Boiling saves time but easily loses nutrients
Boiling is a method of cooking food directly in water. The advantage of this method is that the cooking time is fast, suitable for busy housewives. In addition, the boiled water can be used to make soup.
According to Oriental medicine, boiling is a method of "clearing heat and reducing fire". In the hot summer, boiled vegetables and boiled meat are preferred to help balance fried, grilled, and greasy dishes.
However, when boiling vegetables and fruits in direct contact with hot water, vitamins B1, B2, C, beta-carotene and minerals are easily lost. Furthermore, if you do not know how to boil them, they will turn yellow, become soft and lose nutrients.
Boiled pork, chicken, and beef, if boiled for too long or too long, can become dry and hard, losing its sweetness. Boiled fish, if boiled over high heat or too long, will become mushy and tasteless.
Steamed vegetables retain nutrients and are tastier than boiled ones. Photo: Bui Thuy
Steaming keeps the original flavor and nutrients but prolongs the time.
Steaming is a method of cooking food using hot steam rising from the bottom of the pot. Food is placed on a steamer or steaming rack, without direct contact with water. Thanks to this, steamed dishes retain their natural color, original sweetness and limit nutrient loss.
According to many studies, steamed vegetables retain higher levels of vitamin C, beta-carotene and flavonoid antioxidants than boiled vegetables. Steamed fish is often more fragrant and sweeter than boiled fish. Beer-steamed shrimp and chicken steamed with onions retain their original flavor and nutrients better than when boiled directly. The steaming temperature is usually stable around 100°C and does not increase as much as when grilled or fried, so it limits the production of substances harmful to health.
When steaming, a tiny layer of water covers the surface of the food. However, this water film quickly cools down and acts as a protective film, slowing the transfer of heat from the surrounding environment to the food. Therefore, the disadvantage of steamed dishes is that they always take longer to cook than boiled dishes.
Steaming is considered a "natural, non-invasive" method that preserves the original flavor of the dish. Steamed dishes often appear in vegetarian dishes, health menus or in medicines for pregnant women, sick people and the elderly.
Seafood dishes cook quickly so they should be steamed to retain their natural sweetness and nutrients. Photo: Bui Thuy
When to boil, when to steam?
Boiling or steaming is not simply a cooking method, but also reflects the Vietnamese culinary philosophy in balancing between light - bold, rustic - original flavor. Depending on taste and conditions, choose the appropriate method.
Boiling is suitable when you need to use the broth to cook soup, noodles, pho, vermicelli, such as boiling chicken to get water to cook bun thang, pho ga. For some dishes such as banh chung, banh tet, banh it that require a long cooking time, you should use the traditional boiling method according to old practices.
As for wontons, meatballs, and dumplings, steaming is the preferred method because it retains the soft texture and moisture. Seafood dishes that cook quickly (shrimp, squid, fish) should be steamed because they retain their natural sweetness and nutrients.
An experienced housewife or a good chef is someone who does not stick to one method but is always flexible according to each ingredient and each situation to help the dish be harmonious and complete in flavor.
Source vnexpress.net
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