First Quarter

CHAPTER 2

CEREALS and
STARCH COOKER
Cereals have been a crucial aspect of existence. One of the greatest benefits that cereals
brought was the possibility to store food throughout the year so that the primitive communities could
raise and grow their own crops in the same area rather than be forced to continually be on the move
in search for new hunting areas. Grain has been harvested throughout the word.

Cereals or Grains are seeds of certain grass, the most important of which are WHEAT,
NOATS, RICE BARLEY, CORN, RYE and BUCKWHEAT.

Starch is the most important plant products to man. It is an essential component of food
providing a large proportion of the daily calorie intake. Cereals are food made from the processed
grains that are often eaten as the first meal of the day either hot or cold.

Topic 1 TOOLS and EQUIPMENT in COOKING CEREALS

and STARCH

Before attempting to cook starch and cereals, it is advisable to prepare all the utensils that are
to be used within easy reach. Complete kitchen tools and equipment is important to make cooking
fast and easy.
Following are some of the equipment and tools used in preparing dishes for cereals and
starch.

EQUIPMENT

1. BAIN MARIE – used in cooking delicate

food such as custards and terrines to create a
gentle and uniform heat around the food.
2. CARAJAY – a vessel used for direct
cooking of mixture requiring prolonged
cooking with stirring.

3. CORN GRINDER – an equipment

which cuts corn and other cereals into fine
pieces when the food is passed through a
sharp metal blade. The blade can be
adjusted so that the ground cereal which
results is as fine as desired.

4. DEEP FRYER – a cooking equipment

used for deep-frying

5. DOUBLE BOILER – this is used by

preparing sauces which easily get scorched
when cooked directly on the stove.
6. GRATER – a device with rough sharp
surface against which food is rubbed to
shred or tear it into very fine particle

7. MANDOLINE – slicer that produce

uniform thickness. Used in making waffle
cuts, crinkle cuts and dicer vegetables and
fruits.

8. OVEN – a kitchen appliance used for

heating and baking.

9. PUTO BUMBONG STEAMER –

special cooking equipment which is
completely close except for two or three
holes in its top portion. Bamboo tubes are
made especially to fit well it the holes of the
steamer. The bamboo tube molds mixture as
it is being cooked by steam produced in the
steamer. When in use, the steamer is filled
halfway with water and placed on top of the
heated gas stove in order to generate the
steam required for cooking puto bumbong.
10. RICE CLAY OVEN – special
equipment used for cooking bibingka. It
consists of clay mold which holds the
mixture to be cooked, a metal cover which
may be filled with live coals and then placed
over the clay mold, and a closed-typed clay
stove under the clay mold to heat it during
the cooking period

11. RICE STONE GRINDER – an

equipment consisting of two large round
pieces of stone which rub against each other
when the top stone, which has a handle, is
turned around. It is used to grind pre-soaked
rice, with a little water added, into a thick or
thin galapong.

12. STEAMER – used for cooking food by

steaming Man has been cultivating
cereals as a staple part of the diet for
thousands of years. Cereal has been crucial
aspect of existence. One of the greatest
benefits that cereals brought was the
possibility to store food throughout the year
so that the primitive communities could
raise and grow their own crops in the

13. ELECTRIC MIXER – used in

different baking procedures to beat, stir and
blend ingredients.
TOOLS

1. MEASAURING CUPS – used for

measuring dry ingredients, such as sugar,
flour etc.

2. MEASURING SPOON – used in

measuring small amount of ingredients.

3. MIXING BOWL – used when preparing

ingredients, batter mixtures, salad, creams
and sauces.

4. PUTO MOLDER – a gadget made of

either aluminum or glass which facilitates
the shaping of batters and dough or cooked
mixtures for puto, kutsinta, polvoron and
sapin-sapin.
5. ROLLING PIN - this tool is used to roll
or flatten paste or dough.

6. STRAINER – a tool used to separate the

liquid from the solid substances.

