Laboratory Exercise No.

3
PREPARATION OF RICE, CORN, AND CEREAL
COOKERY

STUDY QUESTIONS:
1. What are the guidelines in the selection and purchase of cereals and pasta?

 CEREALS

1. Go for whole grains.

Look for a cereal that’s all (or nearly all) whole grain. That means the
first two grain ingredients are typically whole grain or bran. If the label
says “100% whole grain,” you’re good.
If the label doesn’t say “100% whole grain,” check the ingredient list. If
the corn or wheat isn’t “whole” and the rice isn’t “brown,” assume that
they’re refined. (Cereals with a refined grain far down in the ingredient list
typically have very little.)
However, assume that oats, sprouted grains, and “ancient” grains like
quinoa, millet, or sorghum are whole, even if they don’t say so.
Although bran isn’t a whole grain, it counts as whole because it’s the fiber-
rich outer layer of the grain that’s missing from refined grains.
2. Check the serving size.
The size of the serving determines how many calories you’ll be eating. And serving sizes vary a lot.
They can range from roughly 30 grams (1 oz.) for light cereals to 55 grams (2 oz.) for heavy cereals. Or,
anywhere from ¼ cup to 1¼ cups.
And if the serving size is unrealistic, you might underestimate how many calories you’re getting. Some
brands of granola and muesli—like Bear Naked, Kashi, and Bob’s Red Mill—cheat by using the serving
size for snacks (1 oz.) when they should use heavy cereals’ (2 oz.) serving.
Take Bear Naked Honey Almond Granola. It has just 150 calories, says the label. But that’s if you eat only
¼ cup (1 oz.). As if.
Bottom line: Make sure the serving on the label matches how much you pour into your bowl…or adjust the
calories and sugar numbers on the Nutrition Facts label accordingly.
3. Limit added sugars.
Food labels right now don’t have to list “added” sugars separately from
total sugars. Added sugars include healthy-sounding sweeteners like dried
cane syrup, agave, honey, molasses, fructose, and fruit juice concentrate,
as well as plain old sucrose or table sugar. Total sugars include the
naturally occurring sugar in fruit and milk. That will change by July 2018
when new labeling rules go into effect and manufacturers have to list the
added and total sugars separately.
Choose cereals that have no more than 1½ teaspoons (7 grams) of total
sugar for light cereals or 2½ teaspoons (11 grams) for heavy cereals.  To
avoid penalizing fruit-rich cereals like raisin bran, check if fruit comes
before an added sugar in the ingredient list.
 
4. Get enough unprocessed fiber.
It’s not easy to select a cereal based on its grams of fiber anymore
because Nutrition Facts labels don’t break down how much of a cereal’s
fiber is unprocessed and how much is processed. Processed fiber, which is
being added to more and more foods now, comes from inulin or chicory
root fiber, oat fiber, soluble corn or wheat fiber, or other sources.
These processed fibers may not keep you regular, lower your
cholesterol, or keep a lid on your blood sugar as well as the real thing,
unprocessed fiber.
So aim for fiber that’s unprocessed. Check the ingredient list. Wheat bran,
whole-grain wheat, and oats are your best bets. Brown rice and whole-grain
corn have less.
 
5. Don’t forget saturated fat.
Look for cereals with less than 2½ grams of saturated fat. A few products (mostly granolas) have enough
chocolate or coconut to hit 3 to 6 grams. But most cereals have little or no sat fat.

 PASTA

1. Size.
Tiny pastas are best for soups or salads. They cook fast, and lend texture without being the main
ingredient. Think Acini di Pepe or Ditalini.
Smaller pastas, also called “short”, such as macaroni or shells are ideal for casseroles.
Long pasta, like fettuccine or spaghetti needs a sauce. You wouldn’t put these in a casserole, and you
probably wouldn’t eat them in a soup.

2. Shape
There are two basic shapes of pastas: those with lots of waves and openings, and simpler pasta without
either. A penne or shell shaped pasta is best for sauces that have some heft. Chunky vegetables and meats
work best with these types of pastas. A silky cream sauce will work better with flat pasta, such a long
noodle.
3. Texture.
Ridged pasta will catch a heavy sauce; while smooth pasta will glide right though the sauce. Generally,
textured pastas are better for heavier sauces, while smooth are more suited to light sauces.
 Pointers for Purchasing Pasta:
 Dried pasta: Avoid broken pasta or pasta that looks cracked. It may fall apart during cooking.
Check the expiration dates on packages.
 Fresh pasta: Avoid packages with moisture droplets or liquid; the pasta may be moldy or
mushy. The pasta should be smooth and evenly colored without broken or crumbly pieces. Check
the “sell by” dates.
 Frozen pasta: Avoid packages that are frozen as a solid block and those with ice crystals or
freezer burn (i.e. dry, white spots.)
2. What are the principles and methods of cooking cereals and pasta?

