Rice and vegetables

Market forms

In nature there are basically two varieties of rice; each one cooks up differently.

Long-grain rice: (probably discovered along a river in what is now Pakistan) becomes light and fluffy, with separate distinct grains

Pearl or round rice: (probably discovered in china) cooks into a moist and sticky product. This variety is also called.

Short-or medium- grain rice: other popular terms to the differences in processing.

White rice or polished rice

Rice that has been milled to remove the hull, the germ and practically all of the bran. Unfortunately, milling also removes some of the vitamins and minerals. Then it is often polished with glucose and talc to improve its luster; hence the name polished rice. It has a bland flavor and tender texture

Enriched rice

White rice that contains added vitamins and iron. Many processes have been tried in efforts to enrich rice, but most have proven unsuccessful because of nutrient loss during washing, cooking and storage.

Parboiled rice

Treated in a special steam pressure before milling. This process forces the vitamins and minerals from the hull, bran and germ into the starchy part of the grain, called the endosperm. Much of the natural vitamin and mineral content is retained after milling. Parboiled rice takes longer to cook than regular white rice. The cooked grains are fluffy, separate and plump.

Converted rice

Basically parboiled rice made by a patented process. It has a creamy color but it is not fluffy as regular white rice.

Packaged precooked rice

Long-grain white rice that had been cooked and dried. It takes less preparation time, but it costs more. It has a porous structure that permits rapid rehydration.

Brown rice

Whole-grain rice from which the hull and a small amount of the bran have been removed. More nutritious than other forms of rice, it has nut-like flavor and a slightly chewy texture. Brown rice needs to cook a little longer than regular white rice

Wild rice

Is not rice at all but the seed of a grass that grows wild in shallow lakes and marshes. It is dark brown, has a distinctive flavor and costs considerably more than other types of rice. Like other whole grains, it has a relatively poor keeping quality, especially in warm weather

APPROXIMATE COOKING TIMES AND YIELDS FOR VARIOUS KINDS OF RICE

TYPE OF RICE

DRY

Amount

WATER

Amount

RICE

Boil-time

RICE

Bake-time

YIELD

Polish white rice

1 c.

2 c.

15-20 min

25min

3 c.

Enriched white rice

1 c.

2 c.

15-20 min

25 min

3 c.

Parboiled rice

1 c.

2 c.

20-25 min

30-40 min

3-4 c.

Converted rice

1 c.

2 c.

20-25 min

30-40 min

3-4 c.

Precooked rice

1 c.

2 C.

20-25 min

30-40 min

2-3 c.

Brown rice

1 c.

3 c.

40-45 min

60 min

4 c.

Wild rice

1 c.

3 c.

40-45 min

45-60 min

4 c.

Handling and storage

Regular milled rice should be rinsed in cold water before boiling or streaming. This removes excess starch, which makes rice sticky. The rice industry recommends not washing rice because washing removes some of the vitamin coating of enriched rice, do not buy low-grade rice, which tends to be dirty, or rice that has been coated with talc.

Store rice at room temperature in a dry place and in a tightly sealed container to keep out moisture and insects. White rice will keep for many months; brown rice is somewhat more perishable

Cooking procedures

Range top method:

1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy pot. Bring to a boil. Stir. Cover and cook over very low heat, observing the cooking times. (see chart)

2. Test rice for doneness. Cook 2-4 minutes more if necessary.

3. Turn the rice out into a hotel pan. Fluff it with a fork or slotted spoon to let the steam escape

Oven method

1. Bring salted water to a boil. Combine all ingredients in a shallow steamer pan. Cover with foil or a tight lid. Place in 375ºF oven. For cooking time. (see chart)

2. Test rice for doneness. Steam 2-4 minutes if necessary

3. Fluff the rice with a fork or a slotted spoon to let the steam escape

Steamer method

1. Bring salted water to a boil. Combine all ingredients in a shallow pan. Place uncovered pan in steamer for cooking time recommended by the manufacture. (Cooking time depend on type of steamer).

2. Test rice for doneness. Steam 2-4 minutes more if necessary.

3. Fluff the rice with a fork or a slotted spoon to let the steam escape.

Vegetables

Vegetable classifications

Vegetables are usually classified according to the parts of the plant from which they are taken, such as roots, stalks leaves and so on.

Root vegetables:

Potatoes, carrots and turnips. They are usually starchy because the root is the storehouse of energy to grow the new plant.

Bulb vegetables:

Onions, garlic and shallots. They are related to the lily family and often are considered herbs. They generally have a strong taste and odor and are used to add flavor to many dishes

Stalk vegetables:

Asparagus, rhubarb and celery. They must be young and succulent

Leaf vegetables:

Spinach, lettuce, chard and romaine. Usually used as the base for salads, they must be young. Old plants are very tough.

Flower vegetables:

Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. They are picked before full flowering

Seed and pod vegetables:

Peas, beans and corn. Green peas and beans are picked before they are fully ripe. Corn also is more flavorful and tender if not fully ripe. Corn may be cooked and served on the cob or stripped.

Fruit vegetables:

Squash, tomatoes and eggplant.

In terms of flavor, vegetables are grouped as either mild or strong. The strong flavored vegetables include those with a cabbage like flavor, such as Brussels sprouts, turnips and cauliflower and those with onion like flavor, such as leeks and garlic. Most other vegetables are considered mild in flavor.

Cooking affects vegetables in four ways. It changes the texture, flavor, color and nutrient content. How much these four characteristics change determines whether your final product will be attractive and delicious, or end up in the garbage can. You can control these changes if you understand how they happen.

