"Cornstarch has long been used in Asian cuisine for frying food. Because of the way it pulls moisture from the food it coats and how it expands in heat, it becomes crispier more easily than a coating made with flour. You also need much less of it. This means you get a thinner coating, which has a crispier texture when you bite it."
"To balance thickness, flavor, and crunch, some of the best batters mix flour and cornstarch, as many Captain D's copycat recipes do. Other recipes might call for a three-to-one or even two-to-one ratio to really bring a light, extra crispy texture. Those who copycat Captain D's recipe usually use a three-to-one ratio."
Fish and chips originated in 16th-century Portugal and Spain before being brought to England by refugees, eventually evolving into the popular dish known today. Captain D's is renowned for serving some of the best fish and chips in America, inspiring numerous copycat recipes. The key to achieving the signature crispy texture lies in cornstarch, a ingredient long used in Asian cuisine for frying. Cornstarch pulls moisture from food and expands when heated, creating a crispier coating than flour alone while requiring less quantity. The best batters combine flour and cornstarch in varying ratios, with Captain D's copycat recipes typically using a three-to-one flour-to-cornstarch ratio to achieve optimal crispiness and texture.
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