Bubble, plop, hiss.

No, it’s not an Alka-Seltzer commercial, but the sound of a floured onion ring being transformed into a crunchy, golden circle of goodness.

For those with an aversion to fried foods, stop reading now. This includes cardiologists, dietitians and other health experts who’ll undoubtedly frown on the subject.

Anyone interested in creating a frugal and healthier version of fair food as that annual fall event approaches can keep reading.

My foray into the forbidden land of fried food was innocent enough. I was offered a fried onion ring from a friend’s appetizer plate while dining at Mint, a somewhat new restaurant in Ridgeland’s Renaissance. I was immediately taken by the spicy taste of the light crunchy circle encasing the onion.

I made my way into the kitchen and, catching the chef at a weak moment, asked for the recipe. Buttermilk and Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning were the two items that add to the taste and fluffiness, he said.

Still feeling guilty about my foray into frying, in the supermarket I copied down the ingredient list for frozen, ready-to-heat onion rings. Yes, they contained onions, but also vegetable oil, modified food starch, water, corn starch, caramel color, guar gum, leavening, paprika, salt, sodium alginate, and sugar.

Homemade onion rings contain only onions, buttermilk and a small amount of seasonings. And since large onions were on sale during the Labor Day weekend, one huge pile of onion rings cost less than $2, cheaper than a bag of chips.

The rings were a great accompaniment on Labor Day to my brother Lane’s amazing smoked ribs. He's been invited to compete in Madison next month in the preliminary to the prestigious Kansas City Barbecue Cook-off. But that’s another column, so stay tuned for the results.

I don’t plan to make onion rings very often, but when I do, I’ll definitely use Mint Chef Neal Mitchell’s recipe. Coupled with the best-ever baby backs, it’s an unforgettable meal even a cardiologist would enjoy.

Mint-Condition Onion Rings

1 quart canola oil for frying

2-3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup buttermilk