fried foods, but it sounded so good that I couldn't resist giving this a try. The awesome news is that everyone thought they were really, really good! Yay! A win for Nana!!

So, here's the recipe as we made it. There are many similar recipes online, but this is our version, crafted to our taste and to meet our unique palates.

Onion Petals

INGREDIENTS FOR ONIONS:
4 Medium Onions, peeled and cut into about 1/2" sections
1 c Flour
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 c cold water (someone suggested using cold sparkling water) Seasoning:
2 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
2 Tbsp Onion Powder
2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
2-3 c Plain Breadcrumbs or Panko (I lost count)
- Mix with salt, Dried Parsley, Garlic & Onion Powder to taste
Oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ONIONS:
Be sure onions are dry. Separate them by layers and put in a large bowl; sprinkle them with cornstarch till all are covered. Set aside.

BATTER: In a separate bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, and the seasonings. Use a whisk to be sure all ingredients is well distributed. Add cold water (or sparkling water) and stir until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add water till desired consistency. Or, if it is too thin, add a little flour until it reaches the desired consistency.

In a separate bowl, add breadcrumbs or panko. Add onion powder, garlic powder, and a dash of chili powder to the breadcrumbs and mix well.

Heat oil to 350 F.

Once the oil is ready, dip the onion petals in the batter, then in the breadcrumbs. Finally, add several petals to the hot oil and begin frying until a deep golden brown. Remove, drain, and place on paper towel. Repeat this process until all petals are done.

NOTE: Some other recipes suggested possibly frying in an air fryer. I haven't tried it, but if you decide to give it a try, please let me know how it worked for you! Thanks!

DIPPING SAUCE

INGREDIENTS
1 c Mayonnaise
4 Tbsp Ketchup
4 Tbsp Horseradish Sauce*
1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Oregano
2 dashes Black Pepper
2 dashes Ground Cayenne Pepper (or more to taste)

* Substitute Creamed Horseradish (not sauce) per Outback employee's recommendation.

INSTRUCTIONS
Mix it all together. Adjust the temperature with chili powder or cayenne pepper to taste.

Note: My grandson not only enjoyed the sauce with the onion petals, he added some raw chopped onion on the Hot Dog, then added the Dipping Sauce, then devoured it ... well, he devoured THEM! I'll have to try that next time!

Another note: My picky grandson loved both the onions and the sauce, which shocked me! It's always a delight when I make something he decides he likes. Nana happy!! 😁

Other uses include dipping sauce for Mozzarella Sticks, French Fries, Onion Rings, Sandwich Spread (hint: like McDonald's Special Sauce). The sauce seems to be very versatile! I've got a little left over in the refrigerator and plan to experiment a bit! If you agree with us about the Onion Petals and Dipping Sauce, please leave a comment below! Thanks, friends!