Do you'll steam or roast food to avoid oil?

[oivas]

Here in India there are many versions of steamed food (idlis in south India being one example) and there are roasted food (more like barbecue). These are way healthier than any preparation in oil, butter, or equivalent base. What is your opinion? Do you think non-oil (butter, etc.) food is as good in taste?

 

[OhioTom76]

Absolutely. Obviously not all dishes work well with substituting steaming or roasting for cooking them in their traditional manner, but there are many great dishes that are steamed or roasted.

I regularly order a steamed combo meal at my local Chinese restaurant. It has no added MSG, oils, fats, or salt. - it's all steamed and it comes out great. I get steamed chicken or shrimp with mixed fresh vegetables over steamed rice. To top it all off, they make their own fat free, low sodium garlic sauce to go over it all and keep everything moist. I think it's just a mixture of chicken stock, garlic and corn starch if I had to guess. The nice thing is that you can really taste the sweetness of the vegetables and the flavors of the shrimp or chicken when you order it like this. I think they also "velvet" the chicken with a little corn starch before they steam it too, to give it a smooth texture.

As for roasting, roasted chicken is an obvious and east one - especially if you discard the skin after roasting it. But even Pizza can be made more healthy, as opposed to cooking in a deep pan swimming with shortening and drowned in greasy cheeses - just dust the cooking surface with corn meal instead and cook it on that instead of a greased surface. Also you can swap out the heavy handed mozzarella cheese for a dusting of Romano instead, and add some toppings like sweet peppers - which will become even sweeter during the cooking process.

 

[Chris_A]

Cooked food always beats fried food in my opinion. Even a simple meal involving only meat and veggies tastes much better baked then fried, apart from the health benefits of avoiding oily foods.

 

[Jessi]

I do a fair bit of steaming, roasting, and baking, but for some items, I still prefer them to be fried or flavored with butter. For example, I love poaching or boiling eggs, but sometimes, it just tastes good to have one fried in butter. I love steaming vegetables whenever possible and will sometimes roast them even (mmm, roasted cauliflower).

 

[janineaa]

Yes, I like to steam veggies for a healthier meal. Sometimes, I like to make my own dumplings, so of course, I use a steamer for that. I also boil chicken to be able to pull it quickly and to make chicken sandwiches. For thick slabs of pork or beef, I put it in a turbo cooker. So as much as possible, I try to avoid oil.

 

[oivas]

Absolutely. Obviously not all dishes work well with substituting steaming or roasting for cooking them in their traditional manner, but there are many great dishes that are steamed or roasted.

I regularly order a steamed combo meal at my local Chinese restaurant. It has no added MSG, oils, fats, or salt. - it's all steamed and it comes out great. I get steamed chicken or shrimp with mixed fresh vegetables over steamed rice. To top it all off, they make their own fat free, low sodium garlic sauce to go over it all and keep everything moist. I think it's just a mixture of chicken stock, garlic and corn starch if I had to guess. The nice thing is that you can really taste the sweetness of the vegetables and the flavors of the shrimp or chicken when you order it like this. I think they also "velvet" the chicken with a little corn starch before they steam it too, to give it a smooth texture.

As for roasting, roasted chicken is an obvious and east one - especially if you discard the skin after roasting it. But even Pizza can be made more healthy, as opposed to cooking in a deep pan swimming with shortening and drowned in greasy cheeses - just dust the cooking surface with corn meal instead and cook it on that instead of a greased surface. Also you can swap out the heavy handed mozzarella cheese for a dusting of Romano instead, and add some toppings like sweet peppers - which will become even sweeter during the cooking process.

Wow! OhioTom,

You have given some good tips for making Pizza, and I am going to try it out. In fact, that is what we are planning for the night, and I will try to cook at least a couple in the way you mentioned.

 

[oivas]

Cooked food always beats fried food in my opinion. Even a simple meal involving only meat and veggies tastes much better baked then fried, apart from the health benefits of avoiding oily foods.

Chris,

If that was the case then this world would be a healthy place. On a serious note, the McDs and Kentuckys of this world would not survive if everyone opted for a baked version of food. It's just that few food items taste better when baked or roasted as compared to cooked in oil. Obviously, the latter way of cooking is the majority.

 

[oivas]

I do a fair bit of steaming, roasting, and baking, but for some items, I still prefer them to be fried or flavored with butter. For example, I love poaching or boiling eggs, but sometimes, it just tastes good to have one fried in butter. I love steaming vegetables whenever possible and will sometimes roast them even (mmm, roasted cauliflower).

So come what may it would be a rather difficult choice to not use butter completely. I agree with you. Even I wouldn't see that happening.

 

[oivas]

Yes, I like to steam veggies for a healthier meal. Sometimes, I like to make my own dumplings, so of course, I use a steamer for that. I also boil chicken to be able to pull it quickly and to make chicken sandwiches. For thick slabs of pork or beef, I put it in a turbo cooker. So as much as possible, I try to avoid oil.

Oh, do the pork and beef cook well? I don't have much of a positive experience of steaming a pork or beef, so I go with the age old method of cooking in oil.

 

[Chris_A]

Chris,

If that was the case then this world would be a healthy place. On a serious note, the McDs and Kentuckys of this world would not survive if everyone opted for a baked version of food. It's just that few food items taste better when baked or roasted as compared to cooked in oil. Obviously, the latter way of cooking is the majority.

I agree, most fast foods would disappear for sure. Well I don`t know about most people, but I prefer my dishes baked or even steamed, as many Asian meals are made. I`m not a big fan of french fries or fried chicken anyway, although I have them occasionally, for other people`s sake.

 

[sillylucy]

I like steaming and roasting to avoid trans fats. Once you heat up oil then it becomes bad for you. It changes. Eating oil is okay in salad dressings and is heart healthy, but once you heat it up then it's bad for you.

 

[janineaa]

Oh, do the pork and beef cook well? I don't have much of a positive experience of steaming a pork or beef, so I go with the age old method of cooking in oil.

For pork and beef, I don't steam it. I usually use a turbo cooker. It's a big glass cooking machine with a pan inside and you can make stew or roast.

 

[oivas]

For pork and beef, I don't steam it. I usually use a turbo cooker. It's a big glass cooking machine with a pan inside and you can make stew or roast.

Ahh.. Did I miss the turbo cooker part in your earlier post. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[oivas]

I agree, most fast foods would disappear for sure. Well I don`t know about most people, but I prefer my dishes baked or even steamed, as many Asian meals are made. I`m not a big fan of french fries or fried chicken anyway, although I have them occasionally, for other people`s sake.

I get your perspective, and I can relate to the Asian cooking style. So, that's what keeps the Asians happy and healthy right now I guess.

 

[oivas]

I like steaming and roasting to avoid trans fats. Once you heat up oil then it becomes bad for you. It changes. Eating oil is okay in salad dressings and is heart healthy, but once you heat it up then it's bad for you.

Is that how it works? Because here in India we almost boil oil to cook an Indian version of bread called "Puris". So, does that mean the ground nut oil used in this case would be healthier to ingest directly. Besides, I think olive oils would be the best for salad dressings and not ground nut oil. Is my understanding right?

Just checking..