 CEREALS
 PURPOSE OF COOKING
As the so-called ready-to-eat cereals require practically no further preparation, attention is here
given to only those cereals which need additional treatment to prepare them properly for the table. Raw
grains cannot be taken into the body, for they are neither appetizing nor digestible. The treatment to
which they must be subjected is cooking, for the structure of grains is such that cooking is the only
means by which the coverings of the starch granules can be softened and broken to make them
digestible. But this is not the only effect produced by cooking; besides making raw cereals digestible,
cooking renders them palatable, destroys any bacteria or parasites that might be present, and, by means
of its various methods, provides a variety of dishes that would otherwise be very much limited.
 PREPARATION FOR COOKING CEREALS
Before the cooking of cereals is attempted, it is advisable for the sake of convenience to get out
all utensils as well as all ingredients that are to be used and arrange them so that they will be within easy
reach. The utensils and ingredients showed which are suitable for most methods of cooking cereals and
particularly for cooking them by the steaming process, consist of a double boiler, a measuring cup, a
knife, and spoons for measuring; a large spoon for stirring; a salt container; and a package of cereal. The
housewife will be able to tell quickly from a recipe just what ingredients and utensils she will need, and
by following the plan here suggested she will find that her work can be done systematically and with the
least expenditure of time.
 FIRST STEPS IN THE PROCESS OF COOKING
While cereals may be cooked in a variety of ways, the first steps in all the processes are
practically the same. In the first place, the required amount of water should be brought to the boiling
point, for if the water is boiling the cereal will thicken more rapidly and there will be less danger of
lumps forming. Then salt should be added to the water in the proportion of 1 teaspoonful to each cupful
of cereal. Next, the cereal should be stirred into the boiling salted water slowly enough to prevent it from
forming lumps, and then, being constantly stirred, it should be allowed to cook until it thickens. The
process up to this point is called setting a cereal, or grain. After the cereal is set, it may be boiled,
steamed, or cooked in the fireless cooker, but the method of COOKING selected should be chosen with
a view to economy, convenience, and thoroughness. The terms setting and set should be thoroughly
fixed in the mind, so that directions and recipes in which they are used will be readily understood.
 COOKING CEREALS BY BOILING
Very often the cereal, after it is set, is allowed to cook slowly until it is ready to serve; that is, the
method of boiling is practiced. This method, however, is not to be recommended, because it is not
economical. Cereals cooked in this way require constant watching and stirring, and even then it is
difficult to keep them from sticking to the cooking utensil and scorching or becoming pasty on account
of the constant motion. Sometimes, to overcome this condition, a large quantity of water is added, as in
the boiling of rice; still, as some of this water must be poured off after the cooking is completed; a
certain amount of starch and soluble material is lost.
 COOKING CEREALS IN THE DOUBLE BOILER
Probably the most satisfactory way in which to cook cereals, so far as thoroughness is concerned,
is in a double boiler. This method of COOKING is known as steaming, or dry steaming, and by it the
food itself, after it is set, never comes within 6 or 8 degrees of the boiling point. In this method, the
cereal is first set in the small, or upper, pan of the double boiler. This pan, which is covered, is placed
into the large, or lower, pan, which should contain boiling water, and the cereal is allowed to cook until
it is ready to serve. The water in the large pan should be replenished from time to time, for if it is
completely evaporated by boiling, the pan will be spoiled and the cereal in the upper pan will burn. This
method of cooking has several advantages that should not be disregarded. Cereals to which it is applied
 may be partly cooked on one day and the cooking completed the next morning before breakfast, or they
may be completely cooked on one day and merely heated before they are served. Then, when cooked at
a temperature slightly below the boiling point, the grains remain whole, but become thoroughly
softened, because they gradually absorb the water that surrounds them. In addition, the long cooking that
is necessary to prepare them at a low temperature develops a delicious flavor, which cannot be obtained
by rapid cooking at the boiling point.
 COOKING CEREALS IN THE FIRELESS COOKER
In a kitchen that is equipped with a fireless cooker, it is advisable to use this utensil for cereals,
for cooking them by this method secures the greatest economy of fuel and effort. As in the preceding
methods, the cereal is first set in the pan that fits into the cooker compartment. While the cereal is at the
boiling point, this pan is covered tightly and placed in the fireless cooker, where it is allowed to remain
until the cereal is ready to be served. The heat that the cereal holds when it is placed in the cooker is
retained, and this is what cooks it. Therefore, while this method of cooking requires considerable time, it
needs neither additional heat nor labor after the cereal is placed in the cooker. In reality, it is an
advantageous way in which to cook cereals, since, if they can be set and placed in the cooker in the
evening, they will be ready to serve at breakfast time on the following day.
 COOKING CEREALS BY DRY HEAT
An old method of cooking cereals or starchy foods is called browning, or toasting, and it
involves cooking them by dry heat. A thin layer of grain is spread in a shallow pan and this is placed in a
slow oven. After the grains have browned slightly, they are stirred, and then they are permitted to brown
until an even color is obtained. By this method the flavor of the cereals is developed and their
digestibility increased. Since grains keep much better after they have been subjected to the process of
toasting, this means is used extensively for preserving grains and cereal foods.

