Step Away From The Basics And Step Into Better Cooking With These Essential Cooking Methods
Most of us grew up learning how to boil instant noodles or fry an egg over the stove as one of our very first cooking ventures.
We also watch as hawkers repeatedly flip ingredients in their wok over high heat, teaching us the delicious wonders of a good stir-fry. And of course, not forgetting baked sponge cakes and pizzas in the oven.
So it’s no wonder that the average Singaporean’s cooking vocabulary commonly consists of only boiling, frying, stir-frying, and baking.
But since you’re here today, you may have probably come across new cooking terms that piqued your curiosity. Whether it’s from a new recipe you’re trying out or from a friend who simply loves to cook, the point is, you want to learn more.
With cooking being part art and part food science, some terms and explanations from veterans may leave you more confused than ever.
Which is why we’ve compiled the essential cooking methods and simplified it for you. Not only will our guide to these cooking methods give you an idea of how they are carried out in the real world, but it will also bring you one step closer in discovering the joys of cooking your very own homemade meal.
How Many Different Methods Of Cooking Are There?
After spending countless hours on research and actual practical tests, there are in total 15 essential cooking methods available. Other cooking methods not included within these are typically derivations of these 15 cooking methods.
There’s a lot of conflicting information on how many different cooking methods there are out there. Year after year, manufacturers and cooking wizzes release new kitchen gadgets that seemingly introduce a new cooking method that gets the world scrambling to be the first to try it. Especially so for us since we tend to be a bit on the kiasu side (and that’s putting it lightly!).
To make it easier for you, we’ve categorised every listed cooking process for you by first breaking it down into the type of heat used by that particular method.
It’s far easier since there are only four fundamental types of cooking methods; combination cooking, moist heat cooking, dry heat cooking, and electrical cooking.
Combination Cooking
Cooking methods that combine both dry heat cooking and moist heat cooking in one cooking process. This particular cooking method typically starts with high-heat dry cooking like pan-searing or grilling to create the ideal flavour and texture, before it is exposed to a lower-heat moist cooking method to add depth to the flavour while ensuring tenderness.
Moist Heat Cooking
Moist heat cooking involves cooking food with liquid or steam to transfer heat, giving you tender and flavourful dishes without drying it out. It’s the ideal cooking method to cook delicate foods like fish, vegetables, and tough cuts of meat that benefit from slow, gentle cooking.
Dry Heat Cooking
Dry heat cooking involves cooking food without the use of liquid, instead relying on air or fat to transfer heat. This particular cooking method is usually the preferred one when it comes to cooking meat, vegetables, and baked goods, where you typically want to achieve a crisp, beautifully brown sear.
Electrical Cooking
Electrical cooking is basically an umbrella term for any cooking method that relies on an electrical appliance to generate heat and cook food. Think slow-cookers, pressure cookers, microwaves, and rice cookers.
The Only 15 Essential Cooking Methods You Need To Know To Cook Food Excellently
Moist Heat Cooking Method
1. Boiling
Remember how we talked about cooking instant noodles as one of our very first cooking experiences? That involves one of the core basic essential cooking processes - boiling.
Boiling is a cooking method that quickly cooks and softens food by submerging it in water based liquids like hot water or a hot broth that has arrived at a boiling point of 100°C for an extended period.
This particular cooking method is typically used to cook everyday ingredients such as soft boiled eggs, pasta, and vegetables. However, it is said that boiling sometimes leads to a loss of nutrients because the beneficial properties are released into the water, which is often drained off and discarded.
2. Simmering
Think of simmering as a very similar method to boiling, only it’s done below the boiling point of 100°C. Simmering can easily be identified by spotting tiny bubbles forming on the surface of the liquid, compared to the vigorous bubbles found once the water is boiling.
Simmering is ultimately a gentle and controlled form of moist heat cooking that is one of the most ideal methods to cook rice, stews, sauces, curries, and creamy soups. One of our recipes for a comforting Seafood Curry uses this particular cooking process!
