VEGETABLES

VEGETABLES
-are edible
plants and
edible parts
of plants.
 -By botanical
definition,
vegetables
include nuts,
fruits and cereal
grains.
-By this definition,
some plants that
we call fruits, such
as apples and
watermelons,
could be called
vegetables.
-Vegetables are excellent
source of many vitamins
and dietary fiber, and
should be prepared
properly to retain
desirable nutrients as
well as color, texture, and
flavor.
-Vegetables, such as
beans, peas, potatoes,
and corn, store starch
and therefore, contain the
highest amount of
carbohydrate. When these
vegetables are young and
immature they are high in
sugar.
-Carrots, onions, and
beets have moderate
amount of carbohydrates
and other vegetables
have still less.
BROCCOLI
PLANT PARTS
USED AS
VEGETABLES
 LEAVES: Cabbages,
racchico; Brussel
sprouts; collard,
mustard, turnip, beet,
and dandelion greens;
lettuces, endive, kale,
Boston bib, Swiss
chard, spinach, Belgian
endive.
LEAVES
SEEDS: Beans of all
kinds including navy,
great northern, lima,
pinto, kidney,
cranberry, garbanzo;
peas, lentils, and
corn.
SEEDS
TUBES: Potatoes,
Jerusalem
artichokes
ROOTS: Carrots,
parsnips, beets,
radishes, turnips
 BULBS: Garlic,
onions, leeks,
shallots, scallions
FRUITS: Cucumbers,
eggplants, melons,
sweet and hot
peppers, chilies,
squashes, pumpkins,
okra.
FRUITS
STEMS & SHOOTS:
Asparagus, celery
 FLOWERS:
Artichokes, broccoli,
cauliflower
 VEGETABLE
PIGMENTS

-Plants are often

beautiful reds, blues,
purples, yellows,
oranges, and greens.
1. CHLOROPHYLL is
the fat-soluble
pigment found in
every green
vegetable including
broccoli, spinach,
and green beans.
 -CHLOROPHYLL in
plain water: Tap
water affects
chlorophyll by
intensifying the
green color since tap
water is usually
slightly alkaline.
-CHLOROPHYLL in
acid: An acid (e.g.
lemon juice or
vinegar) turns the
green color to olive
green.
 -CHLOROPHYLL in
alkaline: Alkaline, such
as baking soda,
intensifies the green of
chlorophyll, destroys
any vitamin C, and
makes the vegetable
quite mushy due to
cellulose breakdown.
 2. CAROTENOID
pigments are fat
soluble and therefore,
do not dissolve readily
in water. Carotenoid
pigments provide the
orange color in sweet
potatoes, carrots, and
winter squashes.
-Beta-carotene, found in
the pigment of such
vegetables as carrots,
is the precursor of
vitamin A. The human
body converts beta-
carotene to vitamin A.
-Carotenoid pigments also
include lycopene, which
provides the red in
tomatoes, watermelon,
and pink grapefruit.
Xanthophyll is also a
carotenoid pigment and
provides the yellow color
in corn.
 -CAROTENOID in plain
water: Plain tap water
retains the carotenoid
pigments, since the pigment
is fat-soluble, not water-
soluble. Cooking vegetables
containing carotenoid
pigment in plain water is an
acceptable way to cook
vegetables.
-Acids, like lemon
juice or vinegar,
decreases the
pigment color and
prevents
tenderness.
3. ANTHOCYANIN is a
water-soluble red to
blue pigment.
Anthocyanin-colored
plants include red
cabbage as well as all
cherries, raspberries,
blackberries, and
blueberries.
-ANTHOCYANIN in plain
water: Plain water turns
an Anthocyanin plant
from its normal hue to a
dull and unappetizing
blue. Cooking in plain
water is not
recommended for
anthocyanin-containing
plants.
-ANTHOCYANIN in acid:
Acids, such as lemon
juice, vinegar, slices of
tart apple, wine, etc.,
intensifies the red
color. Without acid in
the cooking water,
vegetables and fruits
will turn blue.
 -ANTHOCYANIN in
alkaline: Cooking in
alkaline water, usually in
the form of baking soda
added to tap water,
turns an anthocyanin-
colored plant to an
unappetizing green or
blue-green.
4. ANTHOXANTHIN is a
water-soluble white to
yellow pigment found in
onions, white potatoes,
salsify, cabbage,
cauliflower, turnips,
parsnips, white wheat
flour, and pears.
4. ANTHOXANTHIN is a
water-soluble white to
yellow pigment found in
onions, white potatoes,
salsify, cabbage,
cauliflower, turnips,
parsnips, white wheat
flour, and pears.
-ANTHOXANTHIN in plain
water: The preferred
method to cook
vegetables containing
anthoxanthin is in plain
water. The resulting
cooked vegetables will be
creamy white and tender.
-ANTHOXANTHIN in acid:
An acid, such as lemon
juice, slices of lemon or
orange, or vinegar, is
often added during the
last half of the cooking
period to maintain a
bright white color.
-ANTHOXANTHIN in
alkali: Alkali, again
baking soda, turns
the color quite
yellow and the
texture to mush.
Preparing / Cooking Fresh
Vegetables:
1. Don’t prepare vegetables
until you need them.
2. Only peel vegetables
when absolutely necessary -
most of the nutritional
content lies close to the skin.
3. Don’t soak vegetables in
cold water after you have
prepared them.

