Category Food

What is molecular gastronomy?

 

Trained chefs can blend science into the art of cooking to create delightful experiences for the taste buds and all the other senses too.

Molecular gastronomy is a modern style of cooking in which chefs use scientific principles and technology to enhance the flavours and alter the textures of food items. The term molecular gastronomy was coined by Hungarian physicist Nicholas Kurti and French chemist Herve in the 1980s. To practise the techniques of molecular gastronomy. chefs have to be specially trained one of the well-known techniques is spherification. It is the process of shaping a liquid such as fruit juice

A DISH TO BE JUDGED BY ITS COVER The packet of nuts in this chutney-soaked savoury is to be eaten along with its plastic wrapper, called ‘obulato’ in Japanese. The liquid is first mixed with sodium alginate, a chemical. This mixture is then dripped, drop by drop, into a bowl of a cold solution of calcium chloride. Each drop turns into a small ball, called a ‘caviar.

When popped into the mouth, these fruit caviars crumble and crackle on the taste buds, delivering an intense mouthfeel. Using liquid nitrogen to freeze dishes instantly is another technique.

Liquid nitrogen has a temperature of -196°C (321°F). When used in ice cream, the mixture freezes very quickly. This reduces the formation of ice crystals, resulting in a creamier ice cream.

Coats and capsules

Special types of foams can also be created with this technique. Traditionally. foams are made with a whisk or an espresso machine (to make coffee froth). But in molecular gastronomy, the substance to be foamed is usually mixed with a stabiliser such as lecithin and then squeezed out through a whipped cream can fitted with a nitrogen oxide capsule. Using this method, chefs can make truffle foam as a topping for a meat dish or pickle foam as a spicy coating for curd rice.

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How to tackle childhood obesity?

‘Cute, ‘chubby’ and ‘healthy’ are some of the euphemisms we use to refer to children and adolescents who are on the heavier side. This practice should be stopped because the statistics paint a scary picture. According to UNICEF’S World Obesity Atlas for 2022, India is predicted to have more than 27 million obese children, representing one in 10 children globally, by 2030.

What is childhood obesity?

“Childhood obesity means when the child is too overweight for his/her age and height. Being overweight is problematic as this leads to diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and many other complex health conditions,” points out Annavi Khot, a Pune-based nutritionist and personal fitness trainer. The easiest way to stay healthy is by ‘moving’. Khot observes that in the last two years, the number of mothers approaching her, seeking help for their kids, has gone up. “During the lockdown, most children did nothing but eat unhealthy food and watch a lot of online shows and films. There have also been cases where playing a sport is not encouraged! This is a sad state of affairs, but kids imitate their parents and their lifestyle. It is the parent’s responsibility to practise a healthy lifestyle,” she says.

Children should engage in a sport that they enjoy so that they make it a part of their lifestyle. It is very important for kids to move; they should have great stamina, mobility and strength, not only for performance but also for their mental health.

Eating food minus nutrients

Junk food, packaged food, etc. appeal to the taste buds, but lack the nutrients necessary for a growing child. Medical practitioners say they are dealing with teenaged patients who are both ‘under-nutritioned’ and over-nutritioned. Over-nutrition results in the child becoming overweight or obese.

Healthier, tastier options

“Mothers, kids will eat healthy food if it tastes well! Please learn some healthy recipes -there are tonnes of books and videos available. Don’t think that healthy food is boring!” says Khot. “You should have your nutrition comprising all the necessary vitamins and minerals, good fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables are a must every single day!”

Try experimenting with food. Instead of regular pasta, you can have ragi (finger millet) pasta with lots of veggies. You can switch to pizzas, burgers and frankies made from multigrain bread Restrict your intake of junk food to once a week.

 Talking about packaged food, Khot warns. “Watch out for different names of sugar used in the packaging. Eat home-cooked meats and healthy snacks in place of processed foods.”

 A nutritionist should be consulted before putting any diet plan into practice.

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Which is the largest producer of millet in the world?

India is the largest producer of millets in the world. Millets are a group of small-seeded cereal grains. They are called superfoods as they are rich in macro and micronutrient. The year 2023 has been declared the UN International Year of Millets so as to create awareness about these superfoods and encourage their consumption. They are a group of planet-friendly crops as they possess superior climate resilience properties and require fewer inputs. Let's learn about a few millet varieties.

KODO MILLET

 A millet indigenous to India, the kodo millet is hardy and drought-resistant. It is a good source of protein and dietary fibre. It is said to have been domesticated some 3000 years ago. The millet is grown mostly by the tribal communities of Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

FOXTAIL MILLET

Also called kangni, the foxtail millet is a drought-resistant crop. It is largely grown in Rajasthan, UP, Haryana, and the drylands of the Deccan Plateau. When compared to mainstream cereals, foxtail millet is highly nutritious. It is a rich source of protein and has a good amount of fat and fibre. Foxtail millet originated in China. The crop has a very short growth cycle.

LITTLE MILLET

A small-grained cereal crop, the little millet is also called kutki. It is largely cultivated as a cereal across India, Nepal, and western Myanmar. This crop can withstand both drought and waterlogging. The little millet is native to India and is called "Indian millet. It's an excellent source of protein and fibre. Widely produced in States such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, the little millet is used by many tribal communities.

