Food processing - restaurant operations

Ingredients: Must not be mushy, not crumbly, not watery and have a certain toughness. Usually used are old green papaya, young carrots, kohlrabi, fiberless radish, cucumber pulp, tomato peel...

Selection: Fresh, clean, not bruised, rotten, or moldy....

Block cutting: Cut the tubers and fruits into blocks with shapes and sizes suitable for each type of flower that needs to be pruned, such as: roses should be cut into blocks 5 - 6 cm long, lotus flowers with longer petals should be cut into blocks 8 - 9 cm long.

Trimming calyxes: When trimming some flowers with calyxes such as roses and water lilies, use the green skin to trim the calyxes.

Modify the block: Shape the block into a suitable form for each type of flower that needs to be trimmed, such as: if you trim a 5-petal flower, shape the block into 5 equal sides.

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Splitting the wings: From the sides of the block, use a knife to split an outer layer of wings, then fix the block, create a new block alternating with the old block to split the second layer of wings and continue like that until the innermost layer of wings.

Fix the petals: Use scissors to fix the edges of each petal like the way flowers in nature are round, pointed, serrated...

Curling the petals: After fixing the petals, use your fingers to bend them until they are soft. You can bend them out or use thread to roll the petals back to cup them.

Soak in alum water or diluted lime water : After trimming, soak the flowers in alum water or diluted lime water (depending on the type of material, soak for an appropriate amount of time) to make the flowers whiter, clearer, the petals harden to shape as desired and keep the flowers fresh longer.

Dyeing and decorating: For some types of flowers, to make them look like real flowers, we can use flower dye, then use soft leaves or flower branches to attach the trimmed flowers, put them in a basket or bowl for decoration.

2 Basic processing methods

2.1. Cooking methods using heat

2.1.1 Boil

* Concept

Boiling is a method of cooking food ingredients in a liquid boiling at 100 o C, during which the food is partially or completely submerged in the liquid. Boiled dishes can use spices added during boiling to enhance the flavor of the product. The product is a semi-finished product or a dish in a fully cooked state.

* General principles

Put the pre-processed food into cold liquid or boiling liquid (depending on the type of food) and bring to a boil over high heat, skim off all the foam, then depending on the type of food, maintain the cooking temperature or reduce the temperature but still ensure the liquid boils until the food is cooked to the required level, remove and drain.

* Raw material specifications

Most foods can be used.

- Livestock meat is usually cut into large pieces, poultry meat is left whole or cut in half, usually young, delicious or moderately old.

- Egg.

- If seafood is small, leave it whole. If the fish is large, cut it into pieces.

- Fresh and dried plant foods can be left whole or cut into pieces or slices.

equal.

- Salty, pickled foods.

Liquid

The liquid used for boiling can be water, broth, milk... and the amount of liquid depends on the weight of the food to ensure that it is submerged in water, and also depends on the need for boiling water, depending on the nature of the food.

For example: When boiling green vegetables, a large amount of liquid is needed (2.5-4 liters/kg) to shorten the boiling time of green vegetables, making them crispy and limiting their color change.

For boiling animal organs, a large amount of liquid is needed (3

- 4 liters/kg) to shorten the boiling time, making the product crispy, white and removing bad odors faster.

For boiling starchy tubers such as potatoes and cassava, only 0.6 - 0.7 liters/kg is needed. The ingredients are easily cooked due to the high gelatinization properties of starch.

For dry foods, they must be soaked before boiling and require a moderate amount of water, but the boiling time is always long.

Processing time

Cooking time depends on the nature, size and condition of each food. In general, fresh food is relatively quick to cook, while dried food takes much longer, up to several hours.

Processing temperature

The temperature when boiling is maintained at a strong boiling temperature or a gentle boiling temperature depending on the type of ingredient and each stage of processing.

For example: When boiling livestock or poultry, you need to boil it over high heat at first, skim off the foam, then maintain a gentle boil until the food is cooked.

When boiling green vegetables, you must maintain a strong, even, and continuous boiling temperature throughout the entire boiling time.

When boiling seafood, you must maintain a strong, even, and continuous boiling temperature throughout the boiling time. For crabs, after boiling, reduce the heat to moderate until the food is cooked.

To boil vegetables, first boil over high heat until boiling, skim off the foam, then maintain a moderate boil until almost cooked, drain off all the water, reduce heat to low until food is cooked and dry.

To boil dry food, first boil it over high heat until it boils, skim off the foam, then maintain a gentle boil until the food is cooked.

