April 10, 2023; Updated April 17, 2023
Introductions
List the method of cookery and dishes to be covered in class
During the fourteenth week of my HOSP 2350 course, we will continue learning about wet and dry cooking methods. We will be studying stewing. We will be making lamb curry, baked butternut squash, and vegetable biryani.
List your learning objectives for the class
This week, I am looking forward to learning about baking butternut squash. I love butternut squash and I am excited to learn how to cook it properly.
Discuss your prior knowledge of the content
I have had lamb before and it was not a pleasant experience. I am very nervous about trying lamb again but I look forward to learning how to make curry. My parents enjoy curry so I hope I will to. We have butternut squash occasionally for dinner and I am excited to cook it.
Background Information
Research and Discussion of method of cooking:
The cooking method we will be utilizing this week is stewing. Stewing is a slow cooking method that is similar to braising. Stewing generally consists of smaller cuts of meat and/or vegetables that are completely covered in a cooking liquid. This method is used to cook tougher meats and vegetables.
Scientific principles behind the method of cooking (for example, steaming, roasting, broiling)
When stewing, the food item is first sauteed. A liquid is then added and then the pan is covered and cooked on top of a stove on a gentle simmer or in an oven at low temperatures. This method involves slow cooking at lower temperatures in order to break down connective tissues in meat and to make vegetables more tender.
Research and Discussion of Dishes
For historical dishes
Curry
Curry originally comes from an Indian subcontinent. Curry consists of a mix of spices like coriander, turmeric, cumin, and red chilies. True curries are made from scratch by taking whole spices and grinding them. There are two different kinds of curries, "dry" and "wet." This depends on the amount of sauce that is created for the meal. Dry curries are generally more like a spicy stir fry than a soup.
Biryani
Biryani is a mixed rice dish that originally came from Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. Biryani is made using Indian spices, rice, and meat. It is usually a layered dish.
For cooking methods
This week, we will be implementing several cooking methods including sauteing, stewing and baking.
Dish/Method Variations
The curry and biryani dishes can have significant variations. These variations depend mainly on the type of meat selected for the dish, as well as spices.
Recipes
Results
Describe the outcomes of the lab class:
The outcome of our lab class on April 12th, 2023, was our class successfully practiced and produced a meal of lamb curry, baked butternut squash, and vegetable biryani.
Describe how well the technique/cooking method worked:
The preparation of our dishes was successful overall. Each of the dishes prepared looked inviting.
Describe the sensory results of the dish:
Taste - Overall, each dish had a different taste because of their different ingredients. The lamb coconut curry was surprisingly delicious in terms of the lamb meat. The curry was pretty spicy and the coconut flavor was a little strong. The biryani was full of flavor and did not disappoint.
Flavor - When it came to each dish, the flavors varied. The lamb tasted almost like stewed beef and I was extremely happy it did. Again, the coconut and spice flavors really shined in the curry. The baked broccoli and butternut squash were simple but tasty.
Texture - During this class, there were several textures present. The curry was creamy and the lamb was meaty. The vegetables were crispy but not burnt. The vegetable biryani was fluffy.
Appearance - The meal we prepared this past week was definitely on the Indian side and the colors reflected the same. The yellow color of the curry contrasted the brown shades of the lamb. Additionally, the orange and green colors of the vegetables added a secondary pop of color to the plate as well. The vegetable biryani and the naan bread brought a few neutral colors to the plate but did not take away from the color scheme.
Evaluation of Results
Explain and discuss the important outcomes:
The important outcome for this week was our class produced a series of Indian dishes with great success. Each dish item was full of flavor, like Indian dishes are supposed to contain.
Discuss the techniques that did work well:
One of the techniques that did work well was stewing the lamb meat. The lamb was not tough and was surprisingly tasty.
Discuss the techniques that did not work well:
One of the techniques that did not work well was putting the spices in the biryani whole. It was troublesome picking out the whole spices while trying to eat the biryani.
Discuss the particular improvements and changes:
Something I would improve on would be the naan bread we made. I would like to make the naan bread thinner and add some additional herbs and possibly cheese to make it more flavorful.
Conclusions
During our class this week, we successfully produced a meal of lamb curry, baked butternut squash, and vegetable biryani. I am looking forward to what we will be making next week and I hope I will enjoy the dishes more since they will be less spicy in the future.