FINGER MILLET

The finger millet is a powerhouse of nutrients. It packs in it a lot of protein, amino acids, calcium, minerals, fibre and iron. It also has low fat content. One of the most nutritious cereals, the finger millet does not contain gluten and is easy to digest. Also called ragi, the finger millet is grown mostly in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. It is said to have been domesticated some 5000 years ago, at the beginning of the Iron Age in the highlands of Eastern Africa. Seen here is a tribal woman harvesting her new ragi crop.

BROWNTOP MILLET

A crop grown mostly in the southern parts of the country, the browntop millet also goes by the name korale. A crop native to South Asia, it is traditionally cultivated as a cereal crop. It has a high nutritional value and is rich in fibre, iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. As it requires less energy input, it leaves a lower carbon footprint in agriculture. Seen here is a field carpeted with ready-to-harvest browntop millet.

BARNYARD MILLET

Grown mostly in the regions of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana, the barnyard millet is a drought-resistant crop. It is also called sanwa. Barnyard millet is a good source of protein, carbohydrates, and fibre. It also contains more micronutrients such as iron and zinc. Despite the fact that this crop can withstand adverse weather conditions much better than other cereals and has excellent nutritional and agronomic value, it is still an underutilised crop. Indian barnyard millet and Japanese barnyard millet are the two popular varieties of this millet species. The oldest archaeological records of the cultivation of Indian barnyard millet date back to 5000 B.C in India. Japanese millet is believed to have originated in Japan.

PEARL MILLET

One if the most widely grown crops in India, the pearl millet is also called bjra. In fact, it is the fourth most widely cultivated food crop after rice, wheat, and maize. It is grown majorly in areas such as Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana. This is an easy-to-digest cereal grain and is considered important due to its climate- resilent nature. It is draught resistant and can easily be cultivated in regions having not-so-good agro climatic conditions such as low and erratic rainfall, high mean temperature, infertile soil, and so on. It has its origins in West Africa, with the oldest usage dating back to 1000 BC. It is also used as feed and fodder for livestock.  

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What is the difference between macronutrients and micronutrients? And why do we need both?

Macronutrients are those nutrients you need in large amounts. They provide the energy (calories) required by the body. They are carbohydrates, proteins (including essential amino acids) and fats (including essential fatty acids). Some scientists also consider water and fibre to be macronutrients.

Different macronutrients have different amounts of calories per serving: fats yield 9 calories per gram, while proteins and carbs contain 4 calories per gram.

Energy-giving carbs are found in grains, fruits, beans and vegetables.

Protein in meat, dairy, eggs, tofu and legumes repairs and builds muscles, skin and organs and aids in producing some hormones. Fats in foods such as oil, seeds and nuts are stored in the body and used as backup fuel. They also protect and insulate organs and bones.

Vitamins and minerals

Micronutrients are so called because they are needed only in minuscule amounts. They help the body produce enzymes, hormones and other substances needed for proper growth and development.

Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals found in food. They include water-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin C and all the B vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, E and K and essential trace minerals like chromium, copper, iodine, iron, selenium, manganese, molybdenum and zinc.

The body cannot manufacture enough of the 30 essential micronutrients on its own, so you have to obtain them from food or from supplements.

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What is meaning of term ‘Superfoods’?

Superfoods refer to a variety of foods many of them plant-based -said to be packed with nutrition The likes of blueberries, salmon, and kale are often part of what are called superfoods While discussing superfoods it is good to remember that the word is neither an official attestation by any government nor a medically proven label for the types of foods labelled so. In fact many consider the word a marketing ploy to sell specific kinds of food. Rather than try to stick to foods falling under the superfoods category, nutritionists urge us to consume a variety of foods that cover reasonable amounts of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, fish, meat, dairy, etc. since all these together provide us with a range of nutrients. While choosing what we eat, it is always wise to go in for natural and organic foods and those free of chemicals and carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). Such foods are far kinder to both humans and our planet than their processed counterparts.

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Is irradiated food safe for consumption?

Research has proved that irradiated food does not retain any radioactive property. Absolutely. The process of food irradiation involves exposing the food to the energy from short-wave radiations like gamma rays, x-rays or electrons. But research over the last 40 years has proved that irradiated food does not retain any radioactive property and hence is completely safe. Moreover, irradiation does not diminish the nutritive value of the food.

This technology is used to destroy the bacterial, fungal or viral growth in food that can spoil it or cause diseases. Irradiated food thus has a longer shelf life. As irradiation is a cold process it causes no change in the freshness or texture of the food unlike certain other procedures that involve heat. In fact, it is difficult to tell an irradiated apple from a normal one as it remains as juicy and crisp. Presently over 40 food items such as fruits, vegetables, spices, seafood, grains, meat and poultry are available in irradiated form. Many specially-marked irradiated fruits and vegetables are commercially sold in the U.S., France, China, South Africa and the Netherlands.

Although the process of irradiation greatly reduces the growth of bacteria it does not completely eliminate it. Hence irradiated poultry needs refrigeration. As for irradiated fruits, refrigeration is not essential though they will last much longer in a refrigerator.

Around 20,000 million tonnes of food and allied products are irradiated in India annually. These include agricultural produce such as onion, potato, mango, grains and other products such as onion powder, garlic powder, spices, Ayurvedic products and animal feed.

DID YOU KNOW?

*The Radura logo is an international symbol that indicates a food product has been irradiated. The logo, usually green in colour, depicts a flower represented by a dot and two leaves within a half-broken circle.

* Around 20,000 million tonnes of food are irradiated in India annually.

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