Cereal Cookery (Wheat & types of Flour)

Flour is the principal raw material used in the manufacture of bread, cakes, cookies & pastries. It provides bulk & structure to these products.
Flour indicates any foodstuff which is finely powdered e.g. rice flour, soya flour; corn flour etc. when there is no specific indication of the type of flour then it refers to refined wheat flour.
Wheat grows in almost every part of the world, except in extreme climatic conditions. However wheat flourishes best in temperate regions & the best quality comes from the American & Canadian borders under the names Manitoba, Minnesota hard winter etc. The other countries producing wheat are China, India, Australia, Iran, Turkey, U.K etc.

The commercially grown species of wheat are:
Triticum Vulgare
Triticum Durum
Triticum compactum - Suitable for bread.
-Suitable for spaghetti pasta, macaroni etc.
-Suitable for cake-making.

Structure of Wheat Grain:

The wheat berry is made up of three parts- Bran, Germ & Endosperm.
Bran: it is the outer covering of the kernel & consists of 5 layers:

·       Epidermis

·       Epicarp

·       Endocarp

·       Epidperm or Testa

·       Aleurone or Ceralin layer.

The first 3 layers are protective layers. The 4th layer Testa contains the coloring matter that gives color to the wheat e.g. red, amber etc. the 5th layer of Aluerone cells contains the protrase enzyme & has a softening effect on the flour protein. Bran is rich in vitamin B & dietary fibre. The sharp edges of bran fragments have a cutting action on gluten strands, reducing the gas retention power of the dough.

Germ or Embryo:
The germ of wheat consists of 3 parts:

i. Scuttelum
ii. Plumule
iii. Radical

The germ is that part of the kernel that becomes the new wheat if the kernel is sprouted. In the early stages the berry is incapable of obtaining food needed for the growth of the new plant, so all the nourishment is packed in the germ.

Endosperm:
The endosperm is the starchy part of the kernel after the bran & germ is the kernel after the bran & germ is removed. It contains numerous compartments of cellulose & these are tightly packed with starch cells which are round or slightly oval in shape. In the spaces between them are found many other substances like soluble & insoluble proteins, fat, sugar, moisture & minerals.

The characteristics of the flour depend on the variety of wheat from which it is milled, the location & growing conditions.
For the production of strong wheat a hard winter & a hot ripening period is ideal. Nitrogen is the most important element in the protein molecule & is obtained from soil. According to the availability & solubility of nitrogen, the quality & quantity of protein will vary in the wheat & flour.

Some of the principal types of wheat are- Northern spring, Manitoba, Hard winter, Red winter, Pacific, Durum etc.

Types of flour:-

Whole wheat flour: - has a dark color, it consists of all parts of the grain i.e. bran, germ & endosperm. This flour has a characteristic flavor. As this flour contains the germ (oil) it will have a storage life of only 6-8 weeks.

Straight flour: - is flour from the entire endosperm. Because it contains the part nearer the bran as well as the whiter interior, the color of straight flour is darker in color than patent.

Patent flour: - is milled from the inner part of the endosperm. Patent flour made from hard wheat is a Strong flour of excellent quality & light cream color. Patent flour has 11% - 13% protein content.

Clear flour: - the portion of the endosperm from the outer part of the endosperm nearer the bran thus is darker in color.

Cake flour: - is weak or low gluten flour made from soft wheat it has a very soft, smooth texture and pure white color. Cake flour is used for cakes & other delicate baked goods that require low gluten content.

Pastry flour – is also weak or low gluten flour, but is slightly stronger than cake flour. It has a creamy white color. Pastry flour is used for pie-dough, cookies, and muffins.

All- purpose flour: - medium quality flour which can be used for any type of baked items.

Self- rising flour: - is white flour to which baking powder (2%) & salt has been added.

High-ratio flour: - this is highly bleached, finely milled flour, made from wheat having good quality proteins. The fine milling increases the absorption properties of flour while chlorination increases the acidity & renders the starch more soluble making it possible to have a faster set in the oven & thus minimizing the possibility of escape of leavening gas. Mostly used in cake- making.

