Fat based cooking methods

When frying with fats (including oils) it is important to heat them up to a very high temperature, different types of frying use different amounts of fat.

Stir Frying

Stir frying is done in a large round- based frying pan called a wok. The wok is coated in a small amount of oil (cooking methods that use small amounts of oil are healthier than ones where larger amounts of oil are needed). Foods such as noodles, vegetables, meat, seafood and tofu work well in stir fry recipes. The food is moved around the wok quickly so that it doesn’t burn and because the food is cooked very quickly the vegetables keep more of their nutrients. Stir fried food tends to use more vegetables than meat (meat is not essential for stir fries) making them a healthy option.

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In this video Jamie Oliver explains stir frying techniques.

Shallow frying uses a frying pan coated in a medium amount of oil or fat. Foods such as meat (bacon, sausages and chops) fish and eggs cook well when shallow fried. Pancakes are also made by shallow frying. Shallow frying is a less healthy option than stir frying as you use more fat and the solid fats in the food also melt into the pan increasing the amount of fat in the frying pan. Shallow frying also gives your food a crispier texture than stir frying.

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This video shows you how to pan fry salmon.

Sweating

Another fat-based cooking method is sweating which releases moisture from food making it tender and sweet tasting. This method is often used for onions and other vegetables. A small amount of oil is used in a pan which is put over a low heat (a low heat allows the food to release moisture without browning). While the food is sweating, it is usually covered with a lid to help the moisture (in the form of steam) circulate around the food.