* Product requirements

The product is soft, medium ripe, crispy or mushy, not mushy and retains the natural flavor and color of the ingredients.

* Application

- After being boiled, food can be used as a dish or processed into other dishes such as boiled eel to make eel soup, stir-fried eel with vermicelli...

- In Asian cuisine, boiled foods are eaten with dipping sauces suitable for each type of ingredient. In European cuisine, boiled foods are eaten with side dishes or sauces.

* Note

- After boiling, the product can be taken out immediately and soaked or rinsed with cold water.

- For animal ingredients, after boiling, you can soak them in the boiling water for a while and then take them out.

2.1.2 Blanching, dipping, rinsing

* Concept

Blanching, dipping, and blanching are methods of cooking food in boiling liquid for a short period of time. The product is used for immediate consumption or for further processing.

* General principles

Bring a large amount of liquid to a boil and then add the food.

has been specifically treated to be stirred gently and quickly or poured boiling liquid over

You can also pick up raw food and dip it into boiling liquid, repeat a few times until the food is half-cooked, then scoop it out immediately.

* Technical specifications of raw materials:

Ingredients often use easy-to-cook or quick-cooking types.

- Choose soft, young, lean meat from livestock and poultry such as: heart, liver, testicles.

sliced thinly and evenly.

- Whole eggs or just the yolk.

- If seafood is small, leave it whole, like shrimp. If it is large, cut it into small, thin slices.

equal.

- Choose young vegetables and fruits that are low in fiber, easy to cook, crispy to eat, leave whole or cut into small, thin slices.

Liquid:

The blanching liquid can be water, broth, wine, cooking oil, milk, etc. and the amount of liquid used must be large enough so that when food is added, the liquid temperature does not decrease significantly and does not greatly affect the quality of the product (reduced nutrition or toughness due to over-processing).

Processing temperature:

The temperature of the liquid must always boil strongly, evenly and continuously.

Processing time:

Food comes into contact with liquid very quickly, for a few minutes or just a few tens of seconds.

* Product requirements

Blanched, dipped, or rinsed products are cooked to medium or rare, crispy, and have little color change.

change, keep the natural flavor of the ingredients.

* Application

Blanched, dipped, and rinsed products can be eaten immediately or used to prepare other dishes such as:

- Blanch beef, heart, testicles, and eggs for immediate consumption.

- Blanch green vegetables, heart, kidney... to prepare stir-fried mixed dish.

* Note

- For some blanched ingredients that are used for further processing, after blanching, they are usually put in cold water to keep the ingredients fresh, green and not mushy like blanching vegetables to make a base for stir-fried dishes...

- Before blanching, dipping, or rinsing, prepare the ingredients and containers and work quickly. Any problems can reduce the quality of the blanched, dipped, or rinsed product.

2.1.3 Cooking

* Concept

Cooking is a method of cooking food using heat from boiling water, the food is completely submerged in water when cooking. You can add spices and other ingredients depending on the type of soup.

* General principles

For soup with only vegetable ingredients, boil water, add spices to taste. When the water boils again, add the vegetable ingredients and continue to heat strongly and evenly until the ingredients are cooked to the required level.

For soups with both animal and plant ingredients, add meat and poultry from cold water, seafood (some types can be fried or stir-fried) from boiling water and bring to a gentle boil. Add a little salt to the soup to increase the solubility of protein, then add plant foods and continue to boil until the food is cooked to the required level, season to taste.

* Specifications Raw materials:

Ingredients are usually selected for easy and fast-cooking. Depending on each type of ingredient, process accordingly.

- Livestock and poultry meat is often used lean, thinly sliced, shredded or minced.

small.

- Seafood is usually crab, mussel, clam and other fish that are less fishy and lean.

- Leafy vegetables are usually cut into pieces or small pieces.

- Root vegetables are often thinly sliced, julienned...

Liquid:

Liquid can be cold water or broth. Amount of water used

usually more than one.

Processing temperature:

Usually maintained at a high or medium boil temperature depending on the type of food and the stage of processing.

Processing time:

Processing time is relatively fast.

* Product requirements

Soups usually have more liquid than solids, the product has the color and flavor characteristic of each type of soup, the liquid must be sweet, the solids must be medium or medium cooked, some are rare (celery) and some are well-done (mustard greens).

* Application

- Cabbage soup with perch, spinach soup with lean meat...

- Sour fish soup, morning glory soup...

* Note

- Soup can be cooked from one type of food or a combination of many types of animal and plant foods.

- Broth from livestock and poultry can be used to make all kinds of soup.