Controlling changes

Changing the texture is one of the main purposes of cooking vegetables. Cooking affects fiber and starch, two components that determine the texture of vegetables, the amount of fiber varies a great deal, but in vegetables it is mostly cellulose and pectin. The fiber structure gives vegetables shape and firmness; cooking softens the fibers.

Fiber

Fiber is made firmer by…

Acids lemon juice, vinegar and tomato products, when added to cooking vegetables, extend the cooking time

Sugars sugar strengthens cellulose. You will use this principle primarily in fruit cookery. For firm poached apples or pears, for example, cook apples until soft before sweetening

Fiber is made softer by…

Heat in general, longer cooking means softer vegetables

Alkalis do not add baking soda to green vegetables. Not only does it destroy vitamins, but it makes the vegetables unpleasantly mushy

Starch

Starch granules give vegetables flavor…

Dry starch foods like dried legumes (beans, peas, lentils), rice pasta must be cooked in enough water that the starch granules can absorb moisture and soften. Dry beans are usually soaked before cooking to replace lost moisture.

Most starchy vegetables like potatoes and yams have enough moisture of their own, but they still must be cooked until the starch granules soften.

Proper doneness

A vegetable is done when it has reached the desired degree of tenderness. This stage varies from product to product. Most, however, are best when cooked very briefly, only until they are crisp-tender. At this stage of tenderness they have not only a most pleasing texture but also maximum flavor, color and nutrients.

The guidelines:

· Do not overcook vegetables

· Cook as close to serving time as possible. If they must be cooked in advance, slightly undercooked them, cool them rapidly in cold water, drain and refrigerate, then reheat to order. Holding vegetables in a steam table continues to cook them.

· For uniform doneness, cut into uniform pieces before cooking

· Vegetables with both tough and tender parts need special treatment, so that the tender parts are not overcooked and the tough parts are done. For example: peel the woody stalks of asparagus, peel and split broccoli stalks and pierce the base of Brussels sprouts with a sharp knife

· Do not cook different kinds of vegetables together. They probably need to be cooked to slightly different doneness

· Colors should be right and natural. Green vegetables should be bright green and not olive or yellowish

· Appearance on the plate. Vegetables should be arranged attractively for presentation. They should be cut neatly and uniformly, not broken up. Excess cooking liquid should be drained and the garnish should please the eye

Examine all frozen products when they are received to make sure there has been no loss of quality. Check the following in particular:

· Check the temperature inside the case with a thermometer. Has the product begun to thaw during shipment? It should be 0ºF internally.

· Presence of large ice crystals. A little frost is normal, but lots of ice means poor handling

· Signs of leaking on the carton. This is another obvious sign of thawing

· Freezer burn. Open a package and check the vegetables themselves. Is the color bright and natural, or is there any yellowing or drying on the surface?

Methods of vegetable cookery

Boiling

Boiling is suitable for all vegetables and is the preferred method of cooking. The vegetable is added to a small amount of boiling water, covered and quickly returned to a boil. Then the heat is reduced so that the water simmers gently.

To further preserve the color of bright green vegetables, cook them without a cover for the first few minutes. Baking soda should not be used to preserve color because it will destroy vitamins and cause excess fiber breakdown. Than cook until fork-tender, (al dente)

Steaming

Steaming vegetables ion a conventional steamer is much faster than boiling because the cooking temperature is higher. It should not be so high that the outside of the vegetables is overcooked before the inside is done.

• Use a perforated hotel pan for a more even distribution of steam during the cooking process, along with less breakable during the transfer to steam table for holding
• To allow steam to circulate properly, do not overload the pan during the cooking process
• When using the steamer, watch the time carefully to avoid overcooking. The temperature at 5 pounds of pressure should be 228°F
• See the steamer equipment manual for proper vegetable cooking times and settings
• Season creatively before serving

Deep-frying

Deep-fried vegetables may be divided into four categories:

• Vegetables dipped in a batter and fried
• vegetables breaded and fried
• vegetables fried without coating
• vegetables small or cut, mixed with batter and dropped into hot fat

Procedures for deep-frying

1. assemble all equipment and food products
2. preheat the fryer to the proper temperature, 325ºF
3. prepare foods items as required
4. place the proper amount of food in the fryer – do not overload the basket
5. fry only until the desired doneness is achieved
6. remove the food from the fryer and let it drain
7. serve immediately

Sautéing

Sautéing is a method for pre-cooking or blanching vegetables. It is also a preferred method for tender, small cuts of vegetables that might otherwise cook too quickly. Follow these PROCEDURES FOR SAUTEING

1. assemble all equipment and food products
2. prepare vegetables as required
3. place sauté pan on high heat
4. when the pan is hot, add small amount of clarified butter, oil or other fat-enough to coat the bottom of the pan
5. As soon as the fat is hot, add the vegetables. Do not overload the pan, or the temperature will be lowered and the vegetables will simmer rather than sauté
6. After the heat has time to recover, flip the pan a few times to turn and toss the vegetables. Let the pan sit again over the heat
7. continue to flip the vegetables as often as necessary for them to cook or heat evenly and become coated with the cooking fat
8. as soon as the vegetables are cooked or heated through, remove from the pan and serve

Vegetable preparation terms:

Blanch: to cook partially by scalding

Chop: to cut food into small, uneven pieces

Corrugated: knife blade with curved ridges and hallows

Dice: to cut food into cube shaped pieces

Julienne: to cut food into long strips

Legumes: dried vegetables, such as beans, peas, lentils

Mince: to cut food into very fine, uneven shaped pieces

Score: to make shallow slits in the surface of the food item

Slice: to cut food into relatively thin, broad pieces