Boiling:
In cookery, boiling is cooking food in boiling water, or other water-based liquid such as stock or milk. Boiling can be done in two ways: The food can be placed into already rapidly boiling water and left to cook, the heat can be turned down and the food can be simmered; or the food can also be placed into the pot, and cold water may be added to the pot. This may then be boiled until the food is satisfactory. Water on the outside of a pot, i.e. a wet pot, actually increases the time it takes the pot of water to boil. The pot will heat at a normal rate once all excess water on the outside of the pot evaporates.
Foods Suitable for Boiling Include:
- Fish
- Vegetables
- Farinaceous foods such as pasta
- Eggs
- Meats
- Sauces
- Stocks and soups
Advantages:
- Older, tougher, cheaper cuts of meat and poultry can be made digestible
- It is appropriate for large-scale cookery
- Nutritious, well flavoured stock is produced
- It is safe and simple
- Maximum colour and nutritive value is retained when cooking green vegetables, provided boiling time is kept to the minimum
Disadvantages:
- There is a loss of soluble vitamins in the water
- Boiling water with the lid on wears out the pot
- It can be a slow method
- Foods can look unattractive
Baking:
Baking is the technique of prolonged cooking of food by dry heat acting by conduction, and not by radiation, normally in an oven. It is primarily used for the preparation of bread, cakes, pastries and pies, tarts, and quiches. It is also used for the preparation of baked potatoes; baked apples; baked beans; some pasta dishes, such as lasagne; and various other foods, such as the pretzel.
Ingredients often used in baking
- Butter, margarine or other shortening
- Flour
- Sugar
- Cocoa
- Egg
- Salt
- Leavening agents:
- Baking powder
- Yeast
- Baking soda
Some examples of baked food.
Grilled:
Grilling is a form of cooking that involves direct heat. Devices that grill are called grills. The definition varies widely by region and culture. Grilling generally refers to cooking food directly under a source of direct, dry heat. The grill is usually a separate part of an oven where the food is inserted just under the element.
Commonly grilled food and cooking methods
- Steaks
- Hot Dogs
- Hamburger Patties, Cube Steaks
- Sausage
- Chicken Breasts
- Chicken Thighs and Legs
- Pork Chops
- Fish
- Shrimp
- Asparagus
- Potatoes
- Kebabs
- Fruits
- Mushrooms, Edible mushrooms, Portobello mushrooms
- Squash
- Sweet corn, corn on the cob
- Vegetables, Root vegetables
Deep Fat Frying:
Deep-frying is a cooking method whereby food is submerged in hot oil or fat. This is normally performed with a deep fryer or chip pan; industrially, a pressure fryer or vacuum fryer may be used. Deep frying is classified as a dry cooking method because no water is used. Due to the high temperature involved and the high heat conduction of oil, it cooks food extremely fast. If performed properly, deep-frying does not make food excessively greasy because the moisture in the food repels the oil: The hot oil heats the water within the food, steaming it from the inside out, oil cannot go against the direction of this powerful flow. As long as the oil is hot enough and the food is not immersed in the oil for too long, oil penetration will be confined to the outer surface. However, if the food is cooked in the oil for too long, too much of the water will be lost and the oil will begin to penetrate the food. The correct frying temperature depends on the thickness and type of food, but in most cases it lies between 175 and 190 °C.
Disadvantages
- Deep frying produces large amounts of waste oil, which must be properly disposed.
- Deep fry shortenings contain trans fat. Overall this is very hazardous to your health.
- Cooking oil is flammable, and there have occasionally been fires caused by the oil igniting due to too high temperature. If one attempts to extinguish an oil fire with water, the water will boil, sending the burning oil in all directions and thus aggravating the fire. Instead, oil fires must be extinguished with dry powder or fire fighting foam. For this reason, most commercial deep fryers are equipped with automatic fire suppression systems using foam.
Stir Fry:
Stir frying is an English umbrella term used to describe two fast Chinese cooking techniques: chao and bào. The two techniques differ in their speed of execution, the amount of heat used, and the amount of tossing done to cook the food in the wok. A traditionally round-bottom iron pan called a wok is heated to a high temperature. A small amount of cooking oil is then poured down the side of the wok, followed by dry seasonings then at the first moment the seasonings can be smelled, meats are added and agitated. Once the meat is seared, vegetables along with liquid ingredients are added.
