In this article, Yulia Bogdanova, author of the Spinach and Buckwheat blog, talks about fat, the dangers of refined oils and shares a recipe for preparing mushrooms using the dry frying method.
Fat is one of the three macronutrients necessary for human life. Fats are needed for most metabolic processes in the body – from the synthesis of a number of hormones and the assimilation of fat-soluble vitamins to thermal insulation and protection from mechanical damage.
Scientists and advocates of various types of diets argue about what ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the human diet is optimal for health and what are the benefits or harms of animal fats, but they are unanimous on one thing – industrial refined fats should not have a place in a healthy diet.
Here are some reasons why you should eliminate refined oils from your diet:
– In the process of intensive industrial processing to obtain refined oil, all nutrients are removed from primary raw materials (seeds, nuts and beans). Such oil becomes colorless and tasteless, but with an unlimited shelf life, convenient for producers.
– Most of the industrially produced oils contain predominantly omega-6 fatty acids, which in large quantities provoke a systemic, non-localized inflammatory response and, accordingly, constantly induce an immune response to extinguish inflammation. And this gradually depletes the strength and resources of the body. Such inflammatory processes are one of the main causes of modern chronic diseases: cardiovascular, type II diabetes, autoimmune, etc.
What oils are recommended to use:
– for salads: fresh unrefined cold-pressed oils: olive, linseed, hemp, sesame, walnut oil;
– for gentle sautéing: olive, coconut;
– for frying: heat-resistant coconut and palm oil, ghee and animal fats, if consumed;
At home, I most often use lower-temperature cooking methods than frying: I sauté onions and aromatic vegetables, bake everything else in the oven, cook, steam. But sometimes you can’t do without frying – for example, with pancakes (always whole grains!), Which children dearly love, or for a more intense taste and a characteristic light brown fragrant crust. Then you can use the dry frying method, for example.
The most important thing here is to heat the pan (I use stainless steel) to an optimally high temperature, at which nothing sticks to its surface for some time. You can determine the optimal temperature using the following test: drip water onto a hot frying pan – if a drop of water practically in its entirety moves along the surface of the pan, like a ball on a billiard table, then this is a suitable temperature for dry frying.
And here is a simple and nutritious recipe for dry-fryed aromatic mushrooms with garlic:
Ingredients:
1/2 small onion;
2 garlic cloves;
2 cups fresh mushrooms – champignons, oyster mushrooms, or wild mushrooms when in season
3 tablespoons of Madeira, cognac, balsamic vinegar or vegetable broth;
2 tablespoons of chopped green onions
unrefined sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Preparation
Finely chop the onion and garlic. Cut the mushrooms into large enough pieces. Preheat a skillet over high heat. When the water drop test shows that the surface of the pan is at the correct temperature, add the onions to the pan, reduce the heat to medium and stir-fry the onions until they stick to the pan. Add mushrooms and garlic to the pan and cook until they are brown and stick to the pan as well.
Add the liquid you decide to use to deglaze the pan (deglaze is used when frying to preserve all the flavor and aroma in a situation where food particles remain in the pan), stir the contents thoroughly so that no particles remain on the bottom of the pan, and keep on medium or low heat for 3-4 minutes. Watch carefully throughout the entire process so that the vegetables do not burn.
Add green onions, salt and pepper to taste. Mushrooms can be served as a side dish, as an appetizer, or, for example, on top of whole grain toast like bruschetta.