Sunday, September 25, 2011

What are the modes of cooking ... Steaming n Boiling. ..

Steaming is a method of cooking using steam. Steaming is considered a healthy cooking technique and capable of cooking almost all kinds of food. Steaming means boiling water continuously, causing it to vaporize into steam; the steam then carries heat to the nearby food, thus cooking the food. The food is kept separate from the boiling water but has direct contact with the steam, resulting in a moist texture to the food. Overcooking or burning food is easily avoided when steaming it. Health conscious individuals may prefer steaming to other methods.
While Boiling occurs when a liquid is heated
to its boiling point. Boiling  is the method of cooking food in boiling water, or any  liquid base such as stock or milk.
Simmering is gentle boiling, while in poaching the cooking liquid moves but scarcely bubbles.
If a comparison between steaming and boiling vegetables is done then the most affected nutrients are Folic acid and Vitamin C. 
When compared to raw consumption, steaming reduces Folic acid by 15%, and boiling reduces it by 35%. Steaming reduces Vitamin C by 15%, and boiling reduces it by 25%.
In Western cooking, steaming is most often
used to cook vegetables,  it is rarely used to 
cook meats.
In Chinese cuisine, vegetables are mostly 
stir fried or blanched and seldom steamed.
Seafood and meat dishes are steamed.
Boiling is a very harsh technique of cooking. Delicate foods such as fish cannot be cooked
by this method.  The boiling point of water is typically considered to be 100 °C.
Foods suitable for boiling include vegetables, starchy foods such as rice, noodles and potatoes, eggs, meats, sauces, stocks and soups.
Boiling water and allowing it to cool before drinking it is practiced as a valuable health measure.
Boiling is the most certain way of killing all microorganisms, bacteria and any germs.
Boiling has several advantages. It is safe and simple, and it is appropriate for large-scale cookery.
Oriental cooking has always made great use 
of steaming as a main cooking method.
Many foods are steamed, rather than baked. Steaming has great advantages over other cooking methods.
The healthy way of steaming allows one  to preserve the vegetables  nutrients, bring out their color and enhance their flavor.

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