Other flours:

Rye flour: - contains some proteins but these do not form gluten.

Soya Flour, Ragi Flour etc.

MILLING
There are two distinct methods of milling wheat – stone milling and roller milling.
Stone mills are still in use. From them we get the best whole meal. It consists of two circular stones lying on one top of the other. The one at the bottom remains stationary while the other stone revolves upon it. The faces of the stone are roughened up so that the grooves in them grip and cut into the berries as two rough surfaces pas over it. Cleaned wheat enters the hole in the center called the runner, trickles down and finds its way between the stones. During this process the grain is crushed into flour.

Cereal Cookery (Rice, Pulses)

RICE, CEREALS & PULSES

RICE: Rice is the seed of a monocot plant Oryza sativa. As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East, South, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the West Indies. It is the grain with the second highest worldwide production, after maize ("corn").

1.     Since a large portion of maize crops are grown for purposes other than human consumption, rice is probably the most important grain with regards to human nutrition and caloric intake, providing more than one fifth of the calories consumed worldwide by the human species.

2.     A traditional food plant in Africa, rice has the potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable land care.

3.     Rice is normally grown as an annual plant, although in tropical areas it can survive as a perennial and can produce a crop for up to 30 years.

4.     The rice plant can grow to 1–1.8 m tall, occasionally more depending on the variety and soil fertility. The grass has long, slender leaves 50–100 cm long and 2–2.5 cm broad. The small wind-pollinated flowers are produced in a branched arching to pendulous inflorescence 30–50 cm long. The edible seed is a grain (caryopsis) 5–12 mm long and 2–3 mm thick.

Types of Rice:

1. Paddy Rice - Rice still in its original state with no further treatment after threshing.

2. Brown Rice - (Husked Rice) Rice with the outer husk. Removed having a characteristic beige color.

3. White Rice - Brown rice from which all the germ is removed by passing through machines that rasp the grain. It is also called unpolished rice.

4. Polished Rice - White rice that has been passed through machines that remove any flour still adhering to the grain.

5. Glaze Rice - Polished rice covered with a fine layer of french chalk and suspended in glucose, specially processed to give a shine.

6. Steamed Rice - Paddy rice that is cleaned, soaked in hot water, steamed at low pressure, de-husked & blanched.

7. Pre-cooked Rice - Rice that has been husked, soaked, boiled for 1 – 3 minutes. And dried at a high temperature.

8. Camolino Rice - Polished and lightly coated with oil.

9. Puffed Rice - In India it is roasted and fried on hot sand.

10. Wild Rice - The seed of an aquatic grass, related to the rice plant, it grows one by one up the stalks and resembles little black sticks. It is very expensive.

11. Basmati Rice - Indian rice with long grains, with a distinctive flavor. Old basmati rice is the most prized and is rarely available.

12. Sticky Rice - Round grain rice which has a very high starch content. Rarely available, it is most ideal for Chinese cooking. E.g. Arborio rice used in Italian cooking for making of Risotto.

13. Rice Flakes or Pressed Rice - Rice that is steamed, husked & flattened into flakes, it is eaten for breakfast with milk & sugar. Or as a savory preparation (poha)

Rice is also used to make a variety of alcoholic drinks. :-

CHOUM - In Vietnam; SAMAV - In Malaysia; SAKE - In Japan ; CHAO XING - In China

Nutrition: Rice has a very high Calorific value (350 cal, per 100 g. in whole rice & 120 cal. Per 100 g. in balanced rice). It is very rich in digestible starch (77 %) and also in vitamins B1, B2 and minerals.

Cooking of Rice:

A) In Water:

1. Rice is put into the vessel with twice the amount of water, brought to a boil, and cooked till the water is absorbed.

2. Alternatively it can be poured into a vessel of boiling water, brought to a boil, cooked and drained off.

B) In Stock -In this method the rice is lightly fried in hot oil and stock is added to it. It is then cooked till the Rice is soft and all the stock has been absorbed.

