Frying
Frying is the cooking of food in oil
or another fat, a technique that originated in ancient
Egypt around 2500 BC. Chemically, oils and fats
are the same, differing only in melting point, but
the distinction is only made when needed. Foods
can be fried in a variety of fats, including lard,
vegetable oil, rapeseed oil and olive oil. To fry
in olive is often seen as more salubrious than lard,
because the chief fat in olive oil is Monounsaturated
fat, not saturated fat. In commerce, many fats are
called oils by custom, e.g. palm oil and coconut
oil, which are solid at room temperature. A variety
of foods may be fried, including the Potato chip,
bread, eggs and foods made from eggs, such as omelettes
or pancakes.
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 characteristic crispness
and texture. Depending on the food, the fat will
penetrate it to varying degrees, contributing richness,
lubricity, and its own flavor, as well as calories.
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 sauteuse. 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 worldwide industry. Fried products have
consumer appeal in all age groups and in virtually
all cultures, 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.
(Source: Wikipedia.org)
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