so why are steamed veg better for you than stir fried?

[egypt]

stupid q really, but is it just due to the oil used in frying?

cos steamed veg are generally yuk and stirfried are yum. so if i use olive oil, surely i'm not adding anything bad to make them naughty am i?

ie
will my dh still lose weight?!

[mybabysinthegarden]

I don't think they are, except for the oil; the real culprit is boiling, which leaches out lots of the vits. All oils have the same amount of calories though (and olive oil's superiority is partly a matter of good PR) so if you're cooking for weight-loss go easy on the oil, whatever kind you're using. I usually use peanut for stir-frying as it can withstand a higher temp than olive.

[egypt]

mmmm
thank you

[penguinaballerina]

Sunflower oil is good for stir frying too. Also sesame oil, which has an authentic oriental taste and can cope with very high temperatures, unlike olive oil.

I do "steam frying" which uses less fat than stir frying.

I just use a tiny amount of oil to start with - just enough to coat the vegetables and seal the juices in. I cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add a tiny bit of water if the vegetables start drying out too much. This way it's less fattening but also keeps the vegetables crisp. IT's handy to keep some water in a jug by the wok so you can add just a small amount each time. You don't want the veggies swimming in water and going soggy.

You do have to stir constantly though, because with the small amount of fat they will soon stick to the wok.

[penguinaballerina]

Sunflower oil is good for stir frying too. Also sesame oil, which has an authentic oriental taste and can cope with very high temperatures, unlike olive oil.

I do "steam frying" which uses less fat than stir frying.

I just use a tiny amount of oil to start with - just enough to coat the vegetables and seal the juices in. I cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add a tiny bit of water if the vegetables start drying out too much. This way it's less fattening but also keeps the vegetables crisp. IT's handy to keep some water in a jug by the wok so you can add just a small amount each time. You don't want the veggies swimming in water and going soggy.

You do have to stir constantly though, because with the small amount of fat they will soon stick to the wok.

[penguinaballerina]

Sunflower oil is good for stir frying too. Also sesame oil, which has an authentic oriental taste and can cope with very high temperatures, unlike olive oil.

I do "steam frying" which uses less fat than stir frying.

I just use a tiny amount of oil to start with - just enough to coat the vegetables and seal the juices in. I cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add a tiny bit of water if the vegetables start drying out too much. This way it's less fattening but also keeps the vegetables crisp. IT's handy to keep some water in a jug by the wok so you can add just a small amount each time. You don't want the veggies swimming in water and going soggy.

You do have to stir constantly though, because with the small amount of fat they will soon stick to the wok.

[penguinaballerina]

Ooops! Sorry don't know what happened there.

[bran]

I use a non-stick wok and a very small amount of oil, I agree with you that stir-fried is much tastier than steamed with only a few exceptions.

[egypt]

thank you all

am adding sesame/sunflower oil to my shopping list

[suzywong]

although I can't find the article I read once that green vegetables, especially salad leaves, rely on good oils in order to release their leafy goodness properly