TLE Cookery 10

Quarter 2-Week 1

The nutrient content, the taste and the texture of vegetable plants is affected the way they are handled and cooked. With this
reason, it is of utmost importance for vegetables to be always washed before cooking or serving them raw.
Vegetables has to be prepared before they are served or used as an ingredient in a cooked dish. Prior to preparation, you
need to identify the various kinds of vegetables and different tools and equipment needed in the preparation of vegetables since it is an
important factor to consider in the preparation of vegetables.

Classification of vegetables
Vegetables is a category of food which can be obtained from any part of plant which is edible. The edible parts can be stem,
leaves, flowers, roots, tubers and sometimes fruits. 
1. Stem Vegetables
It is an edible part of the plant which shoots from the roots or bulb and it always grows above the ground unlike roots or bulb.
Examples are Artichoke, Asparagus, Celery, Fennel, Bamboo, and Shoots.
2. Leaves Vegetables
Vegetables that are leafy belong in this category such as spinach, cabbage, water cress, lettuce, bok choy, gai lan, choy sum,
brussels sprouts, witloof, silverbeet, radicchio, kale, collard leaves, Swiss chard, mustard leaves, and fenugreek leaves .
3. Flower Vegetables
Plants that has flowers is used as vegetables in the culinary world. They are seasonal and abundant during a particular
season of the year. Such plants are only grown for their flower buds. Examples of these are cauliflower, broccoli, courgette flowers,
squash blossoms, artichoke, agati (dok kae, Thailand), banana flower, and lotus.
4. Stalk or Bulb Vegetables
This is the part of the plant which grows just below the ground and is the portion which is in between the stem and the root, the
root actually comes out from the bottom of the bulb. Bulbs are generally in layers of skin and they are very strong in flavour . Examples
are onion, garlic, spring onion, leek, kohlrabi, fennel and shallots.
5. Seed Vegetables (Beans)
This category include legumes which is used as food, it is actually the fruit of the plant of which the seed is eaten, sometimes
its peeled like green peas. Some example are mungbean, garbanzos, coepea, kidney bean, soy bean and white bean.
6. Root Vegetables
This category includes plants of which roots are edible and is used as vegetables. Usually long, round, and swollen taproot.
Some examples of root vegetables are beet, carrot, radish, horseradish, turnip, celeriac, daikon, enset, jicama, konjac, maca,
arrowroot, Chinese water chestnut, taro, and etc. 
7. Tuber Vegetables
In this group are those plants in which the roots are modified and enlarged into a swollen structure that is full of nutrients. They
are usually located at the end of the plant root attached as a lump of rock, e.g. potato. These vegetables are potato, cassava, sweet
potato, taro, Jerusalem artichoke, yam, yacon, kumara, etc.
8. Fruit Vegetable
The vegetables that bear fruits are under this category. But there are plants that bear sweet and fleshy fruit that are eaten raw
and plants of which grains or seed of their fruit are used, do not fall in this category . Examples are beans, legumes, tomatoes,
avocado, bitter gourd, eggplant, caigua or bottle gourd, bell peppers, ackee, African eggplant, ash gourd or winter melon, chayote and
other plants.
9. Fungi Vegetables
Commonly known as mushrooms, and various types are available of which some are edible and some are poisonous. Some
examples are button mushroom, enoki, oyster, shitake, truffles, portabello, boletus, chanterelles, grifola fondosa, morchella, shimeji,
straw mushroom, porcini, morel, etc.

Preparing vegetables
 Wash your hands before preparing foods. Hands should be washed thoroughly with hot, soapy water for 20 seconds before and
after handling fresh produce, raw meat, poultry, or seafood, as well as after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or handling pets.
 Removing outer leaves or peeling may decrease the amount of pesticide residues or harmful microbes on fruits and vegetables.

 Wash all vegetables with cool tap water to remove dirt and residues. 

 Scrub firm produce with a clean produce brush. 

 Don't wash vegetables with household soaps and detergents. 

 Don't cross-contaminate. Use clean cutting boards and utensils when handling fresh produce. Use one clean cutting board for fresh
produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
 Wash surfaces often. Cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops should be washed with hot, soapy water after coming in
contact with fresh produce or raw meat, poultry, or seafood.
 Cutting boards and countertops can be sanitized with a solution of one

 teaspoon of chlorine bleach in one quart of water. Be aware of the hazards associated with storing and using bleach, and do not
apply the solution directly to fruits and vegetables.
 Refrigerate fresh produce within two hours of peeling or cutting. Discard cut produce left at room temperature for more than two
hours.

TLE Cookery 10

Quarter 2-Week 2

Market Forms of Vegetables

1. Fresh. Fresh vegetables are those that have undergone little or no processing from the time they were harvested to the time they
were marketed or sold. Which also means that they remain in the same state from the time they were harvested. Fresh vegetables are
often referred to as produce and are normally sold in the market, grocery stores, supermarkets, roadside stalls, farmer’s market and
vegetable farms. 

