In todays modern health conscious society deep fried foods have fallen out of favor with a lot of home cooks. Deep frying is associated with high cholesterol, greasy fries and disapproving looks from your doctor.

And what parent isn't concerned about the amount of deep fried foods their children are eating. Unfortunately most kids today are inundated with commercials for fast food that is frequently deep fried and very unhealthy. Yet trying to resist their demands for another trip to the local fast food restaurant to load up on some favorite deep fried treat is a problem most parents could do without.

There is no escaping the taste and texture that deep fat frying can impart on a wide range of foods. Over the years it has become a staple in many Americans' diet. This is the main reason so many of us can't live without that deep fried experience.

So how do you cater to your family's deep fried cravings and at the same time make it as healthy and nutritious as possible? To achieve these two seemingly contradictory goals you are going to need some specialized equipment and a few insider secrets.

If you want to produce the healthiest deep fried food that is possible you need to tightly control three things: cooking agent, temperature and timing. The safest and easiest way to do this is to buy yourself a deep fat fryer. These marvels of the modern kitchen allow you to replicate the results of a professional chef without having to open a restaurant or spend hours cleaning up when your done.

There are a wide range of models to chose from so you should be able to find one that meets your needs. Some might be tempted to skip this step and simply use a saucepan filled with oil over a burner. Don't try this. It is dangerous and unless you're a skilled chef it will not produce the desired results.

It may seem counterintuitive but deep fat frying is considered a 'dry heat' cooking method. This is because no water is used, only oil. Since oil is the main cooking agent it makes sense to choose one that offers the greatest health benefits while still maintaining that rich deep fried taste.

One way to do this is to choose an oil that can withstand high temperatures without breaking down The point at which an oil breaks down is referred to as the smoke point. The higher the smoke point the hotter the oil can go before it will compromise the taste and texture of the food being fried.

Typical temperatures for deep fat frying are around 350-375F so for the best results select an oil with a smoke point of at least 400F. The list below will give you an idea of the various smoke points of commonly available cooking oils at your local supermarket

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil 320F
• Virgin Olive Oil 420F
• Canola Oil 400F
• Peanut Oil 450F
• Safflower Oil 450F
• Sunflower Oil 450F
• Corn Oil 450F

Canola and Peanut Oil are both excellent choices for deep fat frying and both are monounsaturated fats. Never use saturated fats like palm oil or vegetable shorting as the end result will prove very unhealthy.

Before you go any further make sure that you have read and understood the instructions that came with your deep fat fryer. Every year many people are seriously injured from the incorrect operation of their fryers - don't be one of them.

Set the fryer on a stable flat surface with plenty of nearby ventilation. Do not put it near anything that is easily flammable, such as curtains or paper towels. Make sure the power cord can reach a nearby electrical outlet without straining and always keep children and pets at a safe distance.

At this point it is time to prepare the food that will be going into the fryer. A common mistake that most people make when deep frying is that they put wet food into hot oil. This is going to cause a lot of splattering and the end result will not be very appetizing. Make sure that all the items are completely dry. Letting them sit on paper towels, or coating them in flour is a good way to ensure this.

Fill the fryer with oil according to the manufacturer's instructions. DO NOT OVERFILL! Always leave enough room in the frying compartment for the oil level to rise as food is introduced. Turn on the fryer and set it to the temperature indicated in the recipe.

Maintaining the oil's temperature is probably the single most important factor in producing that perfect deep fried taste. Crunchy on the outside, moist on the inside with minimal oil absorption.

Unfortunately the thermostats used in most consumer grade deep fat fryers are notoriously inaccurate. A common complaint is that the oil never reaches the correct temperature. This results in greasy foods as the oil isn't hot enough to sear an outside crust and is instead absorbed into the food's center.

A similar problem can occur when you try to load too much food into the basket at once. This causes a sudden drop in oil temperature when the food is lowered into the fryer. You can avoid this by leaving sufficient space around each piece so the food will cook evenly. If you need to cook in batches you can keep everything warm in a 200F oven.

The ideal solution is to use a deep fry thermometer to monitor the oil's temperature throughout the cooking process. If you don't have a suitable thermometer an alternative low-tech method is to place a small cube of white bread into the oil. If it browns in 60 seconds you're good to go.

Remember, for optimum results you want the food to cook but not absorb the oil. Maintaining the oil at the correct temperature throughout will keep absorption levels to a minimum.

Deep fat frying is a fast way to cook so you need to keep an eye on things to prevent burning. Use the time listed in the recipe as a guide and watch for a golden brown color to appear. Keep in mind that you might need more or less time than stated depending on the fryer, the oil temperature and the temperature of the food before placing it in the fryer (food that came straight from the freezer is obviously going to take longer to cook).

When you've finished cooking you will be faced with a deep fryer full of used oil. What to do with it?

There is much debate on this subject and it is common practice to filter the oil and store it for future use. But if healthy cooking is your primary concern then this is not a good idea. At this point the oil has already begun to break down from the heat and undesirable compounds like trans fats will have formed. To minimize any health concerns you should discard the oil after one use.