What is Cookery/Cooking? The Aims, Objectives and Effect of Cooking Food

WHAT IS COOKERY / COOKING? 

Cooking, cookery and culinary is defined as "The art/process of preparing food for consumption by mixing, dressing and applying heat". Applying and removing heat from ingredients to make them more digestible, palatable and safe for human consumption.

     Cooking is considered "both an art and a science". The art of cooking is ancient. The first cook was a primitive man who placed a piece of meat on a fire which he lit to warm himself. He discovered that meat heated this way is not only tasty, but also much easier to chew. From this point in the unrecorded past, cooking evolved to reach its current level of sophistication. In the beginning, humanity ate to survive. Now we also still eat to survive, but efforts have been made to make food more enjoyable, such as cooking meat and vegetables in different ways to make them easier to eat, digest and make them more attractive, tastier and have a wider variety. This is the art of food preparation. However, it is not only the ingenious manipulation and combination of foods that lead to the good taste of the products. Nutritional aspects, the effects of combining different foods and the use of modern technologies can be considered the science of cooking.

 "How to cook" - can be considered an art

The "Why of cooking" could be a science.

 Balancing art and science must be the goal of every professional chef.

WHY COOK FOOD?

         Some foods can be eaten raw, such as salads and fruits, but some foods, such as beans and meat, must be cooked to be edible. if we eat some vegetables without cooking, they can carry harmful bacteria or substances into our body. For example, uncooked beans contain anti-digestive enzymes. Uncooked paprika (Paprika) contains capsaicin, which can cause burning of the stomach lining. Cooking helps to destroy unwanted substances present in food and the unwanted effects of their consumption. 

There are several reasons for cooking food. Some of them are −

•     To make the food digestible.
•     Kill any harmful bacteria that are present in it.
•     To make the appearance of the food pleasant.
•     To change its physical and chemical form.

  AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF COOKING FOOD 

1) Cooking increases the palatability. Cooking is pleasing to the eye and perceptive to the palate and helps to stimulate the digestive juices, creating an appetite.

2) Cooking helps ensure a balanced meal. Different ingredients combined in one dish make it easy to prepare a balanced meal.

3) Cooking partially sterilizes the food. Cooked food can be stored for a longer period of time and, if properly stored, prevents food poisoning and illness. Some germs are killed by cooking. They are killed due to the high temperature during the cooking process. A temperature of 600°C applied for 30 minutes or more kills most germs.

4) Cooking preserves, if possible, nutritional and flavor ingredients. The taste depends on the amount and type of extract present and the acids developed. The nutritional value will increase if the proportion of fat in the meat is higher. When cooking, nutrition could be preserved by using cooking liquor.

5) Cooking provides variety in the menu as one dish can be cooked in different ways and have different textures eg mutton in soup, roast, croquettes, stew, keema, sookha meat, boti kabab etc. Different cooking methods when used make the menu interesting and increase diversity. It is therefore easier to plan a balanced diet.

6) Cooking preserves food for a longer period of time. The high temperature destroys bacteria and reduces spoilage. It is economical because the cooked leftovers can be used to prepare new dishes.

  BENEFITS OF COOKING

The benefits of cooking are as follows:

• Cooking makes chewing food easier.
• Cooking softens the connective tissues in meat and makes animal foods more digestible.
• Cooking breaks down complex foods into simpler substances.
• Cooking helps kill harmful bacteria. This makes the food safe to eat.
• Cooking preserves food.
• Cooking increases the palatability. It improves the taste and enhances the taste.
• A wide variety of dishes can be prepared with different cooking methods, e.g. boiling, frying, roasting, microwaving, baking, smoking, etc.
• Cooking will make the food more colorful. It develops new tastes in food.
• Cooking adds noticeable texture to food.
• Cooking makes food tastier
• Cooking provides a balanced meal.
•  Cooking adds more nutritional value to foods.

FOOD CONSTITUENTS 

Food consists of the following five components:

A.  Carbohydrates

B.   Fats

C.   Proteins

D.   Minerals

E.   Vitamins

 A. Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates used in cooking include simple sugars such as glucose (from table sugar) and fructose (from fruit) and starches from sources such as cereal flour, rice, arrowroot and potatoes.

 B. Fats: Fats and oils come from both animal and plant sources. When cooking, fats add flavor and texture. When used as the primary cooking medium (rather than water), they also allow the cook access to a wide range of cooking temperatures. Common oil cooking techniques include sautéing, frying, and deep-frying. Commonly used fats and oils include butter, olive oil, sunflower oil, lard, beef tallow (drained and tallow), canola or canola oil, and peanut oil. The inclusion of fats tends to add flavor to cooked dishes.

 C. Protein: Edible animal material, including muscle, offal, milk, and egg white, contains significant amounts of protein. Almost all plant matter (especially legumes and seeds) also contains protein, although generally in smaller amounts. These can also be a source of essential amino acids.

 D. Minerals: Minerals are chemical elements needed by living organisms other than the four elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen that are present in common organic molecules. Sometimes these "minerals" come from natural sources, such as ground oyster shells. Sometimes minerals are added to the diet separately from food, such as mineral supplements, the most famous being iodine in "iodized salt". Other minerals are calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulphur. These minerals are obtained from milk, other dairy products, grains, legumes, bone meal, meat, fish, all fruits, vegetables, table and sea salt, etc.

