Home Sciences

Key Unit Competency

To be able to identify and apply a variety of cooking methods.

Learning objectives

After studying this topic, I should be able to:

• Identify types of cooking related to boiling, frying, baking, grilling, roasting, broiling, poaching and smoking.

• Define food items best suited to the different methods of cooking.

• Describe recipe items that are used in various methods of cooking.

• Cook food using the different methods.

Introduction

Look at the following foods. Explain how each of the foods may have been prepared. Which meal will be the most enjoyable for you? Why is that the case?

What do your answers to above questions tell you about what you will learn in this unit?

Types of cooking methods

The foods we eat can be cooked in various ways. The choice of a cooking method is determined by the type of food to be cooked and the kind of results a cook intends to have.

Activity 7.1

1. Why do we cook food? Talk to your friend about this.

2. Look at the pictures below. What do you observe?

3. Which methods of cooking are they? Why were they chosen?

4. Write short notes then make a presentation to the rest of your class members.

The facts

Food in its raw state can be unsafe for consumption; unless you are eating fruits and selected vegetables. The following are some reasons why cooking food is important:

(i) To kill germs - Raw food is highly likely to contain disease-causing micro-organisms. Food should therefore be cooked to remove any germs or parasites that may be present. Foods such as meat, cereals, most vegetables and some fruits should be cleaned properly before cooking.

(ii) To improve the appearance of the food - Cooking food correctly will make it more palatable. Examples can be roasted chicken, meat and potatoes.

(iii)To improve the flavour of food.

(iv) To help make food tender - Some foods are very tough. Cooking such foods make them easy to chew by softening their fibres. An example is meat.

(v) To enable food to last longer without going bad.

Health check!

Ensure the food you eat is well-cooked. Bacteria and other disease-causing microorganisms thrive in food that has not been well-cooked.

Give other reasons for cooking other than the ones above.

Cooking methods

Before looking at the specific cooking methods and their recipes, let us look at some factors that may influence choice of a cooking method. They include:

           • The life stage and health condition of the consumer of the meal.

           • The available time.

           • The available fuel or cooking resources.

           • The available cooking equipment.

           • The skill and knowledge of how to go about a cooking method.

           • Type of food.

The cooking methods fall under two main categories:

      1. Moist-heat methods - These involve wetting the food. Examples are boiling, poaching and frying.

      2. Dry-heat methods - Here, no liquid is used for cooking the food. They include baking, grilling, roasting, broiling and smoking.

Let us now study these methods in detail.

1. Moist-heat cooking methods

The three methods under moist-heat cooking are:

a) boiling    b) frying     c) poaching

Note: You can boil food in both cold or warm water.

7.1 Boiling

This is cooking food while completely immersed in boiling water, that is at 100oC until it is ready. The length of time taken to boil a given food is determined by:

• The type of food being cooked.

• The person eating the food. For example, food for infants cannot be boiled at the same length of time as that for adults.

Examples of foods that can be boiled include:

    - Root vegetables such as yams, sweet potatoes, cassava, Irish potatoes and carrots.

    - Cereals such as maize, rice and wheat.

    - Tough cuts of meat.

    - Pulses such as beans and peas.

    - Bananas or plantains.

General rules for boiling food

Activity 7.2

Your teacher will give you Irish potatoes to boil. Write down the steps that you followed. Compare your steps with the ones given below.

The facts The following steps are followed when boiling foods:

• Put the food in the cooking pot or pan then place in source of fire.

• Boil the food for some time.

• Ensure that you have a fitting lid to cover the pan or pot so that steam does not escape as you boil.

• After the food has boiled for some time, reduce the heat for the food to simmer. This helps to prevent the food from becoming too soft/ragged (maintains shape of food).

• Root vegetables should be cut into even sizes to allow even cooking.

• Vegetables should be boiled in just enough water. This should be done just before serving the meal so that they are served hot without reheating.

• Meat should be cut into large chunks and plunged into boiling water to seal in meat juices.

• The liquid that remains after boiling should be retained. It can be used to make stocks and soups.

Advantages of boiling food

1. The liquid used for boiling some foods can be used to prepare stocks, sauces and gravies for serving food.

2. It is a simple method that requires little attention during the cooking period.

3. It is a convenient cooking method when modern cooking equipment is not available.

4. Several foods can be boiled at the same time.

Disadvantage of boiling foods

1. Boiled foods rarely have pleasant tastes. They therefore need to be well-seasoned to be tasty.

2. Food may be damaged in form in case of over-boiling.

3. Many nutrients of the food are lost during boiling especially if the liquid used is discarded.

4. The colour of boiled foods will usually not be very inviting unless it is enhanced.

Based on the above, would you opt to boil or not to boil food? Why?

