Q&A for How to Make Batter

It's best to start with raw chicken if you want to batter; otherwise, the chicken in the nuggets will be overcooked.

The batter to make onion rings is whisking 1 cup flour, 2 Tbsp milk, an egg, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and salt together in a bowl until smooth.

The only real option is part cook your food (until the batter is just turning golden), and either finish in the oven or refry just before serving. Food fried once, allowed to rest, then refried will be crispier than food fried once. The rest allows steam to evaporate, which is what makes it soggy. The only way to get perfectly crisp food is to cook it until all the water is gone, e.g., crisps/chips, Bombay mix.

For a hot dog batter, you can use either a traditional American corn dog batter, made with cornmeal and flour for a crispy texture, or a yeasted batter, popular in Korean-style cheese corn dogs, for a chewier result.