Low-water cooking is pretty much what it says - cooking with the minimum of water. Many of us have grown up with the idea of boiling potatoes and vegetables totally immersed in water, and in fact would worry about them "boiling dry" if we did it any other way. But there is another way, a way that is healthier, tastier, more economical and less demanding on the environment. This short guide explains, why and how to adapt your cooking style.

WHY:

1. Save energy and money. Have you ever noticed how bringing a pan of water to the boil also heats up the entire kitchen? In fact it takes as much energy to raise a pan of cold water to 99°C as it does to heat a small room from 0 to 21°C - a comfortable temperature. It then takes half as much energy again to make a full pan of water boil. Low water cooking needs proportionately less energy simply because it has less water to heat. You save water and fuel, and therefore money. It's also good for the environment!

2. Eat healthier food. Boiling vegetables loses vitamins, minerals and trace elements that are essential to a healthy diet. How many times have you been told not to waste the water you boiled your veggies in "because that's were all the goodness is"?  Uhuh. Here's a radical suggestion, let's keep the goodness were it belongs - in the food!

3. Enjoy tastier better looking food. It's not just the goodness you boil away with traditional methods, it's flavour too. Colour also dilutes out (think pea-water), and we all eat with our eyes to one degree or another.

WHAT YOU NEED:

1. Your veggies.
2. Cooker.
3. Saucepan(s). Now here is the key, you need a saucepan with a well fitting lid and a steam vent. Low water cooking relies essentially on steaming the veggies exactly the same way as an electric steamer - but without having to buy an electric steamer or the hassle of cleaning it etc.
4. Water.
5. (Optional) Salt / seasoning.

HOW:

You've probably guessed the basics already, and as with many things the devil is in the detail. How little water can you get away with and how long will it take before your food is cooked or the water runs out?

Unfortunately there is not a simple stock answer for this because it depends on the size and quality of your cookware, how well the saucepan lid fits, how big the steam vent is, etc. etc.

In an ideal situation, with a high quality pan on an induction hob (which wastes very little energy in comparison to any other type of hob) you should be able to rinse the veggies, rinse the pan, and then put the veggies in to cook with no extra water at all. Yes, I know what you're thinking - it just doesn't sound right does it? For most of us it will not be right either. But I can cook a pan full of potatoes in my reasonable quality saucepan on a gas hob with about ¾ of an inch of water, in 15 or 16 minutes (from cold).

Treat your first experiments in low-water cooking as a sort of game; start with half the water you would normally use, then halve it again the next time. Keep going until you reach the point were you have to top up the water before the food is cooked - then go back one step to the ideal for your cooker / cookware combination. You'll soon find the right level and with a little practice will adapt your cooking times to accomodate the quicker cooking. Remember, if the pan is beginning to look dry , but other dishes are not quite ready, you can always just turn off the heat (or remove the pan from the heat on electric hobs) and leave things to finish cooking in their own heat. Don't remove the lid until you are ready with everything else (you don't want the heat to escape!). If your pan has an adjustable steam vent, close it.

If you do get it wrong, don't scour your cookware! If an overnight soak doesn't lift any stuck on food residue, try a second soak in warm water with a little biological washing powder (the same enzymes that get your clothes clean will usually deal with the pan too!).

A NOTE ABOUT FOOD SAFETY:

Because low-water cooking relies essentially on steaming rather than boiling, your veggies are actually exposed to slightly higher temperatures than in traditional boiling. In reality it should make no difference to the safety of your food; most germs and other nasties found in food are killed by temperatures over 80-85°C and the ones that are not will withstand higher temperatures than boiling will ever produce.

That's all folks. Don't forget, if you need to upgrade your cookware to enjoy delicious healthy veggies cooked with minimal water, visit our eBay shop !

Ian Ibbetson
Home and Kitchen Limited