FSN 104

Lec 22
METHODS OF COOKERY- PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF BOILING – BOILING OF
VEGETABLES, MEAT AND FISH
• Principles of Boiling
• Definition: Boiling is a moist heat method of cooking in which the foods are
cooked by just immersing them in water at 100°C and maintaining the water at
that temperature till the food is tender. Water is said to boiling when large
bubbles are seen rising constantly on the surface of the liquid and then breaking
rapidly.
• Water receives heat by conduction through the sides of the utensil in which the
food is cooked and passes on the heat by convection currents which equalise the
temperature and become vigorous when boiling commences. Boiling point of
water is 100o C and alter at high altitudes and in the presence of electrolytes.
• When foods are cooked by boiling, the food should be brought to a vigorous
boiling only results is then turned down, as violent boiling throughout tends to
break the food . The temperature of the water cannot be increased any further
after it begins to boil and continued vigorous boiling only results in excessive
evaporation of water and waste of fuel. And foods are likely to get burnt at the
bottom and form a dry crust at the top.
• Foods may be boiled in any liquid which is bubbling at the surface such as
stock, milk, juices or syrups. Foods that are cooked by boiling are rice, eggs, dals,
potatoes, meat, sago and beetroot. Boiling can be done with excess amount of
water (eggs, potatoes) or with sufficient water (dal, upma).
• Boiling is generally used in combination with simmering or other methods, e.g.,
cooking rice, vegetables or dal.
• Advantages
• It is the most simple method. It does not require special skill and equipment
• Soluble starches can be removed and rice grains are separated
• Protein gets denatured, starch gelatinized and collagen gets hydrolysed
• Uniform cooking can be done
• Disadvantages
• Loss of nutrients:
 if excess water is used in cooking and the water is discarded about 30-70%
water soluble nutrients like vitamin C may be lost. To prevent this type of
losses, cooked water should be used in soups, rasam, sambhar and dhal.
 Some protein may be lost if vegetables are cooked in water containing salt and
the cooking water is discarded.
 There is considerable loss of minerals especially sodium, potassium and calcium
due to leaching
• Loss of colors: Water – soluble pigments, like betanin from beetroot may be
lost. Beetroot should be cooked alongwith the skin to prevent the loss of colour.
• Time consuming : Boiling may take time and fuel may get wasted
• Loss of flavour and texture: Boiled foods are not considered tasty because
flavour compounds are leached into the water. Over – boiling of food may
make the food mushy.
• Boiling of vegetables
• Boiling vegetables is a quick way to retain the nutritional
value. Though many people believe that boiling
vegetables reduces nutrients found in them, the levels of
some nutrients like carotenoid, found in carrots, actually
increase when boil them. Boiling is the simplest way of
cooking vegetables, just pour some water in a pot, add
the veggies and heat up. But the benefits of boiled
vegetables can be obtained only when it is boiled
carefully. This is because most of the time boiling tends
to destroy the nutritional value of vegetables. Give a
touch of salt and only the required amount of water, and
heat up to-the-point. And it’ll turnout to be actually
something delicious to taste and healthy as well.
• Boiling of Meat
• Meat can be prepared by numerous cooking methods—
everything from roasting to grilling. However, there are
five basic principles that apply to the vast majority of
these recipes, as well as to most poultry recipes.
• Boiling can make more tender or less tender than the
original raw cut. When meat is cooked three types of
changes contribute to increased tenderness. They are
melting of fat, dissolution of collagen in hot liquids to
become soft gelatin and tissue softening and muscle
fibre separation. Overheating can cause muscle fibres to
contract and meat to shrink and become tougher;
evaporation of moisture occurs and dried out tissues
become tougher.
•  
• Boiling of fish
• The changes that take place during the cooking of fish are similar to
those in cooking meat. The main difference is that there is very
little change in the colour of the fish (except shellfish, which change
from green or brown to pink). Since fish has little connective tissue
and muscle fibres are short, it requires a much shorter cooking time
than meat and poultry. All the connective tissue present is collagen
which is converted to soluble gelatine by cooking. Fish should be
cooked at moderate temperatures long enough for its delicate
flavour to develop, for protein to coagulate and for the small
amount of connective tissues present to breakdown. The
coagulation begins at a temperature of about 60 oC. The flesh of
fish is sufficiently cooked when it falls easily into clamps of snowy
white flakes when tested with a fork. Cooking fish at high
temperature or cooking it too long, causes the muscle protein to
shrink leaving the fish tough, dry and lacking in flavour. Fish can
also be cooked by coagulating proteins with acids such as lemon or
lime juice.