STARCH AND ALIMENTARY PASTE

Nature of Starch

Starch is a white granular, organic chemical that occurs in all green plants. Next to cellulose it is the most
abundant substance in the vegetable world. Its natural function is to provide reserved food supply for the plant, so
as to sustain the root or tubers through winter dormancy or to nurture the new plant during germination.

The starch stored in the plants is the basic kind, but only a few yield it in commercial quantities, sources are
corn, tapioca, potato, sago, wheat, rice, arrowroot and sorghum. In corn and wheat, starch is stored in the seed; in
tapioca and potato, it is stored in the root or tubers; and in sago it is stored in the stem pith. Extraction is usually
carried out by cleaning the plant material and then grinding, soaking, washing and filtering the material to recover
the starch.

Amount of Starch Present in common Food Sources (percent or gm. Per 100 gm. Food). The Philippine Food
Composition Table 1997, -FNRI.

Cereal % Noodles % Root Crops % Legumes %

Rice, raw 80 Bihon or rice 32 Cassava or 34 Cowpeas 67
noodles kamoteng dried or
kahoy paayap
Rice cooked 30 Miki or wheat 55 Gao yum or 25 Mungbeans 65
noodles tuge or mungo
Corn grits 78 Miswa or wheat 73 Potato or 20 Lima beans 23
noodles patatas or patani
Corn yellow 39 Sotanghon or 85 Taro or gabi 25 Soy beans 32
mungo beans or sitaw
oatmeal 71-85 spaghetti 76 Purple yun 25
or ubi

Functions of Starch

The numerous functions of starch in food preparation are summarized as follows.

1. thickening sauce and gravies, for example, lechon sauce or fresh lumpia sauce.

2. gelling gumdrops or pudding, e.g bread pudding, kutsinta

3. structural framework for baked goods, e.g pastries and cakes.

4. stabilizing beverages, salad dressings, e.g chocolate drinks.

5. moisture retaining as in filling and candies.

6. coating or dusting and bread candies, e.g. candies and biscuits.

7. coloring dextrines e.g. polvoron, kare-kare sauce.

Principles of Starch Cookery

When starch granules are mixed with water at room temperature, they do not dissolve but scatter or
disperse. A non-vicious suspension is formed and after standing for sometime without stirring, the granules settle to
the bottom.

Dry Heat- Dry heat is applied to starch, makes starch more soluble and reduces its thickening powder when
made into a cooked paste. Some starch molecules are broken down to dextrines in the process called dextrinization.
Color and flavor changes also occur when starchy foods are subjected to high temperature with dry heat.
 Effect of Moist Heat- When starches are heated with water, the granules swell and the dispersion in
viscosity intensifies until a peak thickness is reached. The term gelatinization is used to describe these changes which
appear to be a series of steps that starch undergoes in the presence of moist heat; the granules absorb water and as
heating continues, they swell and thicken. Within the temperature range gelatinization, being the characteristic of
food starch, the sol becomes viscous and loses opacity.

Gelation- when the gelatized starchy paste is cooked, it may or may not gel depending upon various factors.
Gelation is the setting of the sol into a solidified mass. As loose molecules pull together, the gel network shrinks and
water is pushed out of the gel, leaving a spongy mass. This process is called “weeping”

Alimentary Paste

Alimentary pastes or pastas in Italian refer to a family of macaroni in various sizes and shapes. The most
popular ones are spaghetti, macaroni, vermicelli, egg noodles and lasagna.

Types of Pastas and Noodles

Different types of pastas are sold in the market in various sizes and shapes. Pastas are all made from
semolina which is mixed with water to form a stiff dough. The dough is then forced through appropriate perforated
discs to give the shape desired. The pieces are dried in hot air and packaged. Other ingredients like monoglyserides,
seasoning , vegetables, eggs, milk, etc. provide variety in flavor.

Noodles made from rice, soft wheat, soybeans, cassava, and other legumes and root crops do not hold their
shapes as well as macaroni. However, with proper cooking procedures, they give palatable products with texture,
color and flavor distinctively their own. To this group belong our locally manufactured noodles which are;

Miki- flat yellowish noodles made from wheat flour, lye, salt, water and fat mixed and formed into a dough.

Sotanghon- long, thin round translucent noodles sometimes called “nylon” or silk, made from mung beans
and cassava starch.

White Bihon- thin noodles from rice and corn which are soaked, ground, drained and further pulverized in a
stone roller.

Fresh Bihon- moist, thick and doesn’t keep long; is used in pancit palabok or luglog.

Pancit Canton- made from egg noodles, flour, ducks egg, salt, and soda.

Proper Cooking of Noodles

For preparing pastas, it is best to follow the methods suggested by the manufactures usually found on the
package.

If instructions are not available, use 6 cups of water. Gently lower pasta into boiling water, lower heat, and
simmer. Cook up to “ al dente” stage or the time when noodles are firm enough when bitten but not too soft to be
mushy. For homemade pasta, lessen cooking time. After “ al dente” is reached, pour into a colander, drain and wash
with tap water. Oil maybe then added to avoid sticking.

Principles of cooking pastas are the same in cooking cereals and starchy pastas. There should be enough
water to gelatinize the starch completely. Noodles swell twice to their original volume. The time temperature of
cooking is carefully regulated to avoid uncooked starch granules.

Dried Bihon- is washed to make the pieces limp. After the strands are drained well, these are separated and
added to other ingredients. The amount of liquids necessary depends on the size of the bihon.

Sotanghon- is washed and soak in the water, drained well cut with kitchen shears and added to other
ingredients. It needs more liquid compared to bihon or miki.
 Miswa- is added to boiling broth directly, removed immediately from the heat, stirred gently to distribute
the miswa and keep covered for 5 minutes. It needs to be served immediately.

Fresh Miki- is added to sauted meat and vegetables with just enough stock to complete the cooking of
noodles. It has high moisture content so that the amount of liquid needed is less than that for dried bihon. The
mixture should be stirred to retain the shape of the noodles and should be served immediately. For dried miki, more
liquid is necessary.

Canton- need less liquids and shorter time for boiling since it has been pre-cooked.

TYPES OF NOODLES