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SubjectFree lesson

METHODS OF COOKING

ClassNotes Team 6 MIN READUPDATED 13 JUN 2026

FOOD AND NUTRITION FIRST TERM SSS1

WEEK 2

METHODS OF COOKING

CONTENT

MOIST  METHOD;

This is the method of cooking with liquid. It has the following ways,

Frying,- This is a method of cooking in hot oil It is not an easy method of cooking, it requires constant and careful attention. It is not suitable for tough meat.

Types of frying

  1. Shallow frying; This involves just little oil/fat to cover the pan. This is suitable for foods like pancakes omelets etc
  2. Dry frying; This is suitable for frying bacon which gives out the energy of its own oil when heated.
  3. Deep(french/wet)frying. Deep frying requires more oil to cover the food to be fried. The saucepan is suitable for this frying method. Dishes to deep fry are; puff-puff, buns, akara-balls etc

Some rules for frying;

  1. Use clean oil or fat for frying.
  2. Heat the oil to the correct temperature before putting it in the food to be fried.
  3. Fry only a small quantity at a time.
  4. Do not fry food with water.
  5. Avoid frequent turning of foods.
  6. Re-heat oil and bring it back to the correct temperature before the next frying
  7. Do not cover foods while it is still hot.

Fats and oils suitable for frying

Vegetable oils- Ground nut oil, coconut  oil

Lard, Butter, Margarine.

Fulla- butter;-from cow’s milk

EVALUATION

  1. List (3) types of frying as a method.
  2. Explain  (3) rules in frying.

STEWING;-This is a method of cooking food slowly in a well-covered pan containing little water for a long time.

Reasons for stewing

  1. To keep the food tender.
  2. Stewing helps the connecting tissues of meat become gelatinized and fall apart.
  3. During stewing, protein coagulates without over-hardening.
  4. Stewing makes the soluble nutrients and flavour come into the liquid that is served with it.

Rules for stewing

  1. Cut food into small pieces.
  2. Use a saucepan with a cover.
  3. Bring to boiling point before reducing the heat.
  4. Use just enough liquid.
  5. Avoid opening the saucepan too frequently.
  6. Season well.

ADVANTAGES  OF  STEWING.

  1. Stewing is the most economical method of cooking.
  2. It makes tough food tender and digestive.
  3. It needs very little attention.
  4. It is a conservative method of cooking because the juices that escape going into the liquid served with the food, therefore nothing is wasted.
  5. Very little fuel is required during cooking.

DISADVANTAGES OF STEWING

  1. It is a slow method of cooking.
  2. The long cooking destroys some of the valuable nutrients in the food.

EVALUATION

  1. Define the stewing method of cooking.

2. State (2) the advantages of stewing.

BOILING

This is the method of cooking food in boiling water.

REASONS  FOR  BOILING

  1. To soften food.
  2. To extract nutrients from food.
  3. To preserve the nutrient in food.

ADVANTAGES   OF   BOILING

1. It is a quick and easy method of cooking.

2. It makes food easy to digest.

3. It does not need constant attention.

4. It is a cheap method of cooking.

DISADVANTAGES   OF  BOILING

1 Valuable  mineral  salt  and flavour dissolve  in the boiling water  which is usually thrown after   boiling

  1. The flavour of soups is not developed.
  2. Vitamin ”C” and “B”(water-soluble vitamins) are destroyed.

EVALUATION.

  1. State 3 reasons why we boil food.
  2. State 2 disadvantages and 2 advantages of boiling.

STEAMING.

Steaming is a method of cooking food in steam from boiling water. In steaming no water touches the food. The food may either be in direct contact with the steam (trapping of moi moi) or indirect contact with the steam.

RULES  FOR  STEAMING.

  1. The water should be boiling before the food is put in.
  2. The water should be kept boiling until the food is cooked.
  3. Choose a pan with a highly fitting lid to keep in the steam.

ADVANTAGES OF STEAMING.

  1. Steamed food is light and easily digestible.
  2. There is no loss of food value in the water during steaming.
  3. It is a conversation method of cooking.
  4. There is little risk of over-cooking.
  5. It is an economical and labour-saving method of cooking.

DISADVANTAGES  OF  STEAMING

  1. It is a slow method of cooking.
  2. It is only suitable for soft and small pieces of food.
  3. It wastes fuel.

DRY–HEAT METHODS

ROASTING

Roasting is a method of cooking  food  in an open pot over a glowing  fire

It is also a method of cooking food on a grid over smokeless charcoal.

Roasting can be in hot ash or sand. It can be in a little oil in a pot (pot roasting)

ADVANTAGES OF ROASTING

1.  It develops good flavour in food.

2.  Roasting in the oven requires little attention.

3. Roasting on the consumes less time.

DISADVANTAGES  OF ROASTING

1. Roasting on fire requires constant attention.

2. Roasting is not good for tough meat.

GRILLING

This is a method of cooking under, in front of or over an open smokeless fire. It is a quick method of cooking.

ADVANTAGES  OF  GRILLING

1.  It is a quick method of cooking

2.  Grilling foods can digest easily

DISADVANTAGE OF GRILLING

It requires  careful and constant attention

GENERAL RULES  FOR  ROASTING  AND  GRILLING

  1. The best quality foods should be used.
  2. Use a hot glowing, smokeless fire to brown the food quickly.
  3. Heat the grid before using it.
  4. Grease wet foods before placing them on the grid.
  5. Turn food repeatedly to prevent overcooking on one side.

BAKING
Baking is a method of cooking by heat in an enclosed space. It is a slow method of cooking as such, it wastes time.

ADVANTAGES OF BAKING

  1. It develops  good flavour in foods

2    Many foods can be baked once.

DISADVANTAGES OF BAKING

1 It requires attention.

2. It also requires careful temperature control.

GENERAL RULES FOR BAKING

  1. Heat the oven to the correct temperature before putting in the food
  2. Avoid crowding the oven.
  3. Avoid baking foods that give off moisture.
  4. Avoid banging the oven door.
  5. Avoid frequent opening of the oven.

EVALUATION

1 . Explain these types of cooking;-

a Roasting

b. Grilling

c. Baking.

2. State (2) general rules for grilling and baking.

READING   ASSIGNMENT

Methods of cooking;-

The students cooking book by Enid O'Reilly Wright  pgs20-29

WEEKEND ASSESSMENT

1……… is a method of cooking in hot oil(a)frying(b)baking (c)roasting.

2………is a method of cooking by heat in an enclosed space (a)stewing(b)boiling (c)baking

3………is a method of cooking in front of a smokeless fire (a)steaming (b)grilling (c)boiling.

4………involves little oil to cover the pan during frying. (a)frying (b)shallow frying(c)deep frying.

5………is an advantage of the boiling method (a)It makes food easy to digest. (b)the flavour of

soups is not developed © water-soluble vitamins are destroyed.

THEORY

  1. State (2) rules for baking.
  2. State (3) rules for frying.