COOKING METHODS

COOKING METHODS MERITS DEMERITS MOIST HEAT METHODS Boiling Boiling is a method of cooking foods by  Simple method -It does  Continuous excessive boiling just immersing them in water at 1000 C not require special skill leads to damage in the structure and maintaining the water at that and equipment. and texture of food. temperature till the food is tender. Rice,  Uniform cooking can be  Loss of heat labile nutrients such egg, dhal, meat, roots and tubers are achieved. as Vitamins B and C if the water cooked by boiling. is discarded.  Time consuming – Boiling takes more time to cook food and fuel may be wasted.  Loss of colour – water soluble pigments may be lost. Stewing It refers to the simmering of food in a pan  Loss of nutrients is  The process is time consuming with a tight fitting lid using small avoided as water used for and there is wastage of fuel. quantities of liquid to cover only half the cooking is not discarded. food. This is a slow method of cooking.  Flavour is retained. The liquid is brought to boiling point and the heat is reduced to maintain simmering temperatures (820C -900C). The food above the liquid is cooked by the steam generated within the pan. Apple, meat along with roots, vegetables and legumes are usually stewed. Steaming It is a method of cooking food in steam  Less chance of burning  Steaming equipment is required. generated from vigorously boiling water and scorching.  This method is limited to the in a pan.  Texture of food is better preparation of selected foods. The food to be steamed is placed in a as it becomes light and container and is not in direct contact with fluffy. Eg. Idli. the water or liquid. Idli, custard and  Cooking time is less and idiappam are made by steaming. fuel wastage is less. Vegetables can also be steamed.  Steamed foods like idli and idiappam contain less fat and are easily digested and are good for children, aged and for therapeutic diets.  Nutrient loss is minimised. Pressure When steam under pressure is used the  Cooking time is less  The initial investment may not cooking method is known as pressure cooking and compared to other be affordable to everybody. the equipment used is the pressure cooker. methods.  Knowledge of the usage, care In this method the temperature of boiling  Nutrient and flavour loss and maintenance of cooker is 0 water can be raised above 100 C. Rice, is minimised. required to prevent accidents. dhal, meat, roots and tubers are usually  Conserves fuel and time  Careful watch on the cooking pressure cooked. as different items can be time is required to prevent over cooked at the same time. cooking.  Less chance for burning and scorching.  Constant attention is not necessary. Poaching This involves cooking in the minimum  No special equipment is  Poached foods may not appeal to amount of liquid at temperatures of needed. everybody as they are bland in 0 0 80 C- 85 C that is below the boiling point.  Quick method of cooking taste. Egg and fish can be poached. and therefore saves fuel.  Food can be scorched if water  Poached foods are easily evaporates due to careless digested since no fat is monitoring. added.  Water soluble nutrients may be leached into the water. Blanching This can be achieved by blanching. In  Peels can easily be  Loss of nutrients if cooking this method, food is dipped in boiling removed to improve water is discarded. water for 5 seconds to 2 minutes digestibility. depending on the texture of the food. This  Destroys enzymes that helps to remove the skin or peel without bring about spoilage. softening food.  Texture can be maintained Blanching can also be done by pouring while improving the enough boiling water on the food to colour and flavour of immerse it for short periods and then food. immediately immersing in cold water. The process causes the skin to become loose and can be peeled off easily. DRY HEAT METHODS Roasting In this method food is cooked in a  Quick method of cooking.  Food can be scorched due to heated metal or frying pan without  It improves the appearance, carelessness. covering it. Eg. Groundnut. flavour and texture of the  Roasting denatures proteins food. reducing their availability.  Spices are easily powdered if they are first roasted.

Grilling or broiling refers to the  Enhances flavour, appearance  Constant attention is required to Grilling cooking of food by exposing it to and taste of the product. prevent charring. direct heat. In this method food is  It requires less time to cook. placed above or in between a red hot  Minimum fat is used. surface. Papads, corn, phulkas, chicken can be prepared by this method.

Toasting This is a method where food is kept  Easy and quick method.  Special equipment required. between two heated elements to  Flavour improved.  Careful monitoring is needed to facilitate browning on both sides. prevent charring. Bread slices are cooked by toasting.

Baking In this method, the food gets cooked  Baking lends a unique baked  Special equipment like oven is in an oven or oven-like appliance by flavour to foods. required. dry heat. The temperature range  Foods become light and fluffy  Baking skills are necessary to 0 maintained in an oven is 120 C – – cakes, custards, bread. obtain a product with ideal 0 260 C.  Uniform and bulk cooking texture, flavour and colour The food is usually kept uncovered in characteristics. can be achieved. Eg. bun, a container greased with a fat coated bread.  Careful monitoring needed to paper. Bread, cake, biscuits, pastries  Flavour and texture are prevent scorching. and meat are prepared by this method. improved.  Variety of dishes can be made. Sauteing Sauteing is a method in which food is  Takes less time.  Constant attention is needed as lightly tossed in little oil just enough  Simple technique. there is chance of scorching or to cover the base of the pan. The pan  Minimum oil is used. burning. is covered with a lid and the flame or intensity of heat is reduced. The product obtained is slightly moist and tender but without any liquid or gravy. Foods cooked by sauteing are generally vegetables. Frying In this method, the food to be cooked  Very quick method of  Careful monitoring is required as is brought into contact with larger cooking. food easily gets charred when amount of hot fat.  The calorific value of food is the smoking temperature is not When food is totally immersed increased since fat is used as properly maintained. in hot oil, it is called deep fat frying. the cooking media.  The food may become soggy due Samosa, chips, pakoda are examples  Frying lends a delicious to too much oil absorption. of deep fat fried foods. flavour and attractive  Fried foods are not easily In shallow fat frying, only a little appearance to foods. digested. fat is used and the food is turned in  Taste and texture are  Repeated use of heated oils will order that both sides are browned. Eg. improved. have ill effects on health. Omelette, cutlets, parathas. COMBINATION OF COOKING METHODS Braising Braising is a combined method of . Food preparations prepared by roasting and stewing in a pan with a combination methods are : tight fitting lid. Flavourings and Uppuma -Roasting and boiling. seasonings are added and food is Cutlet -Boiling and deep frying. allowed to cook gently Vermicilli payasam -Roasting and simmering.

Microwaves are electromagnetic  Quick method – 10 times  Baked products do not get a Microwave waves of radiant energy. Food placed faster than conventional brown surface. cooking in the oven is heated by microwaves method. So loss of nutrients  Microwave cooking cannot be from all directions. can be minimised. used for simmering, stewing or Moist foods and liquid foods can be  Only the food gets heated and deep frying. rapidly heated in such ovens. Food the oven does not get heated.  Flavour of all ingredients does should be kept in containers made of  Food gets cooked uniformly. not blend well as the cooking plastic, glass or china ware which do  Leftovers can be reheated time is too short. not contain metallic substances. These without changing the flavour containers are used because they and texture of the product. transmit the microwaves but do not  Microwave cooking enhances absorb or reflect them. the flavour of food because it cooks quickly with little or no water. Solar Cooking Solar cooking is a very simple  Simple technique – requires  Special equipment is needed. technique that makes use of sunlight no special skill.  Slow cooking process. or solar energy which is a non-  Cost effective as natural  Cannot be used in the conventional source of energy. The sunlight is the form of energy. absence of sunlight 0 temperature up to 140 C can be  Original flavour of food is obtained which is adequate for retained. cooking.  There is no danger of scorching or burning.  Loss of nutrients is minimum as only little amounts of water is used in cooking.

SOURCE

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