Activity 7.3

You will boil meat at home in this activity. Collect all the items that you need. Practice boiling the meat. Think of ways of improving the taste of your meat. Serve the cooked meat to your family members. What did they say the meat tasted like?

7.2 Frying

Frying is cooking food in hot fat or oil in a pan. There are three methods of frying:

            • Dry-fat frying

            • Shallow-fat frying

            • Deep-fat frying

(i) Dry-fat frying

In this method, no oil or fat is added to the food. Food is cooked in its own fat in a shallow pan. It is used for cooking pan cakes, bacon, cuts of pork and very fatty beef.

(ii) Shallow-fat frying

This is cooking food in a frying pan into which very little fat is added. It is a suitable method for cooking eggs, thin slices of meat, fish, poultry joints and pancakes.

(iii) Deep-fat frying

Here, food is cooked by immersing it completely in hot oil. The oil should completely cover the food. A deep-fat fryer or a strong deep pan, a frying basket and a draining spoon are required for the process. It is a suitable method for cooking potato chips, meat chicken and some products from fl our mixtures.

General rules for frying foods

Activity 7.4

Come up with a recipe for frying eggs. This must include the ingredients and procedure. Write these down and use them to fry eggs. What steps did you use?

The facts

• The food should be prepared correctly. For example, pan-fried fish or meat must be cut to ensure thorough cooking. The cuts should not be more than 2.5 cm thick.

• Good quality fat should be used for frying. The fat should have a high smoking point to prevent the oil from burning when heated.

• Use a strong pan for frying so that the fat is not overheated.

• For deep-fat frying, fill two-thirds way up of the pan with oil to avoid overflowing which might cause fire outbreak.

• Heat the fat to the right temperature before cooling food. This prevents the food from absorbing fat and becoming too greasy and soggy. If the fat is too hot, it will burn the outside of the food and leave the inside undercooked. It should be tested with a small piece of food to be prepared. If the piece cooks within five seconds, then the fat is ready.

• Coat all foods to be deep-fried unless it is starchy, for example, potatoes and doughnuts. Batter or beaten eggs and breadcrumbs can be used for coating. Other foods to be fried should be thoroughly dry; an example is potato chips.

7.3 Poaching

Poaching is a type of moist-heat cooking technique that involves cooking by submerging foodstuff in liquid such as water or milk. It is differentiated from the other “moist heat” cooking methods, such as boiling in that as opposed to boiling, it uses relatively low temperatures (about 70–82 °C). The steps however remain the same. This temperature range makes it particularly suitable for cooking delicate foods such as eggs, poultry and fish which might easily fall apart or dry out when cooked using other methods.

It is often considered a healthy method of cooking because it does not use fat to cook or flavour the food.

Advantages of poaching

• Poaching prevents delicate foods from breaking during cooking.

• Poached foods are easy to digest.

Disadvantages of poaching

• Poached foods are not as tasty. This is because very little seasoning is done.

• It is only limited to cooking certain types of foods.

• Poached foods have an inferior colour unless enhanced.

2. Dry-heat cooking methods

General rules for baking

Discussion corner

Talk to your friends about the general rules to observe when baking. Why are these rules important?

The facts

Some rules to follow when baking include:

• Pre-heat the oven to the right temperature before putting the food in the oven.

• Ensure that the food is well positioned.

Note: The top part of the oven is always the hottest. Hot air rises. So, be careful when handling it!

• Observe the baking time for the item being baked to ensure proper cooking.

• Do not open the oven door before the fl our mixture sets to avoid letting in cool air which will make the mixture sink in the middle.

• Avoid banging the oven door during the baking process as this may let in cold air.

• Test baked foods for readiness using a skewer for fl our mixtures before removing them from the oven.

• Turn baked foods on a cooling tray or rack to cool as necessary, unless the foods are to be served in the dishes in which they were baked.

                              

Advantages of baking foods

1. It does not require a lot of attention if the temperature is set well.

2. Baked foods are light and easy to digest hence can be used by the sick and young children.

3. Baking saves on fuel since several dishes can be cooked at the same time in the oven.

Disadvantages of baking foods

1. It is limiting since it is only suitable for certain dishes.

2. It requires expensive equipment.

Recipe for baking cake

Activity 7.6

Practice baking cake using the ingredients below at home with guidance of your parents. Serve the baked cakes to your family members. Find out from them whether they liked the cakes. If not, why? See where to improve.

Ingredients

• Self-rising fl our – 200g

• Granulated sugar – 100g

• Margarine – 100g

• A pinch of salt

• Milk/liquid – 200ml

• 1 egg

Method

1. Sieve all the dry ingredients in a bowl together.

2. Add margarine and rub the fat into the dry ingredients until it appears like fine bread crumbs.

3. Make a well in the middle and break the egg in a saucer and drop it in the mixture.

4. Add the milk slowly by slowly and stir the mixture gently following the same direction to trap in air.

5. Stir until the right consistency is attained.

6. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.