7. WEIGHING SCALE – used to measure

large quantities of ingredients such as rice,
meat, fish etc.
Topic 2 INGREDIENTS USED IN CREALS and STARCH
COOKERY

Starches can vary widely in terms of how quickly they thicken, how much they thicken, the
quality of thickening and they flavor after thickening. Choosing one starch one starch over the other
means understanding the properties of that individual starch and hoe it will behave in the food. The
majority of the starches used in cooking come from either grains or from root crops and tubers.

1. GRAIN STARCHES – wheat flour and corn starch are the two most common forms of
grain starches used in cooking. Because it is almost pure starch, corn starch is more efficient
thickener than wheat flour. Both are medium-sized starch granules that gelatinize at the higher
temperature than root starches. However, once that temperature is reached, thickening happens very
quickly. Grain starches also contain a relatively high percentage of fats and proteins, which can make
sauces thickened with these starches, look opaque and matte-like. These starches also tend to have a
distinctive cereal taste once cooked.

2. ROOT and TUBER STARCHES – Potato starch, tapioca (made from manioc root) and
arrowroot are larger-grained starches that gelatinize at relatively lower temperatures. Sauces
thickened with these starches are more translucent and glossy, and they have silkier mouth feel. Root
starches also have less forward flavors once cooked. These root starches do not stand up as well as
grain starches to longer cooking and so they are best used to thicken sauces toward the very end of
cooking.

Potato Potato Starch

Tapioca/Cassava Tapioca/Cassava Starch/Flour

Arrowroot( Uraro) Arrowroot Flour/ Starch

Potato Flour

Potato flour is made from whole potatoes most of the time even the peel is included) . The
potato can be raw or cooked. Either way, they are first dried then ground into recipe which will cause
the finished product to be dense and gummy. A muffin with too much potato flour would never fully
cook through. However, if used in smaller quantities, the same properties of potato flour that lead to
an overly dense and doughy finished product can actually mimic gums and help hold a recipe
together. It also lends a hearty hearty texture to baked goods. This, along with the potato flavor
imparts, makes potato flour a good choice in recipe for savory gluten free breads or rolls.

Potato Starch

Potato starch is a very fine white powder starch, similar in texture to corn starch. If you are
very careful when working with and measuring potato starch, you can create quite a cloud in the
kitchen
It is made from the dried starch component of peeled potatoes. It has no potato flavor so it
works well in most recipes, sweet or savory.
As a part of a starch component of a gluten free flour blend, potato starch lends a light, fluffy
texture to baked products.
 It is also a great thickener in gravies, sauces and even in custards and puddings, which
typically use cornstarch.

If you use potato starch as a thickener for a liquid (like gravy or a sauce), unlike cornstarch, a
liquid thickened with potato starch should never be boiled. The potato starch loses its ability to
thicken once boil, the result is heavy cream colored flour with a distinct potato flavor. The flour
readily absorbs liquid (similar to coconut flour in this regard), so it works best when incorporated
into gluten free flour blends in small amount.

Topic 3 METHODS USED IN COOKING CEREALS and

STARCH PROPDUCTS.

Ready to eat cereals practically do not need further preparation. Raw grains cannot be taken
into the body, for they are either appetizing nor digestible. Raw cereals can be digestible, palatable
and destroy any bacteria that might be present through cooking. It is through cooking that the
structures of the starch granules are softened and broken making them digestible, besides cooking
renders them palatable.

1. BOILING – cereals are allowed to cook slowly until they are ready to serve thus the
method of boiling is practiced. However, it is not economical since cereals cooked in this way
require constant watching and stirring and even it is difficult to keep them from sticking to the
cooking utensils. To overcome this, large quantity of water is added thus certain amount of starch
and soluble material is lost.

2. STEAMING – if thoroughness is concerned, the most satisfactory way of cooking cereals

is in a double boiler. This method of cooking is known as steaming wherein the cereal is first set in
the t small or upper pan of the double boiler. This pan covered and placed in the large or lower [pan
containing boiling water and the cereal is allowed to cook until it is ready to serve. The water in the
large pan should be replenished from time to time for the water evaporates while boiling causing the
pan and the cereal to be burnt.

