Did you cook? Chemically speaking… Part-1
Chemistry is deeply intertwined with the culinary world, shaping the way ingredients transform during the cooking process and ultimately influencing the taste, texture, and appearance of dishes. One of the most fascinating chemical reactions in cooking is the Maillard reaction. This complex process occurs when amino acids and reducing sugars react under high heat, leading to the browning of foods and the creation of a wide range of flavors. The Maillard reaction is responsible for the golden crust on a perfectly seared steak, the rich color of bread crusts, and the enticing smells wafting after frying.
Caramelisation is another essential chemical process that adds depth and sweetness to various dishes. It involves the breakdown of sugars at high temperatures, forming new compounds that contribute to the characteristic flavors and a observed in caramelised foods. A simple way to notice this browning effect is to cook sugar directly. You will notice it turn into a golden liquid and then achieve a dark brown color. You can taste the difference, as it develops nutty and savory aromas and taste thanks to the production of the following compounds in the image below:
When proteins are exposed to heat, they undergo denaturation, a process in which their structure is altered. This alteration can lead to coagulation, causing proteins to solidify and change the texture of foods. An excellent example of this is the cooking of eggs. Boiling eggs causes the proteins in the egg whites and yolks to denature and coagulate, transforming the liquid egg into a solid form. So, an error in maintaining the temperature can make or break the dish, as you cannot un-coagulate the protein (well, you can, but the procedure introduces non-edible chemicals).
Another one of the things you can’t go back on most of the times is a emulsified product. Emulsification is a chemical process that we often perform unknowingly and you can bet what we eat contains 1 more emulsified contents. Mayonnaise is a classic example of an emulsion, where egg yolks act as ‘emulsifiers’ to bring together oil and vinegar or another form of liquid. Imagine eating raw egg yolk swimming in vinegar, not appetizing is it? To bring the 2 immiscible liquids together, you can use a emulsifier which can bind to all forms of liquids present, creating 1 homogenous mixture in the end. You can often perform this process under heat as in the case of hollandaise sauce, but if you don’t stir rapidly without pause to bind the liquid contents, you may just be left with cooked and scrambled eggs yolks swimming a vat of grease and vinegar.
Leavening agents are another group of chemicals that profoundly impact the outcome of baked goods. Baking soda, baking powder, and yeast are common leavening agents that release gases, such as carbon dioxide, when exposed to heat. This gas production causes the dough or batter to rise, resulting in light and airy textures in cakes, bread, and pastries.
Beyond these specific chemical reactions, the principles of science used in ingredients can alter the overall flavor and texture profile of a dish. Acids, for example, can enhance flavors by brightening and balancing tastes. This is evident in the use of vinegar or citrus juices to add a zing to sauces or salads. On the other hand, salts can enhance sweetness and suppress bitterness, which is why we often sprinkle them on freshly baked cookies and dose them in our tomato sauces.
Beyond all the parts of cooking covered, understanding the volatility of your ingredients is key. If you are creating a curry, you may want to add vinegar at the end. Vinegar is highly volatile, which means it will evaporate off if you cook it long enough. Vinegar actually evaporates faster than water, so keep that in mind. Other types of ingredients, such as Allicin in garlic (the compound responsible for its strong flavor), have a very low chemical half-life, and if you cook it even a little bit, you almost cut down its presence by 50%.
Use the understanding of chemistry to understand why a dish went wrong, and brainstorm on how you can make it better. Adjust the time for which you cook things, adjust the temperature, adjust the method of seasoning, and look out for more ways in which you can improve your cooking with chemistry in the next article.
Thank you for reading! If you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it with your network and clapping for it on Medium. Your support means a lot and helps me to create more valuable content.
Continue Your Journey
- Previous Article:[Do we treat our bodies and mind right? Part-1]
- Next Article: [Did you cook? Chemically speaking… Part-2]
For more insightful articles on this topic, follow my publication: Chemically Speaking…
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, feel free to leave them below or reach out to me at @akshayshankar 2007. I love hearing from my readers and engaging in meaningful discussions.
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com. * This is the original work of Akshay Shankar. Follow here www.linkedin.com/in/akshayshankar2007
