Sauteing in water??
Posted by yabbitgirl on Apr 02, 2007 · Member since Apr 2006 · 14266 posts
OK, excuse my ignorance, but how can you "fry" or "sauté" something in water instead of oil? Cooking in water, yes, steaming, yes, but surely if you cook something in water, even if you use a frying pan, it ends up boiled or steamed? Can someone elaborate on this technique? I keep seeing it mentioned on the net...obviously nothing will get crispy in water. Enlighten me! ???
I do it all the time. Sometimes I add a bit of Bragg's Aminos or balsamic vinegar to the water or even dissolve a boullion cube in the water. It's a nice way to go fat free. If you're looking to crisp your veggies, sautee (or steam) them in the water first, then raise the heat to burn off the water & then fry, but watch closely so you don't burn your veggies.
I think it is (as you say) really steaming, followed by brief "pan-roasting" or carmelizing of the veggies. My cousin who is SDA uses this method, and I think it is good if you feel a need to eliminate oils, or if you are concerned about chemical changes in oils cooked at high temperatures.
I'm still a fan of a little oil for sauteeing.
SDA? Ye who? Sorry, it's amazing what I don't know.... ;)
A little olive oil is good for you and tastes great, I agree.
SDA is an abbreviation for Seventh Day Adventist. Since they are a very veg*n faith, I thought it would be common slang. Sorry.
I do this often if I am adding oinions to a sauce or something where you won't even notice the oil is missing.
I put the chopped onions in a dry pan and saute... yes they stick.... THEN once the pan is nice and hot, I add 2T or 3T of water, veg broth, balsamic (whatever) and it deglazes the pan (unsticking the onions) and just instantly sizzles off. If you need to do it again.
Honestly 99% of the time you would have no idea if a recipe was made this way or with oil.
Thanks Jen...great idea. But it would be hard to give up the excuse to use olive oil....
And Anna1111, thanks for telling me about SDA. As a lowly ovolacto, I guess I'm not up on all things vegan...I knew SDAs were v. vegetarian but not that they were vegan. Thanks for cluing me in.
Some SDA members are vegetarian, some vegan, and some omni - they promote healthful eating with a vegetarian/vegan emphasis as part of their faith. I probably wouldn't be up on it either except that my cousin is an SDA member. (I'm a "lowly ovolacto" too, but working on reforming :))
Seventh Day Adventists have a TV channel called 3ABN--although most of it isn't for me (I'm an atheist), they do have several cooking shows--all of which are completely vegan. We don't have cable/satellite, but it comes through our antenna. I've gotten quite a few good recipes and ideas from them :)
Elizabeth
I am also an SDA ...Just to clarify... while vegetarianism/healthful living is promoted by the SDA church, not all SDAs are vegetarian ... some eat fish/chicken/beef... though not certain sea foods, pork or a few other things... and that is considered acceptable... many are vg*an though...
I also get 3ABN and the recipes are great!