There are many ways to cook food and the outcome of the food will vary according to the method used and the ingredients included. Cooking methods differ according to various cultures and have come down through generations, depicting historical necessities in that era. Cooking techniques can be broadly divided into wet and dry methods of cooking, such as:

Dry Methods:

. Baking is cooking of food by dry heat in an oven. When baking, steam rises from the water content of the food and combines with the dry heat in the oven to cook the food. E.g. pastry, cakes, baked jacket potatoes.

. Some food are baked with increased humidity e.g. bread wherein a bowl of water is placed to increase the humidity.

. Bain marie: the food is placed in a container of water when baking, thus the heat is modified so that the food cooks more slowly and does not overheat or overcook.

. Broiling is a quick method to cook tender cuts of meats, poultry, fish and ham. The broiler compartment is located beneath the oven. Cooking times for broiled food vary as there are differences in thickness of meat, in fat content and personal preferences. The distance between the meat and the broiler flame regulates the broiling time and the degree of doneness.

. Frying is cooking of food in fat or oil, a technique developed in ancient Egypt around 2500 BC. Technically, oils and fats are the same, apart from the melting point. Frying techniques differ according to the fat required, the cooking time, cooking vessel and the manipulation of food. Stir frying, Sautéing, pan frying, shallow frying and deep frying are general frying techniques.

o Deep fat frying has become popular world wide as deep fried products appeals to consumers of all ages, and is quick. They also have a long shelf life. Products such as french fries, potato chips, nuts, doughnuts, etc can be easily prepared and packaged for storage. o Sautéing and stir-frying involves cooking in a think layer of fat on a hot surface, in a frying pan, griddle, wok or Sautéuse. Stir frying is done by frying quickly at very high temperatures, with the food being stirred continuously to prevent it from getting stuck in the cooking surface and getting burnt.

. Grilling is a form of cooking where the food is exposed to a grill that involves direct heat.

. Roasting is another cooking method that uses dry heat, in either by way of open flame, oven or other heat sources.

. Barbecuing is to roast, broil, or grill food over live coal in the open.

. Microwaving heats food by dielectric heating and the appliance used is called a microwave or microwave oven.

Wet Methods:

. Bain-marie is a French term for a piece of equipment used in industry, science and cooking to heat gently and gradually to fixed temperatures or to keep materials warm over a duration of time.

. Basting is a cooking technique in which the meat is left to cook either on its own juices or with a sauce or marinade. This is prominently used for grilling, roasting or rotisserie.

. Blanching is a term used when a vegetable or fruit is plunged into boiling water, removed after a brief time and immersed in iced water or placed under cold running water to halt the cooking process.

. Boiling is a cooking process where the food in raw form is immersed into the water which is on a fire and with the rapid vaporization of the liquid, the food starts softening up.

. Clay pot cooking is an easy, efficient and healthy cooking method that retains nutrients and cuts down on the need for added fats. . Poaching is the process of simmering food in liquid, generally, milk, water, stock or wine.

. Pressure cooking is a method of cooking in a sealed vessel that does not allow air or liquids to escape below a preset pressure, because as the pressure increases, the boiling point of water increases and the pressure build up inside the cooker allows the liquid to rise to a higher temperature before boiling.

. Scalding is to heat a liquid, usually milk, in a saucepan until it boils.

. Simmering is cooking food in hot liquids kept below boiling point, and letting the food cook in this heat. When evaporation of the water takes place the quantity of the liquid reduces and the food is cooked simultaneously.

. Sous-vide is a method of cooking that is meant to maintain the integrity of ingredients by heating for long periods of time at low temperatures in air tight plastic bags, placed in hot water below boiling point.

. Steaming is a process of cooking where an utensil has boiling water with another utensil which has perforations through which the steam can go through is placed on top and the food item that requires steaming is kept inside the top utensil.

. Stewing is a slow cooking in a closed pan at a temperature below boiling point.

. Tempering is adding cooler liquid to a hotter liquid to prevent curdling.

Different forms of cooking practiced in different cultures produces gourmet delights to the consumers and provides a unique experience of their culture.

Summery: This article describes the various cooking practices of different cultures, describing them under two main cooking methods, the wet and dry cooking.