To dry fry is to fry food using no oil at all — cooking it in a dry, usually non-stick pan. The technique works for foods that release their own fat, like bacon, duck breast, or minced meat, which render enough to cook in; and for spices, which are dry-fried or dry-roasted to wake up their volatile oils before grinding. A heavy pan brought to temperature does the work that oil normally does — conducting heat evenly to the food’s surface — while the absence of added fat keeps the result leaner. The cook’s discipline matters: without oil’s forgiveness, temperature control must be precise to avoid sticking and scorching. Dry frying belongs to health-conscious cooking and to spice craft alike — two different kitchens using the same principle that heat, well managed, needs no lubricant.