7. Grease the baking tin and dredge it with fl our.

8. Pour the mixture gently without breaking into the tin. Level the mixture and bake it in the middle part of the oven for about 40 minutes.

9. Test the cake for readiness by putting a skewer or a knitting needle through it. If the needle comes out with some mixture, then the cake is not cooked yet. If it comes out clean, then it is cooked.

10. Turn the cake on a wire mesh and allow it to cool.

11. Serve as desired.

7.5 Grilling

Activity 7.7

You will grill meat in this Activity.

Ingredients

• Steak meat

• Salt

• Absorbent papers or kitchen towel

• Grill

• Knife

• Chopping board

Procedure

1. Dry or pat the meat. This entails removing moisture from the meat using absorbent papers or kitchen towel.

2. Season with salt and pepper before grilling.

3. Place the meat on the grill and give it time to grill undisturbed.

4. Once the meat has browned and all water is released, turn it round to allow even cooking.

5. Remove the meat from the grill, allow it time to cool for about 10 minutes then slice or chop it and serve.

                             

Grilling is cooking by radiant heat from a metal grid or grill heated by gas or electricity. Suitable foods for grilling are meat, sausages, bacon, fillet, tender loin, chicken, pork among others.

7.6 Roasting

Activity 7.8

You will roast chicken in this activity.

Ingredients

• Chicken meat

• Salt and pepper

• Oven

• Butter

• Onions and carrots

Procedure

1. Rinse the chicken to remove left over feathers or excess fat. Pat the outside dry. Add salt and pepper.

2. Brush the outside of the chicken with butter then again, sprinkle salt and pepper.

3. Preheat the oven to 220ºC.

4. Cut the onions and carrots and place them on the roasting pan.

5. Spread melted butter around the bottom of the roasting pan then place the chicken on top.

6. Allow the chicken to roast in the oven for one and half hours or until the juices run clear when you cut between thigh and leg.

7. Remove the pan from the oven and place its contents in an aluminium foil and cover. Let it stay for 20 minutes.

8. Slice the chicken and serve together with the vegetable platter.

                              

Roasting is a process of cooking food over direct fire such as glowing charcoal. It is suitable for cooking meat, maize, sweet potatoes, yam, arrow roots and fish.

Another way of roasting is cooking food in a heated oven or while it is rotating on a spit. In both cases, fat is used to baste the foods. Basting is applying hot oil on food being roasted in order to prevent it from drying. It is a suitable method for cooking meat or chicken.

General rules for roasting foods

What precautions would you take when roasting food?

• The joints to be roasted should be seasoned properly before putting in the roasting pan.

• The food to be roasted should be of good quality. For example the cuts of meat should not be too tough.

• If oven roasting, the oven should be pre-heated to the correct temperature before putting the food.

• If using charcoal, the burner must be red-hot before putting the food so as to quickly brown the top and seal the juices. It also ensures that food is free from smoke and preserves the nutrients.

• Frequent basting or turning of food is necessary to keep it moist and ensure even cooking.

• If pot-roasted, the juices from meat or chicken should be used for making gravy and soups.

• Avoid pricking the surface of the meat to avoid the juices from running out as this makes the food to dry.

                    

Advantages of roasting foods

1. Roasted food is easy to digest.

2. Roasting is a very quick method of cooking.

3. Roasted food is tasty, especially meat.

4. Roasted food is also appealing to the eye.

Disadvantages of roasting foods

1. Roasting is expensive because it requires high quality foods which are costly to buy.

2. It requires constant attention when cooking because it can easily dry up or burn.

3. The food being roasted must be basted and turned constantly to prevent it from burning and getting over-dried.

7.7 Broiling

Activity 7.9

You will broil fish fillets in this activity.

Ingredients

• Cooking oil

• Fish fillets

• Salt and pepper

•Onions, carrots and tomatoes

• Broiler

• Mustard sauce

Procedures

1. Pre-heat the broiler

2. Cut onions, carrots and tomatoes and place them on the broiling pan.

3. Add cooking oil and pre-cook for about 5 minutes.

4. Arrange the fish fillets on the broiling pan and sprinkle salt and pepper.

5. Broil for 2 minutes. Put the mustard sauce over the fillets, then continue broiling until the fillets are just cooked or have turned golden brown.

6. Transfer the fillets to plates and serve.

The facts

Broiling is cooking food using the direct, dry heat from an oven broiler. The cooking is done by exposing food to direct radiant heat either on a grill, over live coal or below a gas burner or electric coil.

