Methods of cooking Food

Methods of cooking Food

Cooking helps to preserve colour, get a variety of texture, enhance flavours and make the nutrient easily available, though a few of the nutrients which are water-soluble, are lost or oxidised.

Various Methods Of Cooking

  1.Boiling

  2.Poaching

  3.Stewing

  4.Steaming

  5.Braising

  6.Roasting

  7.Grilling

  8.Baking

  9.Frying

  10.    Griddling OR Broiling

BOILING

Boiling is cooking by immersing the food in a pan of liquid, which must be kept on boiling all the time, i.e. quite number of bubbles should be seen on surface. Boiling is restricted for meat and poultry for the first few minutes in order to seal the pores, to retain natural juices and then gentle boiling must be take place which is known as simmering at 82degree Celsius. Boiling temperature is 100degree Celsius. Blanching is used when food needs to be precooked OR partly cooked.

BASIC RULES

                    I.                Scum that arise during the boiling must be                    removed.

      II.            Herbs or spices can be added to enhance the                flavour.

      III.            The food item should completely immersed                 throughout the process.

      IV.            The liquid in which food is boiled is known as               pot liquor.

       V.            Fast boiling should be done to green vegetables.

      VI.            Root vegetables must be placed in cold water              for boiling.

      VII.            Always poach fish never boil,

 POACHING

Poaching is cooking gently in water which is just below boiling point (93-95) degree Celsius. The liquid is half as close to boiling point as possible without there being any perceptible movement of liquid.

BASIC RULE

                  I.            Food item should be completely immersed in liquid.

             II.            As soon as the liquid with the food item begins to boil, lower the heat to allow poaching.

         III.            Whole fish must be placed into cold liquor to poach.

         IV.            Adding vinegar and salt help in quicker coagulation,

             V.            It is important that fresh eggs should be used for poaching.

STEWING

Stewing is gentle simmering in a small quantity of water, stock or sauce, until the cut food item is tender, and both liquid and food are served together.

It’s a time consuming method of cooking, but the advantage is that the coarser, older and cheaper type of poultry and meat are used as they are unsuitable for grilling and roasting. Cheaper cuts of meat are prepared by this method, as it renders it tender and palatable.

BASIC RULES

                 I.            While stewing, the liquid should cover the food           item.

      II.            It’s a slow process on the liquid long process of cooking will give a concentrated flavour to both the food and the sauce.

      III.            Item suitable for stewing are those which are of a tough nature.

STEAMING

Steaming is cooking by moist heat, i.e. steam-direct or indirect.

 Indirect steaming is done when the food is placed in a closed pan, which is surrounded by plenty of steam from fast-boiling water or in a steamer.

Direct steaming is by placing the article in a perforated container or on a covered plate over a saucepan of water.

BASIC RULES

                 I.            Only small suitable food item should be steamed, as it is cooked slowly. Green vegetables are not suitable for steaming as they lose the colour.

             II.            It’s a good method for invalids, as the steamed foods are easily digested.

 BRAISING

This a combined method of roasting & stewing.

The meat is first browned in its own fat or small amount of hot fat. This seals the pores and thus the juices are retained. It’s then placed in a bed of a root vegetables. Stock or demi-glaze should come two-third of the meat. The flavourings and seasoning are also added. The lid is put on and it is allowed to cook gently on the stove or in the oven. When nearly done, the lid id removed and the joint is frequently basted to glaze it. This latter process is always done in the oven to have an even colouring.

BASIC RULES

                                    I.            Braising pan should be in keeping with the size of the food item to be braised. This is to ensure even cooking, to avoid hot spots and cold spots.

                                II.            Fresh vegetables and herbs, with aroma, should be used as a bed for the joint to be braised.

                           III.             Food items i.e. meat, poultry and game, should be evenly colored while frying before being braised.

                           IV.            Braising should be done slowly so as to enable the interchange of flavours between the item and the liquid.

                                V.            An appropriate liquid should half-cover the food item.

 ROASTING

The term roasting was originally applied to the cooking of large pieces of meat, on a turning spit over an open fire, a practice which would be reasonably called GRILLING or BARBRQUING today. Traditional method of roasting, practiced at present, are

a.  Pot roasting

b. Oven roasting

c.   Spit roasting

POT ROASTING:- Cooking is done in a covered pan or pot. Only good quality meats, i.e. small joints and birds are used.

