Chefs, health-conscious people, and home cooks are all developing a fascination for a unique cooking technique: water cooking. Its growing appeal has made people curious to know what is water cooking. It is also being debated whether the new culinary craze is a delicious and healthy substitute for oil.
What Is Water Cooking?
So, what is water cooking? It is an ancient culinary technique involving various cooking methods. This technique includes boiling, simmering, poaching, steaming, blanching, parboiling, and sous vide methods of cooking food with water. G. Sushma is a clinical dietician at CARE Hospitals in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. According to her, water-based cooking methods offer certain health advantages.
Lower cooking temperatures are used in frying and roasting. It is used to maintain the nutritional value of food and hold onto water-soluble vitamins and minerals. As per the dietician, the meal’s nutritional value is determined by the ingredients and cooking methods. She claims that using water to cook may be delicious, particularly if the correct ingredients and flavors are used. To preserve the natural flavors and nutrients of veggies, you can boil or steam them.
She also stated that playing around with different flavors and methods is the key to making water cooking fun. The flavor of a dish can be enhanced by infusing spices, broths, and herbs with water.
Water Cooking Vs. Oil Cooking
The use of water in cooking is a fundamental change in how we prepare food. Cooking with water is an excellent way to retain nutrients and minimize calories. It also lowers the chance of hazardous compound development. It also fits well with the emerging trend of attentive and healthy eating.
The myth that cooking with water produces flavorless food is refuted by the variety and inventiveness of flavor infusion techniques. The use of water-based cooking methods like boiling, poaching, and other methods opens up a world of flavorful and fulfilling meals. Cooking with water may be a tasty and wholesome option when paired with other culinary methods.
A well-rounded and delectable diet may be achieved through a range of cooking methods and a combination of healthy fats. While certain healthy fats are vital for a balanced diet, it is not crucial to fully give up oil cooking. Cooking using oils enhances the flavor, texture, and nutritional value of the food. However, Sushma said that moderation is essential. It is because consuming harmful oils in excess can lead to several health problems, including heart disease and obesity. She advised using canola, avocado, or olive oil, which are healthier cooking oils, in moderation.
What Is Water Cooking Bringing To The Food Industry?
Cooking methods have changed as a result of changing dietary habits and a rise in health consciousness. Today’s consumers are more drawn to culinary techniques that maximize flavor and nutrition while reducing ingredients like sugar or fat.
In addition, this change also points to an increase in the tendency in the food industry toward experimentation and exploration. There is a motivation led by curiosity and a desire for novel sensory experiences.
By knowing what is water cooking, some could switch from oil cooking and develop a healthy lifestyle. To maintain nutrients and moisture for healthy meals, water cooking offers exact temperature control. It creates uniformly cooked food with improved tastes and textures. It works well for cooking in large quantities. And it is adaptable enough to work with a range of ingredients and dietary requirements. It’s possible to prepare food more affordably by using water instead of oil. However, it takes longer than cooking using conventional techniques.
