Fried Zucchini

I took this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis, but when I tried it, it didn't turn out to be as crunchy as I thought it would be. So I made changes.

Panko is really great, but it doesn't adhere, so I used flour before the egg mixture. I have also heard that cornstarch does a great job, instead of flour. It comes out even crunchier with the cornstarch.

I serve it with a garlic yogurt sauce, which is very similar to tzatziki, but without the cucumbers. Actually I like it with cucumbers and use it in the sauce. You can prepare the sauce and see if you want to add them.

Enjoy:)

FRIED ZUCCHINI

Ingredients:
Olive oil, for frying
1 3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 medium zucchini, cut into 3-inch long by 1/2-inch wide strips

Directions:
Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F.

Stir 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, the panko, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Whisk the eggs in another medium bowl to blend. Working in batches, dip the zucchini in the eggs to coat completely and allow the excess egg to drip back into the bowl.

Coat the zucchini in the panko mixture, patting to adhere and coat completely. Place the zucchini strips on a baking sheet.

When the oil is hot, working in batches, fry the zucchini sticks until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried zucchini to paper towels and drain.

Arrange the fried zucchini on a platter. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and serve.