The meat or poultry or game bird is tied to retain the shape. It is placed in a thick bottom pot, fat should cover the bottom of the pan. The joint should touch the fat. Cover the pot with well fitted lid and cook on slow fire. When the joint is cooked, remove the joint of excess fat. Add stock so that the juices mix and get the flavour from the aromatic vegetables, and from the basis of the accompanying sauce or gravy, which is called JUS ROTI.

OVEN ROASTING:- it is a cooking in a roasting tray in an oven with the aid of fat and first-class meat; poultry and vegetables are used. Meat is put in hot fat and all sides are browned to seal the juices. Salt could be sprinkled later on. Baste the meat often so as to help the meat colour without drying. Pork and veal should be well done, whereas beef should be just done or underdone.

SPIT ROASTING: - It is the original form of roasting. The same principle of seasoning, basting and cooking with a fierce heat is done. It is cooking by direct heat, basted with fat.

BASIC RULES 

                I.            Items of meat, poultry and game for roasting must be tender and of top quality.

      II.            The juices from the process of roasting meat, poultry and game must be used to make the accompanying gravy.

      III.            The thicker the meat, lower should be the cooking temperature.

  
GRILLING

Cooking by the grilling method began years ago, when meat was first placed near or over on open fire. It is steadily advanced through the years to the most modern gas, electric grill and infrared models. The food is placed on grill bars, as subjected to the action of radiation which could be from below or above.

The grill bars should be cleaned and oiled, or bars will rust and food will stick. Usually small items are grilled; the meat is cut, flatten with bat. Then the meat should be seasoned with salt and pepper and brushed on both sides with oil. The meat is then grilled on the grill bars, turned when half-cooked, brushing oil occasionally and cooked to the required degree.

BASIC RULES

                             I.            Items for grilling must be small in size, flatten and of top quality.

                        II.            Grill bars should be cleaned and oiled.

                    III.            The item should be oiled and seasoned. Fish must be seasoned, flavoured and oiled.

BAKING

Baking is cooking of food by the action of dry heat in an oven. The degree of dryness of heat may be modified by the amount of steam produced from the items baked. Bread rolls, cakes, pastries, puddings, potatoes, vegetables and farinaceous dishes are baked.

During baking the mixture or moisture in the product expand by air, steam, or carbon dioxide.

BASIC RULES

                 I.            Items should be placed in the right position in the oven, the cool spot should be avoided.

      II.            The oven should have correct temperature according to the baking item, e.g. Rich cake have lower temperature.

FRYING

Food is fried when it is placed or immersed in oil or fat as a sufficiently high temperature; used to brown the surface at least and partially or completely cook the interior of the food. It creates a crispy crunch texture.

There are two type of frying:-

1.            Deep-frying

2.            Shallow-frying.

Deep frying is cooking food by immersing it in fat, while shallow-frying is cooking it in a little fat in a frying pan or sauté pan or on a griddle. It is the quick method of frying and a popular method for Indian cuisine. Temperature should be 90-110degree Celsius.

The fat should have a high smoking point. The frying pan should have sufficient depth. Fried foods have a good appearance. Some of the fried foods are:

Rissoles

Fish cakes

Vegetable fritters

Croquettes

Pakodas, etc.

BASIC RULES

                 I.            The fat must be hot enough to seal the outside of the item being fried.

      II.            Too many items should not be put at a time as it will reduce the temperature of the fat.

      III.            The fried item should have a uniform golden colour.

      IV.            Drain well on paper and serve at once on doily.

V.            Wet food item should be well dried before being fried.

BROILING

Broiling is cooking by direct heat is used synonymously with grilling. It could be done by source of heat above or below. It’s a dry cooking and can be done on a grid or pan-broiled, where the food is cooked uncovered. The pan or grill is oiled slightly to prevent sticking, excess fat removed.

Tenderest and most expensive cuts of beef and fish are often broiled. Grid markings on steak add attractiveness. Whole spices broiled on a hot tawa brings out the flavours.

BASIC RULES

               I.            Tawa or pan or grill may be oiled slightly to prevent sticking.

      II.            Dry cooking should take place.