Advantages;
1. Cereals may be partly cooked on one day and the
cooking can be completed the following day.
2. When cooked at a temperature slightly below the boiling
point, the grains remain whole but become thoroughly softened because they gradually
absorb the water that surrounds them.
3. The long cooking that is necessary to prepare them at a low temperature
develops a delicious flavor which cannot be achieved by rapid cooking at the boiling point.

3. DRY HEAT – browning or toasting is the old method of cooking cereals and it involves
the use of dry heat. In a shallow pan in a thin layer of grain is spread and this is placed in a low oven.
After the grains have been browned slightly, they are stirred and permitted to brown until an even
color is obtained. By this method, the flavor of cereals is developed and their digestibility is
increased. The process of toasting is used extensively for presenting grains and cereal foods.

Things to consider in cooking Cereals

1. It is always necessary to use liquid or some kind except in browning or toasting.

2. The quantity of liquid to be used however varies with the kind of cereal to be cooked.
3. Whole cereals and those coarsely-ground require more liquid than those which are finely
crushed or finely ground.
4. The liquid to be used should be proportion to the grain.
5. Cooked cereals should be of the consistency of mush but not thin enough to pour.
6. Cereals that are too thick after they cooked cannot be readily thinned without becoming
lumpy and those which are too thin cannot be brought to the proper consistency unless the excess
liquid evaporated by boiling.
7. Gruels are much thinner than the usual form of cereal. They are cooked rapidly in large
quantity of water causing the starch grains to disintegrate or break into pieces and mix with water.
8. The whole mixture is then poured through a sieve removing the course particles and
produced a smooth mass that is thin enough to pour.
9. The length of time to cook cereals also varies with their kind and form. The course one
require more time than the fine ones.
10. Remember that cereals should always be allowed to cook until they can be readily
crushed in between the fingers but not until they become mushy consistency.

Topic 4 NUTRITIONAL VALUE of GOOD QUALITY

CEREALS

ANATOMY OF A GRAIN

Belonging to the complex carbohydrates food group, cereals are rich source of nutrients
found on its three major parts:
1. BRAN – the outer layer of the grain which is a good source of fiber, omega 3 fatty acid, vitamins
and dietary minerals.

2. ENDOSPERM – the main or the larger part of the grain which consist mainly of starch.

3. GERM – the smallest structure at the rear part of the kernel. Rich in Vitamin E, Foliate Thiamine,
Phosphorus and Magnesium. This is the storehouse of nutrients for the seed while generating.

CHARACTERISTICS of QUALITY CEREALS and STARCH

Cereals are the main components of human diet and are crucial to human survival. Three
species WHEAT, RICE and CORN account for the bulk of human food. The functional and
nutritional quality of cereal determine their suitability product. The factors that determine the grain
quality is thus important in the maintenance of efficient and sustainable food production. The grain
composition and quality is important in selecting grain for specific muses. Cereal grains are dried to
about 12% moisture, and therefore have the added protection of high solid content. Grains at 16%
moisture may develop mold when stored at high humidity conditions and exposed to air.

A whole grain cereal is a grain product that has retained the specific nutrients of the
whole, unprocessed grain and contains natural proportion of bran, germ and endosperm.

An enriched cereal is one of which have been added vitamins or minerals or both
beyond the whole-grain levels, or other nutrients such as vitamin d that were not significantly
present in the grain of origin.

A restored cereal is one made from either entire grain or portions of one or more
grains to which have been added sufficient amounts of thiamine, niacin and iron into attain
the accepted whole-grain from which the cereal is prepared.

STARCH is an odorless, tasteless white substance occurring widely in plant tissues and
obtained chiefly from cereals and potatoes. It is a polysaccharide that functions as a carbohydrates
store and is an important constituent of the human diet. Starchy foods are the main source of
carbohydrate, and play important role in a healthy diet.
 Starchy is the most common form of carbohydrate in man’s healthy diet. It is necessary to eat
some starchy foods everyday as part of a healthy balanced diet. They are good source of energy and
the main source of a range of nutrients in a person’s diet.

