For many people, controlling the heat while cooking is a difficult task. The ingredients for dishes vary widely, some are old and some are tender, some are soft and some are hard, and the cooking methods are not the same. The use of heat must be determined according to the texture of the ingredients and the cooking method. The following are several common types of heat.
High Heat: Stir-fried pork with scallions, etc.
High heat, also known as intense heat, is suitable for cooking methods such as stir-frying, quick-frying, blanching, boiling, and steaming. Dishes cooked with high heat generally have a soft, crispy, and tender texture. For example, boiling lamb slices and stir-frying pork with scallions over high heat can heat the main ingredients quickly, causing the fibers to contract sharply, which prevents the moisture in the meat from being easily lost, resulting in a tender texture when eaten. If the heat is insufficient, the temperature in the wok will not be high enough or the water will not boil, and the main ingredients will not contract in time, causing them to be overcooked. For vegetables, such as blanched spinach or stir-fried cabbage, using high heat can not only retain nutrients but also make the vegetables look more colorful and have a crisp and tender texture.
Stir-fried pork with scallions
Medium Heat: Braised fish, etc.
Medium heat, also known as moderate heat, is suitable for cooking methods such as pan-frying, deep-frying, and pan-searing. For example, when making dishes like braised fish, a deep-frying step is inevitable. Many people think that deep-frying requires high heat to achieve a crispy outside and tender inside, but this is not the case. If you use high heat to deep-fry, the ingredients will burn prematurely, resulting in a burnt outside and an uncooked inside. In addition, to protect the nutritional value of the ingredients and reduce the formation of carcinogens, ingredients are often coated with a batter before frying. If high heat is used, this batter is more likely to burn; but if low heat is used, the batter will fall off. Therefore, the best method is to put the ingredients in the oil with medium heat and then gradually increase the heat.
Low Heat: Braised pork ribs, etc.
Low heat, also known as gentle heat, is suitable for main ingredients that are old, hard, and tough, and is often used for cooking methods such as stewing, braising, simmering, and poaching. For example, when stewing meat or pork ribs, low heat should be used, and the larger the pieces of ingredients, the lower the heat should be. This allows the heat to slowly penetrate the ingredients, achieving a soft and tender result both inside and out. If high heat is used, it will cause the surface to contract sharply, which not only affects the texture but also leads to nutrient loss.
Some dishes require the use of two or more types of heat according to cooking requirements, such as clear stewed beef. Before cooking, the beef is first blanched in boiling water over high heat to remove blood foam and impurities; then it is moved to medium heat, auxiliary ingredients are added, and it is simmered for a moment; finally, it is cooked over low heat until done. The beef cooked in this way is excellent in color, aroma, and flavor.
It's onions