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2. Frozen. The forms of vegetables that are commercially packed in plastic bags or cardboard boxes. Naturally, these are frozen within
hours of harvest, but undergo several steps to warrant that their quality is preserved before the actual freezing process.

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a. They are washed thoroughly to remove any dirt, debris and the chemicals that have been used.
b. They are often blanched or cooked quickly in a boiling water, and then shocked in ice water to stop the cooking process.
c. The vegetables are sorted and inspected, so as to get rid of any vegetables that are not fit for consumption.
d. They are packaged and shipped off to wholesalers and distributors, to supermarkets and grocery stores.
3. Dried. These are vegetables that are dried or dehydrated to preserve and
prolong their shelf life. The process is done by removing water from vegetables and obstruct the growth of bacteria, yeasts and molds
that can stimulate spoilage and rotting of vegetables. Methods of drying vegetables are:  freeze drying, drum drying and sun drying.

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4. Canned. This is the form of vegetables where vegetables are preserved. Like freezing and drying ,it helps make vegetables last
longer. It makes cooking with vegetables easier and more convenient.

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Effects of Cooking Vegetables 

1. Changes in texture - Fibers are either softened or toughened. 

A. Cellulose and hemicellulose – heating generally softens fibers 
B. Addition of acid toughen fibers 
C. Addition of alkali like baking soda soften hemicellulose 
D. Addition of lime causes firmness or delay softening due to the  
    reaction of calcium from lime (―apog‖) 
2. Water is either lost or absorbed. 
A. Vegetables contain high amount of water. Leafy and succulent     
     vegetables lose water and become limp.
B. Vegetables with significant amount of starch (dried beans, root  
     crops, tubers) absorb water because of the hygroscopic property of
     starch. 
3. Changes in color Cooking for a short time, helps maintain color. 
4. Changes in nutrients 
A. Carbohydrate - moist heat cooking – gelatinization of starch - dry  
     heat cooking - dextrinization of starch - carmelization of sugar 
B. Protein become more soluble and digestible 
C. Vitamin may be destroyed in heat like vitamin C 
D. Minerals are washed into the cooking liquid or oxidized 

General Rules of Vegetable Cookery 

 ∙ Don‘t overcook. 
 ∙ Prepare vegetable as close to service time as possible and in small 
    quantities.
 ∙ If the vegetable must be cooked ahead, undercook slightly and chill rapidly.   
    Reheat at service time.
 ∙ Never use baking soda with green vegetables. 
 ∙ Cut vegetables uniformly for even cooking. 
 ∙ Cook green vegetables and strong – flavored vegetables uncovered. 

Standard Quality of Cooked Vegetables 

1. Color 
 Bright, natural color 

2. Appearance on plate 
 Cut neatly and uniformly 

 Attractively arranged with appropriate combinations and garnishes 

3. Texture 

 Cooked to the right degree of doneness 

  Crisp – tender, not overcooked and mushy 

 Potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes should be cooked through with smooth texture 
4. Flavor 
 Natural flavor and sweetness 

 Strong – flavored vegetables should be pleasantly mild, with no off flavors or bitterness
5. Seasonings 
 Seasonings should not mask the natural flavors 
6. Sauces 
 Do not use heavily. 

 Vegetable should not be greasy 

7. Vegetable combinations 
 Vegetables should be cooked separately for different cooking times, and then combined 

 Combine acid vegetables like tomatoes, to green vegetables just before service to prevent discoloration of greens.

Basic Cutting Techniques

1.Chopping- done with a straight, downward cutting motion

2. Chiffonade- making very fine parallel cut.

3. Dicing- producing cubes shapes.

4. Diamond- thinly slicing and cutting into strips of appropriate width

5. Mincing- produce very fine cut usually for onion and garlic..

6. Julienne- making long rectangular cut.

7. Pays anne- making curved or uneven cuts of the same thickness

8. Rondelle- making cyclindical cut

9.Bias- making a diagonal cut.

10.Oblique- making diagonal cut by rolling the long cylindical vegetables.

Ways of Cooking Vegetables

1.Boiling & Steaming

Vegetables are drained as soon as they are cooked and then cool quickly under cold water to prevent overcooking from
residual heat. They are reheated quickly by sauteing in butter or other fat. Seasonings and sauces are added at this stage.

2. Sauteing

this method may be used to complete cooking or precooked or blanched vegetables. Also used for complete cooking of raw
vegetables.

3. Braising

The blanched or raw vegetable, is placed in the pan then liquid is added (stock, water, wine) to cover vegetables, then cooked
slowly.

4. Baking

Cooking starchy vegetables using heat of the oven, rather than range top. Starchy vegetables are baked because the dry heat
produces a desirable texture.

5. Deep-frying

Vegetables large enough to coat with breading or batter may be fried. Quick- cooking vegetables can be fried raw. Some, may
be precooked by simmering or steaming briefly to reduce the cooking time in frying.