Question

can anyone explain the process of saponification?

Answer 1

It is pretty much reduces to the conversion of a fat with a strong alkali (base) into a soap.
Soap molecules attache themselves to other molecules of fat while remaining disolved in water, and in fact renderinf fat a solute in water.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponification

Answer 2

Usually, a process by which triglycerides are reacted with sodium or potassium hydroxide to produce glycerol and a fatty acid salt, called 'soap'.

Lipids that contain fatty acid ester linkages can undergo hydrolysis. This reaction is catalyzed by a strong acid or base. Saponification is the alkaline hydrolysis of the fatty acid esters.