 PASTA

 PASTA SHAPES
There are hundreds of shapes and sizes of pasta with each shape used for different preparations
based on how the sauce will cling, the texture desired, or how the product will be used. For example:
• Pasta shapes with holes or ridges, such as wagon wheels or rotini, are perfect for chunkier sauces.
• Thin, delicate pastas, such as angel hair or vermicelli, are better served with light, thin sauces.
• Thicker pasta shapes, such as fettuccine, work well with heavier sauces.
• Very small pasta shapes, like alphabet shapes and acini di pepe, are good for soups.

Flavored pasta is available in a variety of shapes in both the dried and fresh forms. Vegetable ingredients
are added to pasta to provide both color and flavor. An example of flavored pasta is spinach noodles that
are green. Follow the package directions for cooking flavored pastas.

 COOKING TIME DEPENDS ON THE SHAPE

It is important to be familiar with different shapes of pasta so cooking times can be adjusted. The
larger and fuller the pasta shape, the longer the cooking time. Most pasta recipes specify cooking times
for pasta cooked al dente, tender but firm. Al dente is an Italian phrase that means “to the tooth.” Some
of the pasta shapes and cooking times are shown in the “Cooking Chart for Various Pasta Shapes.” Just
seeing this chart helps to emphasize how important it is to follow the recipe and cook pasta the right
way.
 PASTA GETS BIGGER AND HEAVIER WHEN COOKED
Generally, pasta doubles or triples in weight when it is cooked. Likewise, the volume increases 2
to 2 ½ times during cooking. So, if 1 gallon of dry pasta is measured, the cooked pasta would measure
2–3 gallons. Follow the recipe to cook the amount needed.
  FOLLOW THE RECIPE
The general rule for cooking pasta in boiling water is for 1 pound of pasta, use 1 gallon of water,
1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of oil. For 100 servings of spaghetti, 6 gallons of water, 2 tablespoons
of salt, and 2 tablespoons of oil are needed to cook 6 pounds of dried spaghetti.

When pasta is to be used as an ingredient in a recipe that will be cooked more, like macaroni and
cheese, it should be slightly undercooked. This means reducing the cooking time by about 2 minutes.
Pasta that is not cooked enough is tough and chewy. Pasta that is overcooked is soft and pasty. When
overcooked pasta is combined with a sauce, it often breaks apart. Handle pasta the right way after it is
cooked. Like most foods, pasta is best when it is cooked and served right away. However, it is
sometimes necessary to cook it ahead and hold it until time for service.
 3. Differentiate waxy from ordinary rice.
 Differences between Waxy and Non-waxy (ordinary) Rice
Waxy (Glutinous) Non-Waxy (Non-glutinous)
Main Content Amylopectin 15 – 20% of Amylose and 80 – 85%
Amylopectin

Transparency Milky and Non-transparent Transparent

Lipids Negligible lipids (Waxy starches) 0.9 – 1.3% (Non-waxy starches)
Swelling power Higher (Lower amylose content) Lower
Solubility Lower Higher
Starch Crystalline Waxy rice starch is more crystalline than non-waxy starch due to the influence of
amylase content and amylopectin structure
Stickiness after Waxy rice is more stickier than non-waxy rice
processing
  Other types of rice contain two types of starch—amylose and amylopectin—and the stickiness of the rice
depend on the proportion between the two. While a higher amylose content in long-grain white rice (19 to 23
percent) means it will turn out nice and fluffy, the lower amylose content in short-grain white rice (12 to 19
percent) causes the grains to stick together. Sticky rice, on the other hand, contains a maximum of 1 percent
amylose and a very high concentration of amylopectin, making it very sticky when cooked.
 Regular white rice is grown in wet rice paddies; sticky rice requires less water to grow and therefore
might be grown on hillside uplands as opposed to lowland paddies. ... While long grain rice contains both
starch components, sticky rice only contains amylopectin, with an almost negligible amount of amylose.

