How to Make Hush Puppies
To make hush puppies, start by mixing flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and diced onion in a large bowl. Then, in a separate bowl, combine melted butter, egg, water, and buttermilk. Next, stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and heat 2 cups of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Finally, drop small scoops of the batter into the hot oil, and fry them until they're golden on all sides.
Preheat a deep fryer to 365 °F (185 °C) or heat up 2 cups oil over medium-high heat. The most common oil used is peanut, but vegetable, sunflower, or canola oil will do as well. As the oil warms to its appropriate heat, start mixing up ingredients. If you don't have a deep fryer, don't worry. You can use a piece of bread to check your oil's temperature as well. Sift the dry ingredients -- flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking soda and powder -- together. Use a fork or whisk to make sure everything is evenly mixed in. Finely dice your large onion and add it to the dry ingredients. To dice an onion, cut it in half from end to end and peel off the skin. Cut off the tops -- the long, spindly end -- from each half. Then make long, vertical slices, following the onion's long, visible lines. Finally, cut horizontally across these long cuts to get small squares. For even smaller pieces, stand the onion up on its end and cut each part in half once more before cutting your squares. Melt the butter in the microwave in 30-second bursts, then stir it into the buttermilk. Put the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. If it's not totally melted, add 10 seconds at a time until it has just turned liquid -- it doesn't need to be hot. In a separate bowl, mix this butter into the buttermilk. Whisk the egg and water into the buttermilk. You want all of your wet ingredients to be together, well mixed, in this separate bowl. It can help to whisk the egg ahead of time so that it is already scrambled. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Pour your bowl of buttermilk mixture straight into the flours, salt, and sugar. Mix until combined, without any chunks. You want a batter that is thicker than pancakes, but not so thick that it can't be stirred easily. Once it is all mixed in, stop -- you don't want to over stir. Use a rubber spatula for the best results. If the batter is very wet and runny, add 1-2 more tablespoons of corn meal. If the batter is thick and difficult to stir, add 1-2 more tablespoons of milk. Test the heat of the frying oil, aiming for 365F/185C. A candy or frying thermometer is easiest, but it is far from your only option. Cut a 1-inch (2.5cm) piece of bread and drop it into the hot oil. If it is completely browned within 60 seconds, your oil is hot enough to fry with. If the bread browns faster than 60 seconds, turn the heat down. A kernel of popcorn will not pop until it's reached the right temperature, and can be used as another test subject when dropped in oil. Drop 6-7 pieces of batter into the hot oil using a metal spoon. A normal spoon should have the right amount of batter. Dip it in cold water to prevent the dough from sticking, then scoop a roughly 1" (2.5cm) piece of dough into the hot oil. Only cook 6-7 pieces at once to prevent cooling the oil with too much cold batter. If the oil gets too cold the puppies will take longer to cook and will come out greasy. Turn puppies after one minute to ensure that they cook completely. Hush puppies will sometimes flip themselves, but if not you can use a slotted spoon to turn them over. This ensures all sides cook evenly. Fry until golden on all sides. If they look nice and golden all over, they are ready to remove. While the exact time will depend on the size of the hush puppy and oil's heat, they shouldn't take longer than 2-3 minutes. Rest finished hush puppies on a plate of paper towels to drain. This removes some of the excess oil from the surface, which helps the outsides cool into a crisp, delicious exterior. Enjoy! Simplify your liquids to just milk and two eggs for a denser, easier hush puppy. This recipe is much quicker and leads to a heavier treat than the light, airy puppies shown above. To make, simply mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, combine, and then cook as shown above: Wet ingredients 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk Dry ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup + 2 tablespoons self-rising cornmeal 1/2 cup white sugar 1 large onion, finely diced 1 teaspoon salt Consider a denser, all cornmeal variation. Instead of using a mixture of flour and cornmeal, get a more classic flavor by just using 2 cups of cornmeal. Use 2 eggs instead of 1 to help it hold together better. Add a shredded green bell pepper for a Cajun/Creole twist. Green bell peppers are at the heart of Louisiana cooking, and some Cajun chefs can't do without them. To make them, use a mandolin or sharp knife to cut fine, small strips of pepper and add with the onion. Throw in 8 ounces of fresh crab meat for crab cake hush puppies. To make them, mix the pulled and shredded crab meat into the buttermilk before adding to the dry ingredients. Cut the amount of all-purpose flour in half and cook like normal. One cup of chopped raw shrimp can also be used for a seafood kick. This recipe also goes well with the green bell pepper variation mentioned above. Substitute a half can of beer for the buttermilk for a tangier, lighter treat. Sometimes called Mississippi hush puppies, this is the same concept as a beer-battered fish or fry. The also go well with a chopped jalapeno pepper. The rest of the cooking is just like normal. This should be roughly 3/4 cup (180ml) beer. Bake the hush puppies in a muffin tin at 450F/230C for 10 minutes for a low-fat option. Want delicious hush puppies without frying? You can fill a muffin tin with your batter instead of frying to get delicious, puffy hush puppies anytime. Just add 1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable oil to the batter and stir in to help them cook. Use cooking spray, oil, or butter to lightly grease the muffin tin. Finished.  
Preheat a deep fryer to 365 °F (185 °C) or heat up 2 cups oil over medium-high heat. Sift the dry ingredients -- flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking soda and powder -- together. Finely dice your large onion and add it to the dry ingredients. Melt the butter in the microwave in 30-second bursts, then stir it into the buttermilk. Whisk the egg and water into the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until combined, without any chunks. Test the heat of the frying oil, aiming for 365F/185C. Drop 6-7 pieces of batter into the hot oil using a metal spoon. Turn puppies after one minute to ensure that they cook completely. Fry until golden on all sides. Rest finished hush puppies on a plate of paper towels to drain. Simplify your liquids to just milk and two eggs for a denser, easier hush puppy. Consider a denser, all cornmeal variation. Add a shredded green bell pepper for a Cajun/Creole twist. Throw in 8 ounces of fresh crab meat for crab cake hush puppies. Substitute a half can of beer for the buttermilk for a tangier, lighter treat. Bake the hush puppies in a muffin tin at 450F/230C for 10 minutes for a low-fat option. Finished. 