Yes, you can cook food using salt as a medium, a technique sometimes referred to as 'salt frying' or 'salt cooking'. However, it's important to understand that this method differs significantly from traditional frying in oil or fat.
Understanding Salt Cooking (Salt Frying)
Based on expert insights, cooking in salt or salt frying is one of the best alternatives for low-calorie and high-nutrition foods. This practice utilizes salt as a cooking medium, enveloping the food item to ensure even heating and moisture retention.
Unlike conventional frying where food is submerged in hot oil, salt cooking is a dry heat method. The reference states that salt cooking can grill, bake or roast foods while providing an unexpected texture and flavour. This means the hot salt acts similarly to an oven or hot coals, transferring heat to the food through direct contact.
Benefits of Cooking in Salt
- Low-Calorie Alternative: As it doesn't use added oils or fats, it's ideal for healthier meal preparation.
- High-Nutrition: Helps retain the natural nutrients of the food.
- Enhanced Flavour and Texture: The salt creates a sealed environment, locking in natural juices and imparting a unique flavour profile and tender texture.
- Food Safety: Experts suggest this practice protects against foodborne illnesses. (Reference: 22-Jun-2023)
How Does It Work?
Typically, food is covered completely in a bed of hot salt. The salt, once heated, maintains a consistent temperature and provides uniform heat distribution around the food. This method is commonly used for:
- Whole fish
- Poultry pieces
- Vegetables
The outer layer of salt often hardens into a crust, which is discarded after cooking. This crust helps steam the food within, resulting in moist and flavorful results.
Salt Cooking vs. Traditional Frying
While the term "salt frying" is sometimes used, here's a comparison to clarify the difference:
| Feature | Salt Cooking (Salt Frying) | Traditional Frying |
|---|---|---|
| Medium | Hot Salt | Hot Oil or Fat |
| Heat Type | Dry Heat (similar to baking/roasting) | Wet Heat (from hot liquid fat) |
| Calories | Low (no added oil/fat) | Higher (due to oil/fat absorption) |
| Texture | Often moist and tender inside | Crispy outside, varied inside |
| Method Used | Encasing food in hot salt | Submerging food in hot oil/fat |
| Result | Grilling, baking, or roasting effect in salt crust | Cooked in oil |
In essence, while you can cook food in salt, a method sometimes called salt frying, it is a technique based on dry heat transfer within a salt medium, producing results closer to baking or roasting rather than the crispy outcome of traditional frying in oil.
