I am a post graduate and MPhil in Foods and Nutrition. I have also done some short courses on nutrition along with my internship. One short course which I really enjoyed doing was on ‘Food Management” which I did in Milwaukee, US. It was an online course and the assignments were given to us online through teachers and we had to send notes and mostly make PPT’s.

I learnt some really informative things in this course and will be sharing some of my knowledge with you today. We all know cooking is an art but to actually master this art you should know the science behind it.

  1. Oil is very important for cooking and most of us do not know the exact temperature at which it is perfect to cook. To check if it is at a right temperature, move it back and forth slowly. If you see a pattern forming in it with a shine, it means it is ready. Make sure to cook at the right temperature as you do not want your food to just sit there in oil and not cook.
  2. If you feel a dish is too bland or is flavourless, the trick is to add some lemon or vinegar. I mostly use lemon but make sure you add it towards the end. It gives a dish a little zing.
  3. When you are adding water to a dish to make a gravy or to just give it a wet texture, do not add normal water. Always boil water and then add to a dish. Try it and you will see a difference.
  4. Salt is the main ingredient in our dishes. For any normal cooking, add it in between with each ingredient. You will see a difference as salt is really the magic ingredient which is easily absorbed by other food items.
  5. Nutrition is related to health. How can we miss health fact when we are talking about nutrition and science? These days a lot of food items have preservatives. But do you know about natural preservatives? There are 2 main ingredients in our kitchen –Salt and sugar which can be used in different methods for preservation. I am going to write a post with more information on natural preservation soon.
  6. Butter is an integral part of any baking recipe. Make sure you melt it before using as it makes the final outcome better. Why? Butter is made up of mostly water and this water activates the proteins in the flour.
  7. You must have seen strawberries grow mould after some days even after refrigeration. The reason is moisture. Avoid washing them until and unless you are ready to eat them. 
  8. Slow cooking is always better and healthy too. It retains the nutrients and flavours. Try cooking on slow flame mostly until you are really short of time.
  9. What is the science behind cooking rice? Rice is rich in starch and the way we cook them makes all the difference. Some of us like long grains which are separate from each other and on the other hand some like sticky rice which is cooked in enough water. The main trick is to soak rice for some time as it cooks faster. Do try not to over cook as it rice loses the aroma. Soaking also keeps the flavours intact.
  10. Measurements make a huge difference when you want to make a perfect dish. So, it’s important to know about measuring cups and spoons. Baking actually needs more accuracy and it does make a difference in the final product. It’s important to have important tools for measuring ingredients.

There are different terminologies which we learnt while studying food science. When you know the terminology and the method, it makes cooking much easier. I will be sharing it in my next post. Stay tuned. Happy cooking!

In Nutrition niche, I not only share recipes with a healthy twist but also some tips as a dietitian mom. See previous week’s recipes- 

Mango Mania for kids

Yummy and healthy burritos

Oats dosa with coconut chutney 

Bread Rolls

Paneer rolls

Pizza Sandwich

Red Sauce Pasta

Chicken Quesadilla

Oats pancakes

White sauce pasta

Healthy poha

Birthday party food ideas

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