Mulligatawny
Learning Intention:To gain an understanding of how to bloom spices and apply this knowledge when making Mulligatawny soup.
Success Criteria:1. I can heat oil in the fry pan and over a medium flame sauté the spices to release the flavours and aromas of the spices.
2. I can add the chicken to the bloomed spices to extend the flavour. 3. I understand how to store the spices when I am finished using them. What is Mulligatawny?Mulligatawny is a curry-flavoured soup in Anglo-Indian cuisine. Mulligatawny is a corruption of milagu thanni. It is similar to rasam, a soup from South Indian cuisine. There are many variations on the recipe for mulligatawny.
Wikipedia What is "blooming" or "toasting" spices?When you're using dried spices, you can maximize their flavor potential by toasting them in a hot pan with or without oil. Heat a pan for about 30 seconds on high, then add your spices. Stir them around until they release their aromas (about 20-30 more seconds), then remove from heat so they don't scorch. If your recipe calls for grinding spices yourself, toast them before you grind them because it's easier to toast whole spices than powder.
Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2008/apr/09/bloom-spices-to-maximize-flavor/#ixzz2tcP146U7 Food Preparation Skills Required:1. Crushing
2. Slicing 3. Chopping 4. Peeling 5. Coring 6. Dicing Cooking Methods:1. Simmering
Important Tools and Equipment:1. Knife
2. Chopping board 3. Stock pot 4. Soup ladle |
How do I bloom/toast spices?Tips and Techniques:1. When preparing any soup that contains a range of ingredients(especially vegetables) it is important to cut them into the same size. This will ensure that they are all cooked at the same rate.
2. Simmering is a slow, wet method of cooking. The liquid used to cook the food should not be bubbling but should have small low rising bubbles. 3. The cream should not be added too early. Be sure that your ingredients are all thoroughly cooked before adding the cream. 4. If serving the soup to others, beware of the almonds! First check to see if the person eating your soup is allergic to nuts. |
Methods of Cooking:
Methods of cooking
We cook foods to improve their appearance, taste and digestibility. When cooking, heat can be applied in three different ways: conduction, convection and radiation.
Conduction
The transfer of heat from one molecule to the next by contact with a hot material, for example, a frying pan.
Heat is transferred from one molecule to the next by contact with a hot material; for example, a frying pan.
Have you ever burned yourself on a hot pan because you touched it? This is a great example of direct conduction.
Heat has been transferred through matter – your skin!
Convection
The heat is created via the movement of hot particles from one particle to the other. The heat moves with the liquid that surrounds the food. As liquids or gases are warmed, they become less dense and rise. Cooler, denser liquids or gases then sink down towards the heat and create convection currents.
The transfer of heat is by the movement of the warmed foods.
Convection heat is used in the cooking of pasta in a saucepan of boiling water. Think about how the pasta moves around in the saucepan as the heat moves with the liquid that surrounds the food.
Radiation
Heat is transferred by waves of energy that vibrate at a high frequency and travel rapidly through space. When the heat and light waves are absorbed by food, only the surface of the food is heated. This is due to the fact that the heat and light waves cannot penetrate the food. The rest of the food is heated via conduction. In order for food to be heated, radiation and conduction are necessary.
The transfer of heat directly from the heat source, such as an element, to the food.
A great example of this is the cooking of a piece of steak or melting cheese underneath a grill.
Wet method of cooking
This cooking method uses liquid (water or stock) to transfer heat and includes boiling, poaching, steaming and stewing. Large quantities of liquid must be added to some foods, while for others small amounts or even steam created by the liquid is enough to cook the food. This cooking method is often also referred to as the moist method.
Boiling
We cook foods to improve their appearance, taste and digestibility. When cooking, heat can be applied in three different ways: conduction, convection and radiation.
Conduction
The transfer of heat from one molecule to the next by contact with a hot material, for example, a frying pan.
Heat is transferred from one molecule to the next by contact with a hot material; for example, a frying pan.
Have you ever burned yourself on a hot pan because you touched it? This is a great example of direct conduction.
Heat has been transferred through matter – your skin!
Convection
The heat is created via the movement of hot particles from one particle to the other. The heat moves with the liquid that surrounds the food. As liquids or gases are warmed, they become less dense and rise. Cooler, denser liquids or gases then sink down towards the heat and create convection currents.
The transfer of heat is by the movement of the warmed foods.
Convection heat is used in the cooking of pasta in a saucepan of boiling water. Think about how the pasta moves around in the saucepan as the heat moves with the liquid that surrounds the food.
