If you are using a thin layer of oil atop the water, you are water-velveting. If you are beginning with a very small amount of oil, and then adding water to the pan and covering once the oil is mostly absorbed into the dish, you are steam-frying.
You've probably heard that heating oils can result in the “production of oxidized compounds and free radicals detrimental to your health.” But there's a simple healthy way to cut out oil whenever you're stir frying veggies or sautéing greens, and it's called the water sauté method.
boiling, the cooking of food by immersion in water that has been heated to near its boiling point (212 °F [100 °C] at sea level; at higher altitudes water boils at lower temperatures, the decrease in boiling temperature being approximately one degree Celsius for each 1,000 feet [300 metres]).
Sauteing & Stir-Frying: Can you cook with water instead of oil? It's as simple as it sounds when learning how to saute without oil or stir-fry, and yes, all you need is water.
If water is used to fry, the water from the food stuff cannot be removed instead the water used to fry gets vapourised. As oil can be heated up to 150°C or more than that which is far above the boiling point of water (100°C), the food stuff cannot be charred out.
The trick is to use small amounts of water or broth, adding just a small amount (1 to 2 tablespoons) at a time. Do this as often as needed to cook and brown the food, without steaming it. Also, remember to toss and stir the food periodically with a wooden spoon so that it doesn't burn.
Among possible methods, oil-water mixed frying is to use the mixture of oil and water in a fryer. Due to the insolubility and the different density between oil and water, the mixture layers themselves, leaving oil in the upper layer and water in the lower section.
Basic water-sauté method
Here's the water-sauté method I use for most situations. Add the chopped vegetables and two tablespoons of water to a skillet or pan and turn the heat to medium or medium-low. It will take a few minutes for the vegetables to start sizzling. Use more than two tablespoons if you have a large pan.
Deep frying: A full-immersion form of frying in which food is completely submerged in hot oil. Frequently done with a deep fryer machine. 2. Pan frying (aka sautéing) : A healthier form of shallow frying in which food is cooked in varying amounts of oil in a frying pan.
You start by adding a small amount of oil to the skillet and cracking in the eggs, just like you normally would. Then, about 30 seconds in, you add hot water to the pan, basting the eggs until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. It creates tender, soft fried eggs with no overdone edges in sight.
Bain-marie. A roasting pan or baking dish partially filled with water to allow food to cook more slowly and be protected from direct high heat.
Poaching is a cooking technique that involves heating food submerged in a liquid, such as water, milk, stock or wine. Poaching is differentiated from the other "moist heat" cooking methods, such as simmering and boiling, in that it uses a relatively lower temperature (about 70–80 °C (158–176 °F)).
Liquid Frying Fat is a blend of palm oil fat and other vegetable oils. This results in a syrupy, liquid mixture. The neutrality of Liquid Frying Fat makes it popular amongst businesses. You cannot smell this frying fat and the fried products have a crispy finish.
The addition of water keeps the initial cooking temperature low and gentle, so the meat retains its moisture and stays tender as the fat renders.
deep-frying water isn't just an offbeat activity, it's also a potentially dangerous one. Given that water and oil don't mix together, a small leak from the water globule can create a big splash...of scalding oil that explodes everywhere.
It's easy to cook without oil: you can pan fry with water or broth, you can use fruit purees when baking, can roast veggies on parchment paper, or whip up oil-free salad dressings.
Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it to a very precise temperature in a water bath. This technique produces results that are impossible to achieve through any other cooking method.
Common moist-heat cooking methods include: poaching, simmering, boiling, braising, stewing, pot roasting, steaming and en papillote.
Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it to a very precise temperature in a water bath. This technique produces results that are impossible to achieve through any other cooking method.
Sous vide machines, also known as water ovens, resemble slow cookers and heat the water in the tub. They usually include a lid so you can cook food for a long period of time without worry about the water evaporating.