NUTRIONAL VALUE of CEREALS and STARCH

Nutrients that are represented best in a bowl of cereal include fiber, protein, zinc, iron and
vitamin B. Eating a nutritious breakfast will provide you with energy to last you throughout the
morning and can help control weight. The best cereals are those that are good source of protein, fiber
and those that5 are leas6t processed.

Many studies have shown that colon cancer can be avoided by consuming any fiber-rich
cereals.

Whole grain cereals are a rich source of many essential vitamins, minerals and
phytochemicals. A typical whole grain cereal food is:

 Low in saturated fat, but is a source of polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3 linoleic acid.
 Cholesterol-free.
 High in both soluble and insoluble fiber and resistant starch.
 An excellent source of carbohydrates.
 A significant source3n of protein.
 A good source of B-group vitamins, including folate.
 Good source of many minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper, phosphorus and zinc.
 A good source of antioxidants and phytochemicals that can help lower blood cholesterol
levels.

DIETARY FIBER
Cereals are best known for its ability to ward off constipation because of its fibers. These
fibers are present in the bran and pericarp which often get demolished while processing. Brown rice
is helpful in treating constipation. Cereals are also important in lowering the risk of developing
diabetes and heart disease. The fiber content decreases the speed of glucose secretion from food
thereby maintaining sugar levels in blood.
Insoluble Fiber – the body cannot digest this type of fiber, so it pasta through the gut,
helping other food and waste products move through the gut more easily. The whole grain, cereals,
brown rice and whole-wheat pasta are good source of this kind of fiber.

Soluble Fiber – This type of fiber can be partly digested and may help reduce the amount of
cholesterol in the blood. Oats and pulses are good sources.

PROTEIN
Proteins are present in every tissue of cereal grains. Protein content varies in each type of
cere3als. Rice contains less protein in comparison to other cereals. Oats have the highest food value
of any of the cereals. They contain good proportion of protein and fat which helps maintain the
i8mmune system. Protein in cereals benefits heart health and may reduce the risk of developing
diabetes.

VITAMIN B
Cereals are one of the best energy foods. Whole grain cereals provide vitamin B and are
therefore protective foods. Folic Acid, Niacin, Thiamin, Riboflavin – they are all B vitamins that
serve different purposes in the body. While most cereals have some or all of these vitamins, to get
the most out of your food, look for cereals that contains about 40% of your B-vitamin RDA. Folic
acid also known as vitamin B9 helps cells to grow and reproduce. Niacin or vitamin B3 is
responsible for nervous system functions and gastrointestinal health. Vitamin B1 or Thiamin, helps
maintain appetite and growth and Riboflavin or vitamin B2 helps cells function normally.

IRON
Cereals provide iron, an essential mineral, helps transport oxygen throughout the body. An
iron deficiency could cause fatigue and decrease immunity.

ZINC
Zinc is an essential nutrients needed for the maintenance and metabolization of cells. When it
comes to the representation of zinc in cereals, this nutrient is all over the board.

Topic5 KINDS of CEREALS

CEREALS or GRAINS are the seeds of a certain grasses. All cereals contain starch. The
most important of which are wheat, oats, rice, barley, corn, rye and buckwheat. Cereals designate
only breakfast cereals. Cereal Foods actually does include also commercial products made from
cereals such as macaroni and spaghetti, corn starch, and the different flours. There are many kinds of
breakfast cereal products on the market. Most of them are made from cereals but they differ because
of variety in the processes of their manufacture.

1. WHEAT
Wheat is the most common cereal produced in western world and is grown in most temperate
regions. Large quantities are home grown and a great deal particularly in the form of strong flour.

FLOUR is the most common commodity in daily use. It forms the foundation of bread,
pastry and cakes and it is also used in soup, sauces, batters and other food.

Kinds of flour

1. White Flour – contains 7- 72% of the whole grain (endosperm

only). White flour and enriched flour (with added nutrients)
2. Whole Meal Flour – contains 100% of the whole grain. This is
commonly used for whole meal breads and rolls.
3. Wheat Meal Flour – contains 90% of the whole grains.
4. Self-rising Flour – white flour with the addition of cream of
tartar and bicarbonate soda.
5. Semolina – granulated hard flour prepared from the central part
of the wheat grains.
6. Durum Flour – yields glutinous flour used especially in pasta.
Durum flour is a by-product of semolina.
7. Soft flour – use for large and small cakes, biscuits, all pastry except
puff and flaky, thickening soups and sauces, batters and coating various food.
8. Strong Flour – used for bread, puff and flaky pastry and Italian
pasta.