 E. Vitamins: Vitamins are essential for normal growth and development. It is a key nutrient that the body needs in small amounts to grow and maintain strength. Examples are vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamins are found in many fruits and vegetables; especially green peppers, citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, leafy greens, potatoes, animal foods; such as liver, whole eggs and milk.

  EFFECT OF COOKING 

The effect of cooking on food components is discussed below:-

  Effect of Heat on Carbohydrates: The interaction of heat and carbohydrates is complex. Long-chain sugars, such as starch, tend to break down into more simple sugars when cooked, while simple sugars can form syrups. If the sugars are heated to remove all water of crystallization, caramelization begins, with the sugar undergoing thermal decomposition to form carbon and other breakdown products producing caramel. An emulsion of starch with fat or water can thicken the prepared dish when heated slightly. In European cuisine, a mixture of butter and flour called roux is used to thicken liquids when making stews or sauces. In Asian cuisine, a similar effect is obtained from a mixture of rice or cornstarch and water. These techniques rely on the properties of starches to create simpler mucilaginous carbohydrates during cooking, which causes the familiar thickening of sauces. However, this thickening will break down under further heat.

Effects of Heat on Proteins: When proteins are heated, they denature and change texture. In many cases, this will make the texture of the material softer or more crumbly - the meat will overcook. Cooking at normal temperatures makes protein foods more digestible. At high temperatures, the protein itself is denatured, making it nutritionally valuable. In some cases, proteins can form more rigid structures, such as albumen coagulation in egg whites.

Effect of Heat on Fats: Fat melts when it comes into contact with heat. During long-term heating to a very high degree, partial decomposition of fats occurs and the formation of fatty acids and glycerol. Glycerol is further broken down into carol, which is a compound that irritates the digestive system. When fat is heated at too low a temperature for a long time, it thickens and becomes rubbery. This condition is known as polymerization and fat that has reached this stage is no longer suitable for use.

Effects of Heat on Minerals: Cooking does not result in any appreciable loss of minerals. Some minerals are more easily available by cooking.

Effects of Heat on Vitamins: Some unavoidable loss of vitamins occurs during cooking. The loss is significant for thiamin and vitamin C. Vitamins A and D are not destroyed by normal cooking methods. Vitamin B can be destroyed during cooking if it is cooked at a high temperature. Using baking soda in cooking causes further destruction of vitamins.

  EFFECTS OF COOKING ON DIFFERENT TYPES OF INGREDIENTS

Cereals: Rice is washed before cooking. Excessive washing removes water-soluble vitamins and minerals. Actively cooking rice in large amounts of water and draining the excess water at the end of cooking leads to further loss of B vitamins and minerals. Therefore, rice must be cooked with enough water to absorb all the water at the end of cooking - this is usually 2 to 2 ½ times the volume of rice. All grains (e.g. water flour) absorb water and during cooking the starch granules swell and burst. Thanks to this, the digestion of starch is fast and complete.

  Legumes: Legumes are rich in protein (20 to 25 percent). They also contain a small amount of starch. It is very important to cook the legumes very thoroughly. This destroys the antitypical substance present in them.

Green Leafy Vegetables: Green leafy vegetables are valued for vitamins and minerals. Vitamin A, which occurs in the form of thiamine and vitamin C, is partially destroyed by cooking. If the cooking water is drained, not only vitamins will be lost, but also minerals. Therefore, it is recommended that green leafy vegetables be cooked in a small amount of water and for an appropriate amount of time. Baking soda should not be used to speed up cooking.

Other Vegetables: Vegetables such as potatoes should be cooked with the outer skin intact; thus they retain all the vitamins and minerals contained in them. As a rule, vegetables should be cooked in a small amount of water to avoid losing vitamins and minerals. They can also be steamed.

Cooking Fruits: Most fruits are eaten fresh and raw. This makes the vitamins present in the fruit easily available. Fruit can also be cooked by steaming; this will lead to the loss of some vitamins, especially vitamin C.

Cooking Meat: Meat is cooked in many ways. During cooking, the precipitation of meat proteins occurs at 60°C.

• There is a reduction in water content; as a result, the meat curdles,
• Collagen, which is the protein of connective tissues, turns into gelatin,
• Elastic, which is also part of the connective tissue, is not affected,
• Meat fat melts,
• Minerals are lost in cooking water, but this water can be used as a soup or sauce,
• Loss of B vitamins, especially thiamine.

Cooking Fish: Fish contains so little connective tissue that the cooking time is very short. Proteins coagulate at 60 °C.

Boiling Milk: When milk is heated, a scum consisting of fat forms on the surface. This makes it difficult for steam to escape; thus, milk is easily boiled. Part of the lactalbumin sticks to the sides and bottom. Longer boiling changes the taste of milk. The cooked taste is caused by burning or caramelizing the milk sugar. Thiamin and vitamin C are destroyed during boiling. Milk, which is already a poor source of vitamin C, becomes depleted at the end of boiling. Cooking destroys the enzymes and beneficial lactic acid bacteria present in the milk.

  Boiling Eggs: Egg albumin begins to coagulate at 60°C; and solidifies at 64°C – 65°C. At the boiling point (100 °C), albumin becomes solid. However, there is little change in the nutrients present in the egg.