Method of Cooking - Frying and Steaming

 

Reasons for Cooking Food

Food is very important but have you ever wondered why foods are cooked? Foods are cooked for many reasons:

·        To kill harmful bacteria and make food safe to eat e.g. fish, pork

·        To soften and make them easy to digest, e.g. potatoes, rice

·        To preserve them so that they can last longer, e.g. vegetables, fruits

·        To bring out the full flavour of the food, e.g. meat

·        To add variety to meals e.g. roasted meat, fried fish, stewed meat

·        To make foods more tasty, e.g. meat and poultry

What does the word ‘cooking’ mean? Cooking is the preparation of food for eating by applying heat. Foods can be cooked by a number of different methods (ways). Some methods are simplier than others. Different methods are suitable for different foods. In general, there are eight basic methods of cooking food that can be categorized into three broad groups:

·        Moist heat methods. These include broiling, steaming, stewing and braising.

·        Dry heat methods. These include baking, roasting, grilling/broiling.

·        Frying is a method of cooking that makes use of hot fat rather than moist or dry heat.

 

Frying

Frying is cooking food in hot fat or oil until the outside is crisp or sealed and the inside cooked. This is a quick method of cooking that is used for foods which require a short cooking time. It requires constant attention and the foods should be carefully prepared.

 

Dry Frying: The frying pan is heated and a food rich in fat is placed in it to cook. During the cooking, oil will be produced by the food and sticking will not occur. The excess oil can be saved for future use. Suitable foods for this method are pork chops, sausages and bacon. Bacon, however, is placed in a cold pan and heat applied. This prevents excessive curling of the strips.

 

Shallow Fat Frying: The frying pan is heated and a small amount of oil, just enough to glaze the bottom of the pan, is used. The food is cooked until brown on one side then turned to repeat the process on the other side. There should be little or no oil left when cooking is complete. Suitable foods for shallow fat frying are vegetables, steak, chops, pancakes, eggs and omelettes.

 

Stir Frying originated in the Far East, and is traditionally done in a wok. All ingredients should be finely chopped and prepared before cooking commences. A little oil (about 1 tbsp) is heated in the wok, and the food is put in and stirred continuously to ensure even and thorough cooking. Few nutrients are lost, and the food remains crisp and well flavored. It is a quick, healthy and energy saving method of cooking.

 

Deep Fat Frying: This is done in a deep pan filled to one-third its capacity with oil. The oil is to be heated until a blue haze rises from the pan (420^oF/218^oC). The food is immersed completely in the oil and cooked rapidly until golden brown. Where possible, foods cooked by this method should be coated to hold food together prevent the absorption of too much oil and form a crisp crust. A frying basket that fits the base of the pan can be used to facilitate easy removal of the food. If not available, a slotted spoon should be used to allow oil to drain away from the food. Suitable foods for deep fat frying are fritters, croquettes, French-fried foods, rissoles and potatoes.

 

Rules to Ensure Success in Frying

1.     The pan should be scrupulously clean to prevent the sticking of the food.

2.     The pan and oil should be hot. The food will sink to the bottom and stick if placed in cool oil. It will also absorb too much oil before a crust is formed.

3.     Do not pierce the food while frying, this will allow too much oil to enter, making the product greasy.

4.     Foods should be dried before frying. Moist food will cause sticking to the pan, lower the temperature of the oil and cause sputtering of the hot fat, which can be dangerous.

5.     The oil should not be too hot. This will result in foods cooking on the outside and raw on the inside. If allowed to cook through, the outer part would be too brown or burnt.

6.     Do not allow flames to spread around the sides of the pan. Oil ignites easily and can cause dangerous fires.

7.     Drain all fried foods thoroughly to remove excess oil.

8.     Do not fry foods too early before use; cold fried foods are not usually palatable.

 

Advantages and disadvantages of Frying

Like all other methods of cooking, there are advantages and disadvantages of frying.

 

Advantages

1.     Quick and easy method

2.     Suitable for small pieces of food.

3.     Little preparation needed.

4.     Little loss of food value since the hot fat seals the surface of the food and juices do not escape.

5.     Foods are attractive in colour and the flavour is well developed.

 

Disadvantages

1.     Foods need constant and careful attention, since they must be turned to ensure even cooking and prevent burning.

2.     Fat must always be at the correct temperature so that food does not get soggy.

3.     Not suitable for large, thick or tough pieces of food.

4.     Expensive method, as fat or oil must be of a good quality

5.     Fried foods may be indigestible.

 

Preparation of Food for Frying

Before frying, many foods have to be coated. They should be coated to prevent them:

·        Absorbing the fat

·        Sticking to the pan

·        Breaking up

Coating also seals in the food juices and prevents them from escaping during cooking. It also makes some foods more attractive.

 

Types of coating. There are several types of coating for foods to be cooked by frying. These include:

·        Batters

·        Egg and breadcrumbs

·        Milk and seasoned flour

·        Seasoned flour

·        Cornmeal

 

Rules for Frying

Take care when frying foods to ensure that the food is well cooked, looks attractive and is appetizing. Care is also needed to avoid causing a fire with the hot fat and open flame from the burner. The following rules are essential for successful frying of foods.

·        Use clean fat or oil.

·        Use a dry, strong skillet or frying pan.

·        Heat the fat or oil to the correct temperature before use. A faint blue haze should rise from the fat. Test for readiness by placing a tiny cube of bread in the fat. If it becomes crisp and brown in 30 seconds, the fat is ready. If it sinks, the fat is not ready.

·        Do not attempt to fry too many pieces of food at the same time. This lowers the temperature of the fat and causes the food to absorb the fat.

·        Place food gently into the pan or use a frying basket for deep fat frying to prevent splashing.

·        Turn food with a fish slice/spatula

·        Avoid piercing food while turning. Piercing causes food juices to escape.

·        Dry wet foods to remove excessive moisture before coating

·        Keep the heat low enough to maintain the desired temperature and prevent burning

·        Drain fried foods on absorbent paper

·        Cool, strain and store fat after use. Do not use rancid fat.

 

Steaming

Steaming is cooking food in the steam that rises from a boiling liquid. There are different ways of steaming food

·        Between two plates over a pan of boiling water

·        In a double boiler

·        In a covered vessel in a pan of boiling water

·        In a perforated vessel in or over a pan of boiling water

 

Suitable Foods for Steaming

·        Small portions of poultry, such as thighs, breasts, wings and legs

·        Fish: whole, slices, cutlets, fillets

·        Fruits and green vegetables

·        Root vegetables

·        Tender cuts of meat

·        Rice

·        Puddings and custards

 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Steaming

Advantages

·        Steamed food remains moist and is easily digested. It is therefore ideal for young children and convalescents.

·        Food is not overcooked.

·        Cold food can be easily heated through.

·        More than one food can be cooked at the same time saving fuel and washing up.

 

Disadvantages

·        Needs constant attention to make sure water does not boil away. Water may need replenishing.

·        It is a long, slow method of cooking for some types of food, such as puddings.

 

Rules for Steaming

·        Always keep a kettle or pot of boiling water handy to replace water that has evaporated.

·        Steamer must never boil dry

·        Food should never come into contact with the water.

·        Cover puddings with aluminium foil or heavy waxed paper to prevent them from becoming soggy from condensed steam.

·        Cut pieces of food thinly so that the steam can penetrate easily.