2. OATS
Oats are one of the hardest cereals. They are either rolled into flakes or ground into 3 grades
of oatmeal, coarse, medium and fine. Oats are used in rolled oats-porridge, oatmeal-porridge,
thickening soups, coating foods, cakes and biscuits.

3. BARLEY
Barley is made of pearl barley when the grains are husked, steamed, rounded and polished.
Pearl barley is also ground into fine flour. These products are used for making barley water for
thickening soups and certain stews. When roasted, barley is changed into malt and as such is used
extensively in the brewing and distilling of vinegar.

4. CORN
Known as corn, sweet-corn or corn-on-the-cob and besides being served as vegetables, it is
processes into cornflakes and corn flour. Corn yields good oil suitable for cooking
 Corn flour is the crushed endosperm of the grain which has the fat and protein washed out so
that it is particularly pure starchy. This is used for making custard and blancmange powder, because
it thickens easily with liquid and sets when cold into a smooth paste that cannot be made from other
starches. Corn flour/starch is also used for thickening soups, sauces, custards and also in making of
certain small and large cakes

5. RICE

Rice cereals grass is widely cultivated in warm climate for its seeds and by products. Rice
depends on the variety, the length of storage, grain size, shape and color, cleanliness or if it is free
from dirt or foreign substance.

Types of Rice Grains

1. Long Grain –a narrow, pointed grain, best for savory dishes and plain boiled rice
because of its firm structure which helps to keep the rice grains separate
 2. Short Grain – a short rounded grain, best suited for milk puddings and sweet
dishes because of its soft texture.

Kinds of Rice

Ordinary Rice Glutinous Rice

2. Organic Rice is any rice that has the outer covering removed but retains its bran and as a
result is more nutritious.

Brown rice Red rice

 Black rice Violate rice

3. Wild Rice is the seed of an aquatic plant related to the rice family.

PHILIPPINE NAME INTERNATIONAL NAME

Dinurado Arborio
Intan Brown short-grain
Milagrosa White short grain
Sinandomeng White long grain
Wagwag Brown long grain
Pirurutong Violet Glutinous rice
Malagkit White Glutinous rice
IR42 Jasmine rice
IR64 Brown and wild rice blend
IR36 Wild rice
C4 Basmati

Methods of Cooking Rice

1. Absorption Methods – this is the best method of retaining

nutrients in rice.

2. Boiling Methods – the simplest method of preparation. The

boiling method produce tender grains of rice that are not sticky and can be used for garnishes,
soup and salad.

3. Steaming and Simmering Methods – unlike boiling, the simmering and steaming
methods use a measured amount of liquid to ensure the proper texture of the finished product.
The gentler, less-agitated heat of simmering releases less starch from the rice., keeping it
from becoming sticky. This method yields long grain rice that is tender and fluffy. It is good
for rice to use as a starch to accompany stews and other entrees. Short grain rice cooked by
this method is tender with unbroken grains, as with sushi rice.
 4. Rice Cooker Method – these are another variation on steaming and simmering methods.
This method produces a consistent product by employing a thermostat and timer that cooks
the rice at a simmer for precisely the right amount of time. Rice cooker thermostats can also
be set to hold rice hot without overcooking it.

5. Pilaf Method – this is characterized by the use of a flavored liquid (usually stock) and the
addition of aromatic ingredients. The pilaf method is different from methods previously
mentioned, as it begins with sweating aromatic ingredients the rice is added and coated in the
same fat, hence the classical French name ris au gras. Like the simmering method, the liquid
used in making a pilaf is measured to ensure proper texture when done.

