Frying Methods

Deep frying versus shallow frying versus pan frying

Deep frying is a cooking method in which the food item is immersed and cooked in oil, deep enough to cover the whole food item to allow the food to float in the oil. In shallow frying, the food item is put in the oil with a depth that reaches about half of the thickness of the food, with the food touching the bottom of the pan all throughout. Pan frying is a cooking method in which the food item is placed in a hot pan with the bottom lightly coated with oil.

Out of the three methods, pan frying is the healthiest as very little oil is used.

Air frying

This is a cooking method that requires less or low amount of oil and hence presents one of the healthy alternatives. The main principle of cooking is circulating hot air around the food. A mechanical fan circulates the hot air around the food at high speed, cooking the food and producing a crispy layer. By using this technology, one can cook potato chips, chicken/fish fries/koftas/tikkis, etc.

Street fried foods

Street foods are subject not only to contamination but also to a practice that is not good for health – the practice of ‘repetition of the same oil’ is very common amongst street vendors. When oil is heated to a certain amount, its innate characteristics are changed or altered. The same oil is fit for consumption only if it is heated just once or twice. It is advisable to not re-heat the same oil even at household levels.