The Jewish holiday of Hannukah commemorates the victory of a small band of Jewish warriors called the Maccabees over the Hellenists as they prevented their temple from being destroyed. At the time of the battle, the Maccabees only had enough oil to light their menorah (candelabra) for one night, yet it stayed lit for eight days and nights. To celebrate that miracle gifts are given to children and delicious foods are eaten. Many of those foods are fried and there are healthier ways to prepare them.
Potato latkes
This is perhaps the most traditional of all the Hanukkah foods. Potato latkes are pancakes that are combined with onions and fried in oil. One of the ways to cut the calories in potato latkes is to dry out the potatoes after they have been washed and grated. Normally, they are fried in cooking oil for 12 to 15 minutes. In order to limit the impact of the oil, cut the frying time to 5 minutes and finish off the latkes by baking them in the oven at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.
Fried doughnuts
One of the Jewish traditions on Hannukah is a fried jelly doughnut called a soufganiot. After the dough is prepared and the jelly is injected into the center of the doughnut, the mixture is dropped into oil and fried for 10 to 12 minutes. In order to make this a less caloric concoction, use less oil in the frying pan. Instead of using one cup of oil in the pan, use about 1/2 cup.
Frying tips
Use a neutral tasting oil when you fry foods for Hannukah. Make sure you have a deep-frying thermometer so you know the temperature of the oil being used and you don't have to guess at it. Use fresh oil if you want the smallest number of calories and want to keep the frying safe. Squeeze all the liquids out of the foods to be fried before you put them in the oil. Using a cast iron frying pan is often best for frying because it is the most even way of heating the food.
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