6. Risotto Method – it is a classic Italian cooking method for medium grain rice. The risotto
method cooks rice at an active simmer while stirring. Hot seasoned liquid is continually
added in mam small amount until the rice is fully cooked. The result is a hearty dish of short
grain rice bound in a rich thickened by the rice is own starch. Traditionally, risotto should be
rich in flavor and for this reason ma seasoned stock or wine is the liquid used. Wide range
additional ingredients can also be added.

7. Microwaving Method – this is a variation of the absorption method. Use a microwave

safe container large enough to hold twice as much rice and water bas you start with boiling.
Cover with plastic wrap and use 1 cup rice with 1 ½ cups of water and 12 minutes on high; 2
cups rice needs 3 cups of water and 14 minutes on high.

Types of Rice Dry Water Boiling Yield

amount amount time

Polished rice 1 cup 2 cups 15-20 min 3 cups

Enriched white rice 1 cup 2 cups 15-20 min 3 cups
1 cup 2 cups 20-25 min 3-4cups
1 cup 2 cups 20-25 min 2-3cups
1 cup 3 cups 40-45 min 4 cups
1 cup 3 cups 40-45 min 4 cups

6. SAGO
Sago is produced from the pith of the sago palm. It is used for garnishing soups, milk
puddings, juices and other native delicacies.
Topic 6 STARCHES

Although flour is a traditional thickening agent in most cooking, Starch, a fine powdery flour
ground from the endosperm or white heart of a grain. Flour and starch have differences. Starch are
pure starch while flour contains gluten which reduces the thickening power so, starch has twice the
thickening power of flour. Sauces thickened with starch will be clear, rather that opaque, as with
flour-based sauces and it does not cause lumps like flour.

Starch as a Thickener

Al; mix a slurry and small amount of cold liquid (water, stock, wine and others) until smooth,
then add this mixture to the food that you want thickened. Do not mix with liquid that are acid such
as citrus juice or apple juice or its thickening power is cut in half. Do not boil a starch thickened
sauce or it will thin-out.

As a rule, use 1 tablespoon of starch to thicken every n2 cups of liquid o a medium

consistency. Starch mixed a little cold liquid is stirred into the hot food during the final stage of
cooking, and it must be cooked to 203 F (90 CV) before thickening begins. It is usually thickens
fairly quickly and the sauce turn from opaque to transparent, but sauce will thin if cooked too long,
boiled or stirred to vigorously.

Flour and Starch Substitution

FLOUR STARCH

It the recipe calls this much flour Use this much starch
1` tablespoon ½ tablespoon (1 ½ teaspoon)
2 tablespoons 1 tablespoon
3 tablespoons 1½ to 2 tablespoons
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons
1/3 cup (51/3 tablespoon) ¼ cup (4 tablespoons)

Problems using Starch

 1. Too much liquid if there is not enough liquid in the mixture, the starch granules will not
fully swell and remain thickened when the mixture cools. Adding a little more liquid is likely to
solve the problem.

2. Too much sugar a higher proportion of sugar than liquid in a mixture can interfere with
the swelling of the starch granules and prevent thickening during cooking and or cause thinning
during cooling. Adding more liquid will often solve the problem.

3. Too much fat an excessively high proportion of fat or egg yolks in a mixture can interfere
with the swelling of the starch granules and prevent thickening during cooking and or cause thinning
during cooling. Adding more liquid will often solve the problem.

4. Too much acid ingredients such as lemon, lime juice or vinegar will reduce the
thickening ability of the starch or prevent the mixture from thickening. Increase the starch level
slightly or stir acid ingredients after cooking.

5. Too much stirring excessive or rough stirring with a wire whisk or even a spoon may
break the starch cells and cause the mixture to thin out.

6. Excessive cooking a starch thickened mixture for an extended period of time may cause
the starch cells to rupture and the mixture to thin.

