Cooking at Amazon
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Cooking is the process of preparing food by applying heat selecting, measuring and combining of ingredients in an ordered procedure for producing safe and edible food. The process includes a number of methods, tools and combinations of ingredients to help with the flavor or digestibility of food. Factors affecting the final outcome include the variability of ingredients, ambient conditions, tools, and how good the individual can cook. Applying heat to a food usually, though not always, chemically transforms it, which also changes the flavor, texture, consistency, appearance, and nutritional properties. Methods of Cooking. There are several methods of cooking in this; we will look at a few of them as we take a journey into the wonderful world of cooking. COOKING BY DRY HEAT Baking This means cooking food by dry heat in an oven. The oven is usually heated by radiation and convection, this means that the hot air rises from the burners, or elements, and falls as it cools. It also means that the top of the oven is hottest and the lowest shelf is coolest. Baked foods dry out due to evaporation. To prevent this, you should cover the cooking dish or pour 1-2 tablespoons of liquid over food which should remain moist, like fish. Foods suitable for baking are bread, cakes, puddings, meat, fish, fruit and vegetables. Roasting This involves cooking food in hot fat in the oven, or on a spit or rotisserie. The food is usually basted with hot fat to prevent it from drying out. Food may be roasted in an open pan for better color and flavor. It may also be covered, which reduces shrinkage. This takes longer, however, and the food usually does not brown well. Foods suitable for quick roasting are: Beef – sirloin, rib roast Lamb - loin, best end, leg Pork- loin, leg Poultry – chicken, duck, goose, turkey Vegetables- potatoes, root vegetables.
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