Cooking Nutritionally – Using dry heat

Cooking Nutritionally – Different methods of food processing

Cooking methods can be divided into three

• Moist heat :When water is used as medium (Procedures using moist heat -Boiling-simmering and steaming)

• Dry heat : when cooking is done through hot air or the direct contact of food with a hot surface (Roasting-Grilling-Baking)
• Hot fat/oil : When fat/oil is used as cooking medium (Frying-Shallow fat frying-Deep fat frying-Sauteing)

Procedures using dry heat

Roasting :  Food be cooked is brought in direct contact with the flame and is regularly basted with fat and turned to ensure even cooking and browning.  Roasting can also be done in an oven.  The food is put in a fairly hot oven for five to ten minutes and the temperature is then lowered.  Cooking in moderately-hot oven for a longer time is better than cooking at high temperatures for a shorter period.  The problem with roasting is that it requires a lot of fat.  It leads to a loss of some nutrients as well

Grilling :

Food is supported on a grid iron over fire,or on a grid placed in a tin under a gas or electric grill,or between electrically heated grill bars.  The grill bars are brushed with oil to prevent the food from sticking to them.  The bars should char the food on both sides to give the distinctive flavour that grilling imparts

Baking :  Food is surrounded by hot air in closed over.  The action is dry heat modified by the steam which arises from the food whilst cooking