3. Poaching
Can you recall how the chicken rice you know and love is cooked? While most of us grew up thinking the chicken was steamed, some of you may be surprised to know that it is actually poached instead!
Poaching is the process where food is gently cooked in liquid that is barely simmering, leading to moist and tender cooking results that preserves the natural flavours of your food.
Recipes that call for delicate ingredients that break apart easily such as fish, eggs, and even a whole chicken usually use the poaching method to cook it safely and efficiently without breaking it apart or drying it out.
Bonus Tip: Did you know that you can use leftover poaching liquid as a base for delicious broths?
4. Steaming
Steaming is one of the healthiest cooking methods because food is cooked simply exposing it to steam. Some of the ways to steam include using a dedicated steamer cookware set. But some of us may be more familiar with the old school method which involves filling a large casserole with boiling water, then placing a steamer basket on a trivet to elevate it within the casserole, followed by having the lid on to keep the steam contained until the food fully cooks.
As for why steaming is one of the healthiest ways to cook? It’s purely because steaming retains the ingredient’s natural flavours and nutrients. Hence why you commonly find individuals steaming vegetables like green beans, dumplings, seafood, and sometimes chicken breast halves for healthier meals.
5. Blanching
Since steaming tends to soften food, some may opt to blanch ingredients instead. Blanching is a cooking process that involves submerging food quickly and briefly in boiling water before having it rapidly cooled in ice cold water to stop the cooking process.
Blanching preserves the colour, texture, and nutritional value of ingredients without breaking down its natural texture. Which is why it's a particularly popular method to cook fibrous vegetables and leafy greens such as spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, and beetroot.
Dry Heat Cooking Process
6. Baking
Baking is a cooking process where food is cooked by surrounding it with dry, heated air. This usually takes place in a contained space like an oven, ensuring that heat is distributed evenly for consistent cooking results.
It’s a similar process to how an air-fryer works, where heat is distributed through the air in a contained space - see how that ties back to our earlier point on fundamental cooking processes and derivations of those methods?
Dishes like baked pasta, cakes, pastries, and bread typically need to be baked, with one delicious example being our easy Potato-Leek Gratin in the Cosmo Fry.
7. Roasting
Roasting is commonly used interchangeably with baking since both techniques use the oven for cooking. But they couldn’t be any more different because roasting typically involves cooking large cuts of meat, poultry, or a large quantity of vegetables (often root vegetables like carrots and onions), in higher temperatures compared to the level involved in baking.
That’s because the main aim of roasting is to achieve a beautifully browned outer layer while keeping the meat tender and juicy inside. It’s also the reason why ingredients like pork shoulder, pork loin, pork chops, and turkey are commonly roasted.
8. Grilling
Those who enjoy beachside barbeques at Pasir Ris or at any of Singapore’s beach haunts will definitely be familiar with grilling. Grilling involves cooking food out in the open over an open flame or hot coals, and it usually takes place on a barbeque.
This particular cooking process imparts a deliciously smoky flavour and leaves mouth-watering grill marks on the grilled ingredient thanks to the high temperature used, which usually include hamburger patties, beef tenderloin, chicken wings, sweet corn, strip steaks, sausages, and the ever tender prime rib.
9. Broiling
Broiling is a cooking method that uses the oven’s top heating element to apply intense heat directly on the food. That very fact is how some may easily confuse it with grilling, but the key difference is how broiling takes place exclusively in the oven.
Dishes that benefit from a quick yet intense burst of heat would benefit from this cooking method to ensure it remains moist and tender while the exterior is deliciously caramelised. These types of dishes include the popular French Raclette, baked cheesy pasta casseroles, and thin cuts of meat or fish.
10. Frying
Frying is a method that we’re definitely all too familiar with. It’s not just an evergreen cooking method that’s used in most of our meals, but it’s also one of the most popular basic cooking methods one can learn.
The process of frying involves cooking food by exposing it or immersing it in hot oil like vegetable oil or fat such as butter. That’s because the whole objective of frying is to achieve a crispy outer layer while maintaining the tenderness and juiciness of the ingredients. Just like fried chicken and french fries!
