Popular Cooking Techniques
Whether you are new to cooking or want to upgrade your skills, there are a few techniques you should strive to learn that make the food tastier and more nutritious and take less time. Exploring different types of cooking techniques allows for better use of ingredients and more enjoyable meals. Here are some necessary kitchen techniques every home cook should know. Sautéing is a form of shallow frying in which ingredients are quickly cooked in oil or butter over high heat in a frying pan or skillet. The word Sautee is, of course, French. It roughly translates to “jump” in English. The name comes from the process itself, as while the ingredients are fried in a shallow pan, they need to be stirred. This prevents the ingredients from burning and better coats them with butter or oil. You can Sautee various ingredients such as meat, fish, and vegetables. Shrimps fried in garlic oil and lightly fried vegetables such as leeks, onions, or mushrooms are incredibly delicious.
Boiling is probably the easiest cooking method to explore. Besides cooking over an open fire, it is perhaps one of the oldest cooking techniques in use today. Boiling is an essential skill to learn as it is simply the process of cooking food in boiling water, meaning that the water has reached or is close to boiling point. Water is boiled in a pot or pan, usually on the stovetop. Then add the product to the remaining water for cooking.
Simmering is technically a form of braising, but it is vital to know the difference between the two. Boiling involves cooking ingredients in the water close to their boiling point, whereas simmering occurs at a lower temperature but still in the water or another liquid. The idea behind simmering is that hot liquids do not boil. We can simmer broths, soups, stews, and more. Simmering is essential because it allows you to simmer stocks and sauces, giving them more flavor and less liquid without burning them.