Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   4                    Vidalia or Texas sweet onion
                        ***BATTER***
     1/3  cup           cornstarch
   1 1/2  cups          flour
   2      teaspoons     garlic -- minced
   2      teaspoons     paprika
   1      teaspoon      salt
   2      teaspoons     pepper
   1      cup           beer
                        ***SEASONED FLOUR***
   2      cups          flour
   4      teaspoons     paprika
   2      teaspoons     garlic powder
     1/2  teaspoon      pepper
     1/2                cayenne pepper
                        ***CREAMY CHILI SAUCE***
   1      pint          mayonnaise
   1      pint          sour cream
     1/2  cup           tomato chili sauce
   2      teaspoons     cayenne pepper

Preparation:

Seasoned flower: Combine ingredients and mix well. Batter: Combine ingredients and mix well. Mix cornstarch, flour, and seasonings until well blended. Add beer, mix well. Adjust thickness of batter with more beer if necessary. Cut about 3/4" off top of onion and peel. Cut into onion 12 to 16 vertical wedges but do not cut through bottom root end. Remove about 1" of petals from center of onion. You may want to separate the onion petals slightly, do not do this too much, you will destroy the onion. Dip onion in seasoned flour remove excess by shaking. Separate petals to coat thoroughly with batter. Dip in batter. Dip in flour mixture again. Gently place in fryer basket and deep-fry at 375 to 400F for 1 1/2 minutes. Turn over, and fry an additional 1 1/2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Place onion upright in shallow bowl and remove center core with circular cutter or apple corer. Serve hot with Creamy Chili Sauce. Combine ingredients and mix well. If you place the onion down face first into boiling water for 1 1/2 minutes, than place it face down in ice water it will help the petals to open more readily.