But did you know that the term “frying” is actually an umbrella term for various cooking methods? These include:
Stir-Frying
Where diced or sliced ingredients constantly stirred in a hot pan or wok over high heat to have it quickly cooked. Some food examples that utilise this method include fried rice, ground beef and vegetables, and char kway teow.
Pan Frying
Where food is cooked using a small amount of oil or fat in a frying pan or sauté pan to sear or lightly brown the food. (This method is popular for steaks and fish fillets.)
Deep Frying
This cooking method involves completely immersing food in hot oil or fat to cook it thoroughly. Think dishes like deep fried katsu (deep fried pork loin), you tiao, and fried chicken.
Sautéing
Sautéing is a cooking technique where food is cooked in a small amount of oil in a pan while continuously stirring to ensure even cooking.
Combination Cooking Method
11. Stewing
Stewing is a slow-cooking method that is very similar to braising (which we will go into further detail below). Having said that, it differs from braising because it involves slowly cooking tougher cuts of meat in a large amount of liquid for an extended period of time. All this is done to transform these chunks into tender, succulent pieces.
It’s one of the most ideal methods to create hearty one-pot wonders like a traditional Lamb Rendang or a creamy chicken and mushroom stroganoff. This method is also one of the best cooking techniques to learn for people who want simple meals that require little clean up after cooking.
12. Braising
Having grown up in Singapore, most of us would be familiar with classic Chinese dishes like the popular Three Cup Chicken and Dong Po Rou. But did you know that these dishes are cooked using the braising cooking method?
Braising is a cooking method that combines both dry and moist heat to tenderise and cook tough or thick cuts of meat while enhancing their flavour. The process begins by searing the ingredients in oil or fat to build flavour, then submerging them into a covered pot of flavourful liquid like soy sauce-based gravies to slowly cook it.
This gets you truly flavourful and deliciously tender dishes with some classic examples being the dishes mentioned above, and international dishes like Coq Au Vin, a braised chuck roast with fresh herbs, and lentil curries.
Electrical Cooking Method
13. Sous-Vide
Sous-vide is a French term meaning “under vacuum” because it refers to a unique cooking method where vacuum-sealed food is placed in a temperature-controlled hot water bath to slow-cook. This particular cooking method uses an immersion circulator to strictly control the temperature range, a hot water tank, and a vacuum-sealer to get the job done.
While it all sounds like a lot of effort to cook one simple dish, sous-viding food is actually an almost fool-proof method to ensure moist, tender, and perfect cooking results that are packed with flavour. One of the tricks home cooks usually resort to ensure that is to marinate ingredients in fat or sauces to enhance its juiciness before starting the actual cooking process.
Some common dishes that are best suited for the sous-vide cooking method include steak, chicken, fish, poached eggs, and fish.
14. Microwave Cooking
Think the microwave is just there to let you reheat food easily? Think again. There’s more to this underrated electric box than that.
Microwave cooking is a fast and convenient cooking method that uses radiant heat to cook food from within. While it’s true that the microwave is often used for reheating leftovers or preparing microwavable frozen meals, did you know that it can also be used to cook dishes like mug cakes, steam vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, and scrambled eggs?
Because microwave cooking is an incredibly quick and easy cooking method for those who are open to get creative, it’s often regarded as a fan favourite in office pantries and busy households!
15. Pressure Cooking
Sous-vide, braising, and broiling aren’t the only methods to ensure tender cooking results when you have pressure cooking in your arsenal! Pressure cooking involves preparing food in a sealed pressure cooker, which increases the boiling point of water to accelerate the cooking process.
You’ll find that two types of cookware makes this possible - the electric pressure cooker, which is sometimes available in its multi-cooker form, and the traditional stainless steel manual pressure cooker.
It is essentially a faster version of stewing or slow-cooking which makes it ideal for tenderising tough cuts of meat like a chuck roast, while significantly reducing cooking times.