But seafood broth is only used to make seafood soup.

2.1.4 Simmering

* Concept

Simmering is a method of cooking food in water for a relatively long period of time, until the food is cooked, soft, and tender. Simmering can use one or more ingredients. Aromatic spices are often added during the cooking process.

* General principles

Specifically prepared food (food can be marinated, stir-fried, fried before stewing) is added from cold water (livestock, poultry meat and bones), boiling water (seafood) then boiled, skimmed, reduced to a gentle boil until the food is cooked to the required standard. Aromatic spices are processed, added during the cooking process, then:

- Filter to get clear water, boil again and wait for further processing (to make broth).

- Or add additional food to continue cooking (if any), season, continue cooking until food is cooked to the required level.

* Specifications Raw materials:

The ingredients for stewing are quite diverse. All types and grades of food can be used, but usually firm, old ones are chosen.

- Bones and meat of livestock and poultry are cut into large pieces for stewing (the marrow bones must be crushed), and for stewing they can be cut into smaller pieces or cubes and can be stir-fried, deep-fried, or stir-fried...

- Seafood.

- Fresh and dried starchy vegetables and fruits cut into large pieces, cubes, rectangles, or sliced like pig's feet (dried ingredients must be soaked or boiled).

- Aromatic spices such as star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, dried onion, ginger, cloves, bay leaves... are used to enhance the sensory quality of the dish.

Amount of water:

- For stewing, use more water than solids.

- For stewing, the amount of water used is less than for simmering.

Processing temperature:

The initial processing temperature needs to be increased. When the water boils, skim off the foam and reduce the temperature to a gentle boil so that the ingredients gradually cook inside to the required doneness. In some cases, you can pull the pot to the side, just hot water is enough to cook the food gradually, such as making bone broth.

Processing time :

Processing time is relatively long, can last 2 - 10 hours.

- Simmer buffalo or beef bones for 6 - 8 hours

- Simmer pork and poultry bones for 3 - 4 hours

- Simmer fish for 40 - 60 minutes

- Simmer vegetables and fruits for 1 - 2 hours

- Stew beef for 2 - 3 hours

- Stew pork and poultry for 1-2 hours.

* Product requirements

- For stewed dishes, the water must be sweet, clear, low in fat, and not cloudy.

The bones must be meaty and must have the characteristic aroma of each type of broth.

- For stews, the animal food is soft, well-cooked, and not solid, and the vegetables are soft but not mushy, and intact. Because the main need is to get the solids, the water is little and a bit thick. Stews are often marinated so the finished product has an attractive color and flavor.

* Application

- Simmer bones and meat with lots of tendons to make Asian and European broth.

- Stew all kinds of meat, vegetables, tubers, fresh and dried fruits for Asian and European dishes...

* Note

- Must select ingredients, prepare and cut to suit the nature of the ingredients and dish.

- For stewed dishes:

Food must be washed thoroughly and blanched.

Always pay attention in the beginning, if the foam overflows and breaks, it will dissolve into the water and make the water cloudy.

Processing time must be ensured, if there is not enough water the food will not be sweet.

Stewed products are often used for further processing (soup, stew, sauce, etc.).

- For stew:

Food must be firm enough to not become mushy or bland after long cooking (due to nutrients dissolving in the cooking environment).

If the stew has many foods with different properties: Add slow-cooking foods first, then quickly-cooking foods to ensure even cooking.

Ready to use stew product.

2.1.5 Warehouse, rim

* Concept

Braising is a method of cooking food with water and spices to create color. The product often has a characteristic color and flavor. The cooked product is soft and has a high saltiness.

Braising is a method of cooking food with a small amount of water. The product is usually cooked through, crispy, chewy and moderately salty.

* General principles

The food is marinated with spices (food can be stir-fried, grilled or lightly fried) then put into a pot of boiling water, boil, skim, reduce heat until the food is soft, all the water is gone or there is a little bit of thick water left. When braising, do not stir much, but when stewing, stir often.

* Specifications Raw materials:

Meat and poultry are cut into large pieces, large blocks and marinated with spices.

Seafood: large fish cut into pieces, small fish left whole and can be fried or grilled.

Vegetables and fruits such as: radish, kohlrabi, pickled cabbage...

Spices: fish sauce, soy sauce, caramel, galangal, rice vinegar, shrimp paste, turmeric, ginger, chili, coconut water, lemongrass...

Amount of water:

The amount of water for braised dishes only needs to cover the dish. For braised dishes, it needs less.