To sear food means to cook it quickly at high heat, usually with a hot pan or grill. It's often used for meat, but can also be applied to other foods like vegetables.
When people talk about searing food, they're usually thinking of how it affects the texture and flavor. Searing is all about getting that nice crust on the outside while keeping the inside juicy. It's a technique used in many different cuisines, from steakhouses to stir-fry kitchens. Imagine cooking a steak: you'd heat up a pan with oil until it's almost smoking hot, then throw in the steak and cook for just a minute or two on each side. That's searing! The result is a perfectly cooked exterior that's crispy and golden, while the inside remains tender. Some chefs even use searing as a way to add flavor, by adding aromatics like garlic or herbs to the pan before cooking the main ingredient.
Dry; withered, especially of vegetation.