C) In Milk: Rice is normally cooked in milk for making desserts. Short grained rice is ideal for this type of cooking because the grains stick together thus giving thickening properties to the dish.

PULSES /LEGUMES/BEANS

 A pulse is an annual leguminous crop yielding from one to twelve grains or seeds of variable size, shape, and color within a pod. Pulses are used for food and animal feed. The term "pulse", as used by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), is reserved for crops harvested solely for the dry grain. This excludes green beans and green peas, which are considered vegetable crops. Also excluded are crops that are mainly grown for oil extraction (oilseeds like soybeans and peanuts), and crops which are used exclusively for sowing (clovers, alfalfa). However, many of the varieties so classified and given below are also used as vegetables, with their beans in pods while young cooked in whole cuisines and sold for the purpose; for example black eyed beans, lima beans and Toor or pigeon peas are thus eaten as fresh green beans cooked as part of a meal. Pulses are important food crops due to their high protein and essential amino acid content. Like many leguminous crops, pulses play a key role in crop rotation due to their ability to fix nitrogen.

Protein content: Pulses are 20 to 25% protein by weight, which is double the protein content of wheat and three times that of rice. For this reason, pulses are called "vegetarian's meat". While pulses are generally high in protein, and the digestibility of that protein is also high, they often are relatively poor in the essential amino acid methionine, although Indian cuisine includes sesame seeds, which contain high levels of methionine. Grains (which are they deficient in lysine) are commonly consumed along with pulses to form a complete protein diet.

Health: Pulses have significant nutritional and health advantages for consumers

[1] They are the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people of different ethnicities

[2] And in the Seven Countries Study, legume consumption was highly correlated with a reduced mortality from coronary heart disease.

Classification of pulses:

1. Dry beans

* Kidney bean, haricot bean, pinto bean, navy bean

* Lima bean, butter bean

* Azuki bean, adzuki bean

* Mung bean, golden gram, green gram

* Black gram, Urad

* Scarlet runner bean

* Ricebean

* Moth bean

* Tepary bean

2. Dry broad beans

* Horse bean

* Broad bean

* Field bean

3. Dry peas

* Garden pea

* Protein pea

4. Chickpea, Garbanzo, Bengal gram

5. Dry cowpea, Black-eyed pea, blackeye bean

6. Pigeon pea, Arhar /Toor, cajan pea, congo bean

7. Lentil

8. Bambara groundnut, earth pea

9. Vetch, common vetch

10. Lupins

11. Minor pulses include:

* Lablab, hyacinth bean

* Jack bean , sword bean

* Winged bean

* Velvet bean, cowitch

* Yam bean

12. Sprouts: Edible Sprouts are germinated plant seeds which are edible. They are usually produced by soaking the seeds at regular intervals over a 1-4 day interval. Sprouts are believed to be highly nutritious and rich in enzymes which promote good health.

Convenience: - They can be easily grown anywhere.

Offers a variation: - With their nutty flavor and crisp texture. Sprouts are simply a nice change from vegetable.

Cooking of Pulses and legumes: Since pulses and legumes are very low in moisture content they have to be soaked in water. It’s advisable to soak pulses and boil them in the same water in which soaked as some nutrients may have bleached out to water. Besides boiling pulses are roasted, fried and ground to make flour and then be used for various purposes.

Uses of Pulses:

1. As dals - the basic course of Indian cookery.

2. As soups - e.g. Mulligatawny

3. Providing mutual supplementation of amino acids in Khicdi

4. As flour in missi roti, Besani roti.

5. As basic ingredient for idlis, uttapas and chillas.

6. As base ingredient or coating as in pakodas, wadas of various kinds.

7. As base for desserts like laddoos, mohanthal, payasam, Boondi.

8. As snacks like fried dal, sev, ganthias

9. Base ingredients for papads.

10. As stuffing as in dal kachories, puran poli’s, stuffed tikkis.

11. In chats and sprouted salads.