4. Differentiate gelatinization from dextrinization.

 Gelatinization is ative starch granules are insoluble solids. When suspended in water, one gram of
starch can associate with 0.5 to 1.0 g water, swelling very slightly while dextrinization are partially
hydrolyzed starches that are prepared by dry roasting starch. In home kitchens, dextrinization is
achieved by toasting of flour for polvoron, rice flour for kare-kare sauce and bread slices for
breakfast.
 During gelatinization, the starch granule absorbs water, swells and loses its crystallinity; while
in dextrinization, which is favored by extrusion at lower moisture contents, the starch granule is torn
apart physically. Both processes cause the starch to become more readily digested.

REFERENCES:
 https://cspinet.org/tip/five-things-check-you-buy-breakfast-cereal
 https://blog.chefworks.com/uniforms/pasta-101-everything-from-choosing-the-right-type-to-making-your-own/
 https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/cooking-tips/how-to-buy-store-and-cook-pasta
 https://www.cooking-food-winelovers.com/methodsofcookingcereals.html
 https://eyyyram.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/procedure-of-spaghetti.pdf
 https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-sticky-rice-4106990
 https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/food-science/dextrinization
 Laboratory Exercise No. 4
PREPARATION OF STARCH AND STARCH PRODUCT

STUDY QUESTIONS:

1. What are the guidelines in the selection and purchase of starch and starchy
product?
2. What are the principles and methods of cooking starchy products?
3. How to properly store starch and starchy products?
4. What are the sources of starch and starchy products?

SOURCES OF STARCH
1. Cereal grains, including corn, wheat, rice, grain, sorghum, and oats;
2. Legumes; and
3. Roots or tubers, including potato, sweet potato, arrowroot, and the tropical
cassava plant (marketed as tapioca)

COMMON SOURCE OF MANUFACTURED FOOD STARCH

1. Corn
2. Potato
3. Tapioca (cassava)

REFERENCES:

 https://starchinfood.eu/understanding-starch/
 Laboratory Exercise No. 5
PREPARATION OF YEAST BREADS
.
STUDY QUESTIONS:

1. Enumerate and give the characteristics

2. What is fermentation? How do you test if the kneaded dough has been fully
fermented before dividing, scaling, and finally fermented before baking?
3. Why you have to round the dough before shaping?
4. What is the purpose of punching the dough after it doubled in bulk?
5. What are the glazes/finishes to be used for the following breads: Ensaymada,
Cloverleaf, Millionaire’s bread, Cinnamon roll and Pandesal?

REFERENCES:
 Laboratory Exercise No. 6
COOKIES AND BARS

STUDY QUESTIONS:

1. Enumerate and give the characteristics of different types of cookies?

2. What kind of flour is used in making cookies? Why?
3. What other ingredients may be added to enrich the basic recipes and will give good
chewy cookies?
4. What are the poor causes of poor quality cookies? Describe the inside and outside
appearance of each type of cookies.

REFERENCES:
 Laboratory Exercise No. 7
SHORTENED CAKES/BATTER TYPE CAKES

STUDY QUESTIONS:

1. What is the purpose of creaming the butter until light and fluffy and with the sugar
until fluffier?
2. What are the different methods of mixing shortened cakes?
3. What are the ingredients that tenderize the cake?
4. Give the signs of doneness in shortened cakes?
5. Why fill the prepared pan with 2/3 full batter?
6. How do you determine when the batter mixture is smooth and ready for panning?
7. What are the ways of preparing the pan for shortened cakes?
8. Give the defects of batter type cakes and its causes?

REFERENCES:
 Laboratory Exercise No. 8
CHIFFON CAKES

STUDY QUESTIONS:

1. Why are the leavening agents used in chiffon cakes?

2. What is the shortening used in chiffon cake? What is its function?
3. What type of pan should you use for chiffon cake? How do you prepare them?
4. What are the oven temperature and time for baking chiffon type cakes?
5. Why do you invent the pan when cooling chiffon cake?
6. Five the defects of chiffon cakes and their causes.

REFERENCES:
 Laboratory Exercise No. 9
CAKE ICING/FROSTING AND CAKE DECORATING

STUDY QUESTIONS:

1. What is the role of corn syrup in boiled icing? Why not stir the syrup during
boiling?
2. What is the stage of beating the egg white before adding the cooked syrup?
3. How do you know that the boiled syrup is ready to be added with the beaten egg
whites?
4. Why do you have to cool the cake before applying icing/frosting?
5. Why do you have to remove the cake crumbs from the top and around the sides of
the cake to be frosted?
6. What is the purpose of putting or inserting strips of wax paper or coupon bond
under the cake to be frosted before starting to frost?

REFERENCES:
 Laboratory Exercise No. 10
CULMINATING ACTIVITY: TABLE BAZAR

STUDY QUESTIONS:

1. What values is being observed in the activity?

2. How this values help improved your ability/s?

REFERENCES: