Frying or Baking With No drop of oil

Oil and fat are a central part of modern day cooking.

With the changing lifestyle habits and needs, there has been a push for less fatty or less greasy foods.

For health and fitness junkies and those trying to lower their cholesterol, the horror of a fat layer floating on their favourite dish makes them cringe.

Contrary to popular belief, you can get away with cooking without any oil, this includes sautéing and stir-frying and yes, baking cakes and cookies too.

“There are several cooking methods without oil including poaching, roasting, boiling, sautéing,” says Chef Lesiamon ole Sempele.

The trick, he says, is getting a suitable substitute for the oil or fat. He further says that recipe testing is the most efficient way to see what combination works best. “Most great recipes came by accident,” he explains.

Attempting to use different substitutes brings out different flavour variants in food, some great, others not so much. Naturally occurring oils and juices from foods are the best substitutes for vegetable shortening, cooking oil or cooking fat used in food preparation.

“Use a vegetable broth, chicken broth or beef broth or even water for sautéing,” says Chef Lesiamon.

A small amount of broth or stock, similar to the amount of cooking oil you would use, helps in browning the food in a stir-fry or sautéed dish. The small amount ensures that the food is browning rather than steaming or boiling.

Extra care is needed for this with regular turning and stirring to prevent burning as the liquid evaporates.

“The flavoured liquid can also be coconut milk. Also play with heat to make sure the food does not burn. It is best to cook at a lower heat,” he says.

Good old aluminium pans are still perfect for oil less cooking, however, a good cast iron or Teflon non-stick pot or pan are best. The need for good cooking utensils applies whether or not you are cooking with oil. They not only save in terms of cooking time, but also help in developing depth of flavour in the food.

Butter less and oil less baking is probably one of the biggest trends in the healthy lifestyle. The use of healthy substitutes has been one to save the day for those with a sweet tooth in need of a baked delight.

“For baking, you just need substitutes for the fat or oil. This can be eggs or milk and you can use parchment paper to ensure your baked foods do not stick,” says Chef Lesiamon.

Deep fry foods

The substitutes, he explains, need to act as a binding agent and liquid for a good result.

“The results will not be the same as when you are using oil or butter, but they are a good,” he says.

A popular substitute in baking is fruit purée or nut butters. These offer the much needed binding for cakes or cookies.

According to Chef Lesiamon, eggs and milk have fat content that makes them a suitable substitute. This also applies to nuts such as walnuts which have a higher natural fat contents essential for the baking process. Let’s face it, deep-fried food holds a special place in our tummies despite the risk they pose to the health of our hearts. That crispy chicken, French fries, doughnuts, mandazis and even those crusted fish fingers can all be made without dunking them into a pan of boiling oil.

Baking or grilling is usually the first and most readily available option. The texture may be different from that of fried foods, but more often than not, the flavour is usually close enough to pass the taste test.

In additions, you can add an extra layer of flavour in the oven, for example, when baking potatoes with rosemary and garlic and sprinkle of cheese for a loaded plate of potatoes.

The base recipe sometimes needs to be altered to ensure best results when one is baking rather than deep-frying, and this can create an even better dish that the original.

Baked samosas, for instance, have a crispy shell with the juicy filling, but do not have the same colour profile as those that are deep-fried. The taste elements remain similar but with a much lower guilt factor.

Air fryers are the next best thing to a deep fryer. As the name suggests, it uses hot air as opposed to oil for ‘frying’.

“Air fryers are a great development especially for people like me who are into fitness and want healthier food options,” says Chef Lesiamon.

“The fries from an air fryer will not taste the same but they are an alternative,” he adds.

The results, he states, will never be the same once the method of cooking is changed but they are pretty similar. The air fryer can be used to cook any food that is usually deep fried and can also make meals such as meatballs.

The fryers cost from Sh7,000 onwards depending on the capacity. Despite the higher cost as compared to buying a deep fryer, they are cost efficient in the long run as you do not need to keep discarding and replacing the oil after each use.