Abstract: A process for cooking a food in oil and/or fat is provided. An acidic dry protein mixture, an alkaline dry protein mixture, an aqueous alkaline protein mixture or an aqueous acidic protein is added to a food prior to cooking. The food containing the protein is cooked in a fat and/or oil. Accumulated fat and/or oil on the surfaces of the cooked food then is removed. The acidic dry protein mixture, alkaline dry protein mixture, aqueous alkaline protein mixture and aqueous acidic protein solution comprise myofibrillar proteins and sarcoplasmic proteins substantially free of myofibrils and sarcomeres. The amount of oil and/or fat absorbed by the food during cooking is substantially reduced.