Radiation
Heat is transferred by waves of energy that vibrate at a high frequency and travel rapidly through space. When the heat and light waves are absorbed by food, only the surface of the food is heated. This is due to the fact that the heat and light waves cannot penetrate the food. The rest of the food is heated via conduction. In order for food to be heated, radiation and conduction are necessary.
The transfer of heat directly from the heat source, such as an element, to the food.
A great example of this is the cooking of a piece of steak or melting cheese underneath a grill.
Wet method of cooking
This cooking method uses liquid (water or stock) to transfer heat and includes boiling, poaching, steaming and stewing. Large quantities of liquid must be added to some foods, while for others small amounts or even steam created by the liquid is enough to cook the food. This cooking method is often also referred to as the moist method.
Boiling
- Boiling is the cooking of a food in a boiling liquid, commonly water or stock. The liquid boils when its temperature is raised to what is commonly termed as boiling point.
- When the liquid heats, tiny bubbles appear on the bottom of the saucepan, which then rise to the surface. Gradually the bubbles increase in size until large ones are formed; these then rise rapidly to the surface and break. This causes the constant agitation of the liquid.
- Foods that suit this method are pasta, rice, fresh vegetables and dried vegetables.
Poaching - Poaching involves gently simmering food in liquid (water, stock and wine). Fragile foods like eggs are often poached as this is a ‘gentle’ method of cooking.
- When poaching food it is important to keep the heat low and to keep the poaching time to a bare minimum. This prevents the food from drying out or falling apart, and preserves the flavour of the food.
- Steaming
- Thisinvolvesthecookingoffoodbyapplicationofsteam.Itrequiresfoodbeingputintoasteamer.Asthe water underneath the steamer boils, it evaporates into steam. The steam rises and heats and cooks the food.
Stewing
- This method of cooking cooks the food in water or another form of liquid at a temperature below boiling point. The liquid that is used to cook the food is generally simmering in a pot on the stove top or cooked in a covered casserole in the oven.
- Stewing is suitable for tough cuts of meat as these can be made tender and tasty by long, low temperature cooking.
Dry method of cooking
This method of cooking involves the food being exposed to a heat source or placed in a closed oven and subjected to hot air. Dry methods include roasting, baking, grilling and frying, and foods are cooked to develop crispness, colour and flavour. These methods do not tenderise foods like wet methods, so it is important to choose carefully the foods being cooked this way. Thin, tender and smaller items should be grilled or fried, and larger ones baked or roasted.
Roasting
- This method causes the caramelisation of the surface of the food, which enhances its appearance and flavour.
- Larger pieces of meat and vegetables suit this method of cooking.
- • Roasting uses dry heat from an open fire, oven or other heat source to cook foods. It is generally carried out in an oven where the food is surrounded by heat and the food is coated in fat or oil.
Baking
- When food is baked, hot air is created and circulated. These high temperatures are generally created by an oven, but hot ash or hot stones can also be used to bake foods.
- The dry heat converts the water content of food into steam, which bakes the food.
- Cakes, biscuits and apples suit this method of cooking.
Grilling
- Grilling is a very quick method of cooking. The food usually has to be turned once while it is cooking. This method of cooking is generally carried out underneath an electric or gas grill. Food can also be cooked by glowing charcoals or an open fire – this is referred to as barbecuing.
- Foods that are suitable for grilling are those that are tender and require quick cooking. High temperatures are used to cook foods and the food is positioned close to the heat source.
- Meats suit this method of cooking.
Frying
- When food is fried, it is cooked in fats, oil, butter or lard. Food is either totally or partially immersed into fat and the food is cooked by coming into contact with the hot fat: the heating of the food is rapid as the heat is conducted from the hot fat into the food.
- The temperature of the fat or oil is extremely important as it ensures that the outside of the food is sealed in order to prevent the food soaking up the heated oil like a sponge.
- Deep frying involves immersing food totally in hot oil. Foods that are deep fried often have an outside crumb or batter; this helps to protect the food from the high temperature of the fat.
- Shallow frying or pan frying involves the cooking of food in a shallow pan. A small quantity of preheated fat or oil is used. Shallow frying is a quick method of cooking that is only suitable for tender cuts of meat. This method of frying results in a final cooked product that has a good colour and has lost minimal amounts of nutrients.
- Stir-frying involves a high heat with very little oil. Food items are in small and evenly sized pieces. Food is fried in small quantities and then combined at the end of the cooking process.
Microwaving
We keep microwaving as a separate cooking method because no heat is transferred during cooking. The microwave is useful for cooking food as it is quicker than using an oven and has a wide range of applications such as reheating; however, the microwave does also have some limitations. The microwave does not colour food (that is, dextrinisation), nor can it create the light crisp texture of pastry. When working with recipes it is important to understand what your desired outcome is to ensure the method you have chosen is appropriate.