Homemade Onion Rings with Buttermilk Batter

Mix all dry batter ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. Then, add in wet ingredients and mix together.
⅔ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup yellow corn meal, 1½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1⅓ cup buttermilk, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoons Garlic Powder, ¼ teaspoons ground black pepper, ⅓ cup water
Peel onions and slice thick (about ⅓ to ½-inch). Optionally, remove the inner thin membrane of each ring.
3 medium sweet onions
Push out rings from the onion thick slices.
Put all the onion rings into the batter and gently mix them up to coat thoroughly.
Heat the frying pan with the small layer of frying oil (about ¼ inch deep) to between medium and medium-high heat.
½ cup oil
After oil is hot, place each battered ring into the pan until it's a little less than full.
About 30-45 seconds after insertion, slightly move each ring to ensure they're not sticking to the pan. When slightly browned on bottom, turn over. Repeat slightly moving each turned ring to ensure they're not sticking. Turn over again if needed to ensure they've browned reasonably well.
As each piece is done, place into a paper towel lined serving bowl.
Can serve with an onion ring dipping sauce.