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Thursday, July 8, 2010

Cooking Methods

recipes> ingredients> cooking methods < prev next >

Most of us know many ways with which to cook our meats and vegetables. What we don’t know, we consult cook books which tell us how to steam, bake, boil, fry, saute, microwave and so on.

However, what the cook book don’t usually say is that these different cooking methods can enhance, retain or subtract the nutritional value of our food. In fact cooking techniques like deep frying may actually cause more harm than good to our health.

Frying or Deep Frying

This technique cooks food with oil over high heat for a prolonged period. It is one of the common ways of cooking and, unfortunately, one of the least healthy. Prolonged frying over high heat can destroy nutrients in food. And the oil is absorbed by the food, so you are adding more fat to your meals.

You should also pay attention to oil temperature. While oil reaches a very high temperature it becomes toxic and free radicals are produced. When oil smokes, you should throw it away. If you absolutely have to deep fry, use lots of kitchen towels to absorb excess oil from foods like french fries, fish, calamari etc.

Stir Frying or Sauteing

Stir frying or sauteing is probably the healthiest way to fry since it involves very little oil. Used extensively in Asian cooking, this technique involves cooking food quickly with very little oil over high heat. Because it is one of the fastest ways to cook, vegetables high in vitamins, such as broccoli and carrots, retain more nutrients, as well as maintain their texture and color.

Pan Frying

This technique uses even less oil than stir frying. Sometimes no oil is required at all, especially when you use non stick pans. However, some nutrients may be lost due to prolonged frying.

Boiling

Boiling has a bad reputation in the cooking community as not only does it suck out nutrients, it just about kills all the taste in food. Boiling is only ideal when you’re making soup, since you’ll be drinking the nutrient-enriched boiled water!

Steaming

This is when food is cooked by placing on a rack or special steaming equipment over boiling water, or in a covered pan with boiling water. It is just about the healthiest way to cook as steaming preserves the vitamins and minerals in food. It also uses little or no fat and even helps melt some of the excess fats in foods. When you steam food, you also eliminate the danger of consuming carcinogens that are present in blackened/fried foods.

Microwaving


The most controversial cooking technique of our times, microwaving involves heating food by altering the magnetic polarity of their atom – the positive pole id made negative and then positive, and vice versa. Conventional cooking, on the other hand, heats foods by friction.

As far as nutritional value is concerned, microwaving does retain a good percentage of nutrients, though not as great as stir frying or steaming. However, there is contention that this cooking method may affect immunity and blood cells. The jury is still out on exactly how safe or damaging microwaving is.

Pressure Cooking

Slightly less common in local households, pressure cooking reduces cooking time by up to 70%. Since food cooks fast and little or zero oil is used, this method of cooking brings out the flavor with minimal nutrient loss.

Baking or Roasting

Food is cooked by dry heat generated in an oven. Since little or no oil is used in baking, it is a relatively healthy way to cook.

Grilling or Barbecuing

Both methods require foods to be placed on racks and roasted over coals, under a flame, or in an electric unit. Fat is usually melted by the high heat and drained away. However, due to the blackening or “burning” of the food, carcinogens may be present in the cooked food.

recipes> ingredients> cooking methods < prev next >

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Thursday, June 11, 2009

Fried Chicken with Curry Leaves

Award Winning Recipes 2003-2008 > Chicken Recipes > Fried Chicken with Curry Leaves < prev >

AWARD WINNING RECIPES 2003

Ingredients :
2 chicken thighs (cut into pieces)
2 tablespoons curry leaves
250ml oil for deep-frying

Marinade :
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon corn flour


Seasoning :
½ tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Dash of chicken stock granules
100ml water

Method :
1. Combine chicken with marinade and marinate for 1 hour. Deep-fry in hot oil for 5 minutes. Dish and drain.

2. Heat up 2 tablespoons oil and saute curry leaves until fragrant. Add in chicken, seasoning and stir-fry at high heat until dry. Dish up.


Remarks :
Curry leaves can be added more for stronger flavor.

Free download Award Winning Recipes 2003-2008

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Crispy Chicken in Lemon Sauce

Award Winning Recipes 2003-2008 > Chicken Recipes > Crispy Chicken in Lemon Sauce < prev next >

AWARD WINNING RECIPES 2007

Ingredients :
1 whole chicken (boneless)
* Some season flour for deep-frying

Marinade :
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons shaoxing wine (rice wine)
½ teaspoon custard powder
1 tablespoon corn flour
1 tablespoon plain flour


Sauce :
3 tablespoons concentrated lemon juice
2 tablespoons concentrated orange juice
1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
500ml water

Method :
1. Combine chicken with marinade and season for 1 hour.

2. Coat chicken with seasoned flour and deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown. Dish up and drain. Leave to cool and cut into pieces.

3. Place all the sauce into wok and cook until become thicken. Pour over on chicken and serve hot.

Remarks :
1. If you like spicy flavor, you can add chopped red chili.

2. Concentrated lemon juice or orange juice can be purchase in bottle form.

3. * Seasoned flour: 150g corn flour flavor, 1 tablespoon plain flour, 2 teaspoons salt and dash of pepper.


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Pineapple Chicken

Award Winning Recipes 2003-2008 > Chicken Recipes >Pineapple Chicken < next >

AWARD WINNING RECIPES 2003

Ingredients :
1 piece chicken breast (500g, thinly sliced)
4 pieces canned pineapple rings (diced)
150g fresh pineapple (diced)
1 green capsicum (sliced)
1 tomato (cut into wedges)
Corn flour for coating chicken
Oil for deep-frying

Marinade :
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 egg
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon corn flour


Sauce :
1 tablespoon thai chili sauce
1 tablespoon chili sauce
3 tablespoons canned pineapple juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt

Method :
1. Combine chicken breast with marinade and season for 30 minutes. Then coat with corn flour and deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown. Dish and drain.

2. Leave 1 tablespoon oil in wok, put in pineapple, capsicum, tomato and stir well. Pour in sauce and cook until thicken.

3. Add in fired chicken breast, stir well and dish up.


Remarks :
You may use boneless chicken thigh to substitute chicken breast.

Free download Award Winning Recipes 2003-2008

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Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Chicken Recipes


Award Winning Recipes 2003-2008 > Chicken Recipes

Chicken can be cooked in innumerable ways; it can be made into sausages, put in salads, grilled, breaded and deep-fried, or used in various curries. There is significant variation in cooking methods amongst cultures; historically common methods include roasting, baking and frying.

Today, chickens are also cooked by deep frying and prepared as fast food as Fried Chicken, chicken nuggets or Buffalo wings.

Most Popular in Award Winning Recipes:
> Pineapple Chicken
> Crispy Chicken in Lemon Sauce
> Fried Chicken with Curry Leaves

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Follow AdsRecipes cooking method of Award Winning Recipes 2003-2008. Is simple and I guaranteed your family members will enjoys it.




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I've always been someone who was interested in cooking Food network has expanded my skill and interest.

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