The temperatures used for broiling are higher compared to those used for roasting. The broil indicator of a household range is typically set around 288° C. Fish, fowl and most red meats are suitable for broiling. Steaks, popularly broiled over coal can also be broiled in the oven set on a seasoned wooden plank.

                                  

 

Advantages of broiling

• It is a quick method of cooking.

• It is a simple method.

• The food has a caramelised taste and fl avour.

Disadvantages of broiling

• The food is left dry.

• It requires a lot of attention.

7.8 Smoking

Have you ever eaten smoked fish? How about smoked meat or chicken? How is the smoking done?

The facts

Smoking is the process of flavouring, cooking or preserving food by exposing it to smoke from burning or smoldering material; for example, wood. Meat and fish are the most commonly smoked foods; though cheeses, vegetables and ingredients used to make beverages such as beer and tea can also be smoked.

                        

Health check!

Avoid foods with too much fat. This can cause obesity which can bring about Cardiovascular Heart Diseases (CHD). Eat Healthy. Live healthy!

Remember the facts!

• Cooking methods include boiling, frying, baking, grilling, roasting, broiling, poaching and smoking.

• Cooking food properly is important because:

        - Germs are killed.

        - Appearance of food is improved.

        - The flavour of food is improved.

        - Food is made more tender.

        - Food is able to last longer without going bad.

• Cooking methods fall under two main categories:

          - Moist            -heat methods

          - Dry               -heat methods

• Moist-heat methods of cooking include boiling, poaching and frying.

• Dry-heat methods of cooking include baking, grilling, roasting, broiling and smoking.

• The methods of cooking are chosen according to the time available, type of food, the skill and knowledge of the cook and the facilities available.

Test your competence 7

1. Explain how cooking can be used to improve one’s life in general.

2. What factors must be considered when selecting cooking methods?

3. What cooking methods would be more appropriate for baby food? Explain.

4. Use True or False to answer the following questions.

(a) Boiled food is crunchy and has a good appearance. ______

(b) Frying is moist method of cookung. _______

(c) Fried foods are easy to digest. ______

(d) Baking preserves the nutrients in the food. ______

(e) Grilling is the best method for cooking food for the sick. ______

(f) Broiling and roasting are one and the same thing. ______

(g) Baked foods are easy to digest. ______

5. You want to bake a cake. Explain the rules you must follow when baking the cake.

6. (a) Why would a poached egg be healthier than a fried egg?

    (b) Why is roasting a popular cooking method compared to most others?

7. Which one is the ODD one out?

(a) Poaching, Frying, Baking. _______

(b) Grilling, Broiling, Baking. _______

(c) Poaching, Frying, Boiling. _______

(d) Baking, Roasting, Grilling. ______

8. Why must pan-fried fish and meat be cut into pieces when being cooked?

9. Fill in the gaps in the sentences that follow.

(a) Cooking food in hot fat is called ____________.

(b) Cooking food in enclosed radiant heat is called ____________.

(c) Moist-heat methods of cooking are _______, _______ and _______.

(d) Dry-heat methods of cooking are _______, _______, _______.

10. (a) What foods must be baked only?

      (b) Why do you think baking is the only appropriate way of cooking the foods above?

11. Your friend wants to start a bakery. What equipment must she have in her bakery?

12. Complete the following sentences.

(a) Grilling method of cooking is closely related to _____ and _____ methods.

(b) Poaching, ____ and ____ are the best methods for cooking food for the sick.

(c) Baking, _____, _____, _____, and _____ methods make the food to have a good appearance, tasty and crunchy.

(d) _____ method is the best method for cooking tough cuts of meat.

13. Match the following characteristic with the correct cooking method using a line.

14. Develop a recipe for and cook the following foods for the categories of people given.

(a) Mashed potatoes for infants.

(b) Meat for the elderly.

(c) Chicken for a pregnant mother.Which methods did you use? Why?

Glossary

Baking:This is a method of cooking where food is enclosed in a container with radiant heat from an oven.

Broiling:This refers to cooking food over high grilling heat. Foods such as meat, fish and chickenare best cooked using this method.

Coating: This is applying or spreading a layer of food over the main food to cover its surface.

Grilling: This is a method of cooking where radiant heat from a metal grid or a grill heated by gas or electricity is used.

Oven: In cookery, an oven refers to an enclosed heating compartment or a grill heated by gas or electricity where food is either baked, roasted or grilled.

Poaching:This is a culinary technique that involves cooking something in a liquid with a temperature ranging from 60ºC –80ºC.

Roasting: This is a cooking method that uses dry heat whereby the food is enveloped in hot air cooking it evenly on all sides with temperatures exceeding 150ºC either from an open fire, oven or any other heat source.

Recipe: This refers to a set of directions with a list of ingredients used to prepare a particular type of food.