Cooking

From ancient times, such a method of cooking has come down to us as cooking… Archaeologists believe that ancient people invented it after cooking over a fire and roasting in ash. Numerous archaeological and ethnographic expeditions have finally managed to establish the way in which the ancients boiled their food. It turns out that for this they used stones with a depression, into which water was poured and products intended for cooking were placed, and a fire was made around the stone. Also, stones heated in a fire were used for cooking, which were then dipped into dishes hollowed out of wood, previously filled with water.

Cookbooks say that cooking is the method of preparing food in any liquid or vapor medium, excluding oil. Most often this liquid is water, sometimes milk, juice.

General description of the method

Boiling is one of the more traditional ways of cooking. In this way, soups, compotes are prepared, vegetables, fruits, fish, meat are boiled. This method is an intermediate link in the canning of fruit, vegetable and canned meat. Today, there are several varieties of this method: the traditional method, fast cooking, cold cooking, simmering, and steam cooking.

Traditional way… It is used in everyday life for preparing first and many second courses. In order to cook food, it is necessary to lower previously prepared foods (vegetables, fruits, mushrooms or meat) into cold or hot water. The rest of the components of the selected dish are added during the preparation process, depending on the time required for their readiness.

So vegetables and mushrooms are usually cooked for an average of 25 minutes to 1,5 hours (for example, potatoes and beets); cereals from 15 to 50 minutes (depending on the variety); chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese from 45 to 90 minutes, respectively, meat, on average, is cooked from 1 hour to 1.5 hours.

It is believed that in the case of preparing first courses and compotes, it is better to lower the necessary products in cold water (all vitamins will remain in the broth); for preparing second courses from vegetables and cereals, water brought to a boil is better suited. It is believed that in this case, more vitamins will be retained in the products themselves.

It is usually prepared by boiling over medium heat. It is important that the cooked product is covered with a small amount of water to retain the maximum amount of nutrients in it. So to boil poultry, you need to pour cold water, which will cover the bird only 0.5 centimeters, for meat you need 1 centimeter. In this case, do not forget to remove the foam when boiling.

Fast cooking… In the 30s of the last century, the method of cooking with the help of pressure cookers became widespread. This method is often used to quickly boil meat, vegetables, and homemade canned fish and meat. Thanks to the autoclaving effect, the cooking time of various dishes in pressure cookers is significantly reduced, and the bones found in meat and fish become edible.

Cold cooking… In 1977 in Sweden, thanks to the efforts of scientists, a unit for fast cooking in cold water was invented. Since then, Swedes have used the appliance to prepare large batches of food for hospitals, canteens and schools. Cold water is used as a conductor for such cooking. Thanks to this, the maximum amount of vitamins is preserved in food.

Languor… This option simulates cooking in a Russian oven. Since 1980, we have spread new electrical appliances for the kitchen – quiet cookers. Food, with their help, is cooked slowly, for 5-6 hours. But it is with this method of cooking that food is able to fully reveal its taste.

Steam cooking… It is considered the most beneficial way of cooking. In this way, vegetables, dough and cottage cheese products, meat dishes are prepared. For example, we all know steam cutlets and meatballs. The good thing about steam cooking is that foods prepared in this way are gentle on the stomach.