4. Prepare (and cook) them

as close to service as
possible.
5. Use vegetables as soon as
possible after picking. Store for
the minimum time under the
best conditions.
6. Avoid bruising the vegetables.
Use a really sharp knife when
cutting vegetables. A blunt
knife bruises the tissues.
6. Whenever possible
serve the vegetables raw.

7. Wash as necessary but

do not soak for any
longer than necessary to
remove dirt.
8. Shred green vegetables. Cut
up other vegetables in small
pieces. This will cut down the
time needed for cooking.

9.Use as little boiling water as

possible. Keep the cooking
time to the minimum.
10.Drain the vegetables and
serve immediately. Foods kept
hot or reheated lose most of
their vitamin content.
11.The cooking water will
contain dissolved vitamins and
mineral salts. Save this and use
it as soon as possible for soup,
gravy or sauces.
10.Drain the vegetables and
serve immediately. Foods kept
hot or reheated lose most of
their vitamin content.
11.The cooking water will
contain dissolved vitamins and
mineral salts. Save this and use
it as soon as possible for soup,
gravy or sauces.
VEGETABLE FLAVOR
CHANGES WITH
COOKING
1.Other vegetables, such as peas,
carrots, and sweet corn are high
in SUGAR when cooked at the
peak of ripeness.
-Overcooking may result in a
loss of that sweetness with
these vegetables. Therefore,
keep the cooking time to a
minimum.
2. Cabbage, which contains
the flavor constituent,
SINIGRIN should be cooked in
water in an uncovered pot for
the first part of the cooking
period to release the volatile
and smelly compounds.
3. SULFUR compounds such as those
found in the lily family have the
derivatives of the sulfur-containing
amino acid cysteine, which
decreases in intensity with cooking.
Therefore, vegetables such as
onions and garlic will become
milder with cooking, especially
when cooked in a large amount of
water.
 COOKING
METHODS FOR
VEGETABLES
1. BAKING is a method appropriate
with vegetables with high moisture
content, which will turn to steam in
the dry heat of an oven.
-Potatoes, sweet potatoes,
squashes, eggplant, tomatoes, and
onions are ideal for baking, which
actually enhances the flavor of
these vegetables.
2.BOILING is a fast method of
cooking vegetables with
special considerations.
Keep the water and cooking
to a minimum for most
vegetables to maintain the
best flavor, color, texture,
and nutrient retention.
3.STEAMING is an acceptable and
desirable method of cooking
many vegetables since steaming
retains many water-soluble
nutrients.
-Steaming will intensify the green
color of the chlorophyll pigment
of vegetables such as broccoli.
4. STIR FRYING is a popular way
of preparing many vegetables,
especially vegetable combination
dishes.
For best results, cut the
vegetables into small, bite-sized
pieces for rapid and even
cooking.
5. Poaching is not usually used as
a method of cooking vegetables.
It is too slow and not hot enough
for green and root vegetables.
However, mushrooms, tomatoes,
onions and shallots are used in
many poaching recipes to
provide a base for other foods
and to add flavor.
6.Blanching
Blanching is mainly used to:
a. Partly cook vegetables before
baking, roasting, braising or stir
frying.
b. Make it easier to peel
tomatoes make it easier to shape
cabbage and lettuce which is to
be braised.
c. Shorten the pre-service
cooking time of vegetables so as
to avoid holding them for a long
time in a bain-marie or hot
cupboard.
 7. A sautéed or pan-fried
vegetable should be golden and
slightly crisp on the outside,
moist and juicy within. When
cooking a mixture of vegetables,
those that take longer to cook,
such as potatoes and roots,
should be put in first.
 8. MICROWAVE COOKING
is a quick, easy, and
appropriate method of
cooking most vegetables.
10.Deep-frying
Apart from potato chips,
which are popular deep-
fried vegetables, soft
vegetables such as onions
or cauliflower can also be
deep-fried successfully.