The Secrets To Successful Cooking
By Robin Khumukcham
is the process of using heat to prepare foods
for consumption. Many common methods
involve the use of oil. Frying is in hot oil,
sautéing is in a small amount of oil, stir-frying is
a Chinese technique of frying quickly in small amounts
of oil in a wok, deep frying is completely submerging
the food in large amounts of fat, etc.

As people have become more health conscious,
preparing foods in oil has become less desirable. With
the advent of nonstick cookware, sautéing can be done
at lower heats using vegetable broth and fruit juices
instead of oil. Stewing refers to slowly in a
small amount of liquid in a closed container. Slow
stewing tenderizes tough cuts of meat and allows
flavors to mingle.

Another slow-cooking method is braising, in which meat
is first browned, then cooked slowly in a small amount
of liquid in a covered pan. Poaching is food in
liquid below the boiling point, while steaming is
food that has been placed above boiling water.
Roasting means baking in hot dry air, generally in an
oven. Baking refers to in an oven and differs
from roasting mainly in its reference to the type of food
cooked-for example; one bakes a cake, but roasts a
chicken. Another form called broiling means to cook by
direct exposure to heat, while barbecue refers to
cooking marinated food by grilling.

Dining with others is one of the most common and
frequent social activities. It can involve a family dinner,
a meal with friends, or form part of a ceremony or
celebration, such as a wedding or holiday. More and
more people study in schools, watch how-to
programs on television, and read specialty magazines
and cookbooks. In fact, cookbooks as a

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