UNDERSTANDING VEGETABLES

Hello it's me again . Today we gonna learn about Understanding Vegetables.

What is vegetable?

> Were at one time, abused neglected and unimportant.

> Today, vegetables are appreciated for their nutrition , variety, flavor, eye appeal, and sophistication .

> Vegetables are highly perishable.

Controlling quality changes during cooking 

Cooking that affects vegetables in 4 ways

. Texture

. Flavor

. Color 

. Nutrients

Controlling Texture Changes

. Starch is another vegetables component that affects texture

. Dry starch food must be cooked in enough water to absorb moisture and soften.

. Moist starchy vegetables have enough moisture of their own but must be cooked to be eaten.

Doneness

. A vegetable is done when it has reached its peak degree of tenderness.

. Most vegetables are best cooked al dente (firm to the bite)

. Cooked vegetables cannot be kept hot very long.

Controlling Flavor Changes

Cooking Produces Flavor Changes 

. Some vegetables change flavors. Cook as short a time as possible.

. Avoid overcooking because some vegetables develop a strong and unpleasant flavor when overcooked.

Cooking and Sweetness

. Young, freshly harvested vegetables have a high sugar content. As they mature or sit in storage the sugar turns to starch.

. To serve sweet-tasting vegetables: 

. Serve young fresh vegetables use a little sugar in the cooking water to compensate for the lack of natural sweetness.

Controlling Nutrient Losses

The six factors responsible for most nutrient loss:

. High temperature 

. Long Cooking 

. Leaching 

. Alkalis (baking soda, hard water)

. Plant enzymes

. Oxygen

General Rules of vegetable Cookery 

. Don't overcook 

. Cook as close to service time as possible

. If you need to cook it ahead of time undercook and chill rapidly, reheat at service time.

. Never use baking soda with green vegetables

. Cut vegetables uniformly

. Start most vegetables cooking in boiling water, but start roots and tubers in cold water.

. Cook green vegetables uncovered

. Cook red and white vegetables in slightly acid liquid. Cook green vegetables in neutral liquid.

. Do not mix batches of cooked vegetables.