Frying
Frying
is the cooking of food in oil or fat. Chemically, oils and fats
are the same, differing only in melting point, but the
distinction is only made when needed. In commerce, many fats are
called oils by custom, e.g. palm oil and coconut oil, which are
solid at room temperature.
Fats can reach much higher
temperatures than water at normal atmospheric pressure. Through
frying, one can sear or even carbonize the surface of foods
while caramelizing sugars. The food is cooked much more quickly
and has a special crispness and texture. Depending on the food,
the fat will penetrate it to varying degrees, contributing
richness, lubricity, and its own flavor.
Frying techniques vary in the
amount of fat required, the cooking time, the type of cooking
vessel required, and the manipulation of the food. Sautéing,
stir frying, pan frying, shallow frying, and deep frying are all
standard frying techniques.
Sautéing and stir-frying
involve cooking foods in a thin layer of fat on a hot surface,
such as a frying pan, griddle, wok, or sautés. Stir frying
involves frying quickly at very high temperatures, requiring
that the food be stirred continuously to prevent it from
adhering to the cooking surface and burning.
Shallow frying is a type of pan
frying using only enough fat to immerse approximately one-third
to one-half of each piece of food; fat used in this technique is
typically only used once. Deep-frying, on the other hand,
involves totally immersing the food in hot oil, which is
normally topped up and used several times before being disposed.
Deep-frying is typically a much more involved process, and may
require specialized oils for optimal results.
Deep frying is now the basis of
a very large and expanding world-wide industry. Fried products
have great consumer appeal in all age groups, and the process is
quick, can easily be made continuous for mass production, and
the food emerges sterile and dry, with a relatively long shelf
life. The end products can then be easily packaged for storage
and distribution. Examples are potato chips, French fries, nuts,
doughnuts, instant noodles, etc.
There is some criticism of
fried foods for their low nutritional value. Frying, especially
deep frying, imbues the food with fat from the oil, lowering
their nutrient density.
From the method using the
most oil to the least, the types of frying are:
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© 2006 Alan's Kitchen