Boiling is one of the easiest ways to prepare vegetables. All you need is
a cooking pot, some water, some vegetables, and maybe a bit of salt. It's quick
and convenient!But boiling vegetables causes them to lose some of their
nutritional value. The boiling
water leeches some of the vitamins and nutrients, and even some of the
flavor, right out of the veggies. The best way to minimize that nutrient loss
is to make sure that they spend as little time as possible in the boiling
water. And just how you do that depends on what kind of vegetable you're
boiling.
Steaming is a great method for cooking vegetables. It cooks the vegetables
and softens them up, but because they're not immersed in water, they don't lose
as many nutrients. It also preserves more of the flavour than boiling does.And
like boiling, steaming is super convenient. Even though you can get a special
cooking appliance, a steamer, you really don't need one. If you have a pot, some water,
and a steaming basket, you're all set. Or if you don't have a steaming basket,
even a colander can do the trick. There's even a way to steam vegetables using
just a pot and a bit of water. What could be easier?
Sautéing vegetables, or stir-frying them, means cooking them over fairly
high heat, and stirring them often. The high heat helps them cook quickly,
which minimizes nutrient loss. And stirring them keeps them from
burning!Sautéing is a really tasty way to cook vegetables. They keep a lot more
flavour than boiling or even steaming, so that you taste how delicious the veggie
really is. And it also lends itself really well to seasoning the vegetables. A
little bit of oil and spices or a tasty marinade can really make your
vegetables go from good to outstanding.Unlike some of the other methods for
cooking vegetables, though, you really have to keep an eye on sautéing vegetables.
They can burn pretty quickly!
Roasting: One of the great things
about roasting vegetables is that even though it takes a while to cook, the
preparation time is pretty much non-existent – just toss the veggies with a bit
of oil and herbs, put them in a baking dish, and let them roast. It's
especially nice when the rest of your meal takes a little more attention, so
that you can work on it in peace.Roasting gives the vegetables a unique flavor that you don't get by boiling or
steaming. Cooking them slowly in the oven helps them caramelize a little bit,
bringing out their natural sweetness and enhancing their flavour. And it's so
easy to add a few delicious herbs and spices. Yum!
Grilling aka Braaing. Some vegetables are just better on the grill. Grilling gives that
special cooked outdoors, perfectly browned taste that no other cooking method
can match. And you can easily marinate the vegetables, or add some herbs or a
sauce to them before cooking to give them some extra flavour.Grilling isn't
quite as convenient as some of the other cooking methods though. For one thing,
you need a grill. And that also means it's usually more of a warm weather kind
of meal. But you also have to keep a close eye on the vegetables while they're
cooking. They'll usually need to be flipped, and checked to be sure they're not
burning. Not as convenient, but well
worth the effort!
Braising is a cross between steaming and boiling. Instead of cooking the
vegetables by completely immersing them in boiling water, you only add enough
water to cover about half the vegetables. Like steaming, it cooks the
vegetables a bit more gently than boiling. But it's usually a bit quicker than
just steaming, since part of the vegetables are in the water. And using just a
bit of water means that you don't lose as many nutrients or flavor, so you get extra delicious vegetables.And it's so
easy. Vegetables and a pot filled with a bit of water is all you need for a
delicious vegetable side dish! You can even use stock or wine for some extra
flavour.