7. Freezing freezing starch thickened mixtures will rupture the starch cells and cause the
mixture to thin out.

GRAIN STARCHES

1. WHEAT

Flour

2. CORN
Corn Powder Corn Flour Cornstarch
3. RICE
Ordinary Rice Flour Glutinous Rice Flour

TUBERS STARCHES

1. POTATO

Potato Flour Potato Starch

Potato Flour - made from whole potatoes (most of the time even the skin is included) the
potatoes can be raw or cooked. Either way they are first dried then ground into recipe which will
cause the finished product to dense and gummy. If used in smaller quantities, the same properties of
potato flour that lead to an overly dense and doughy finished product can actually mimic gums and
help hold a recipe together. It also leads a hearty texture to baked goods. This, along with the potato
flavor it imparts, makes potato flour a good choice in recipes for savory gluten free breads or
rolls.Too much potato flour in ma recipe will cause the finished products to be dense and gummy.

Potato Starch – is a very fine white powder starch, similar in texture to corn starch. It is
made from the dried starch component of peeled potatoes. It has no potato flavor so it works well in
most recipes, sweet or savory. As a part of recipe component a gluten free flour blend, potato starch
lends a light, fluffy texture to baked products. I is also a great thickener in gravies, sauces and even
in custards and puddings, which typically use corn starch. You should remember that:
 If you use potato starch as thickener for a liquid like gravy or
Sauce, unlike cornstarch, a liquid thickened with potato starch should ne4ver be boiled. The potato
starch loses its ability to thicken once boiled the result is a heavy cream colored flour with a distinct
potato flavor. The flour readily absorbs liquid, so it works best when incorporated into gluten free
flour blends in small amount.

Potato starch and Arrowroot are the large-grained starches that gelatinize at the relatively low
temperatures. Sauces thickened with these starches are more translucent and glossy, and they have
less forward flavors once cooked. These root starches do not stand up as well as grain starches to
longer cooking and so they are best used to thicken sauces towards the very end of cooking.

2. TAPIOCA (cassava)
Tapioca is obtained from the roots of a tropical plant called cassava. It is used for garnishing
soups, milk puddings and other native delicacies.

3. ARROWROOT (Uraro)

4. PURPLE YAM (Ube)

5. TARO (Gabi)
6. SWEET POTATO (camote)

Topic 7 PLATING CEREALS and STARCH DISHES

Plating food refers to placing food on plate in an appealing manner as possible. Presentation
is the very important p[art of dining experience because we eat with our eyes first.

Factors to Consider in Plating

1. PRACTICALITY

 Make sure serving sizes of cereal dishes are correct.

 Do not allow large items to hide any part of the presentation.
 Ensure that the garnish and slice correlate.
 Proper arrangement of slices towards the customer.

2. BALANCE the repetition should be avoided.

 Selection of Food (simple vbs. complex) – simplicity is very important in the presentation of
cereal and starch dishes. Simplicity should not be confused with lack of imagination or skill.

 Color – It is always important in food but especially so in its presentation. Us3 to earth tone
with vibrant color is often successful and even makes it easier to much food and colors. Two
or three colors on the plate are usually more interesting than one.

 Cooking Techniques – a variety of techniques will automatically add a variety of texture to

the presentation.

 Shapes – avoid combining same shape in one plate.

 Portion Size – is another important food presentation

 Match portion sizes and plates – too small plate makes an overcrowded jumbled
messy appearance. Too large plate may make the portions look skimpy.
  Balance the portion size and various items on the plate.
3. UNITY strick attention must be paid to the compatibility of the
food items on the plate.

4. TEXTURE this is important in plating as in menu planning.

5. FLAVORS you cannot see flavors but is one more factor you must
consider when balancing colors, shapes and texture on the plate.

6. TEMPERATURE

 Serve hot cereal dish hot on a hot plates.

 Fresh herbs are fantastic and very easy way to add instant visual interest, color, fragrance and
flavor.
 Use fresh seasonal fruit sauces in a squirted bottle with a zigzag across the bottom to dress up
dessert.
 The components of a cereal dish can be the garnish itself.
 Use only relevant or complementary ingredients or flavors.

Accompaniments should compatible with the cereal dishes. The

simpler the dish, the more complicated the accompaniments or the more complicated the
dish, the simpler the accompaniments.

Techniques for Storing Cereals and Starch Dishes

To maintain the optimum freshness and quality of cereals and starch …..
 Wheat should be stored in a dry and well-ventilated store room.
 Flour should be removed from the sacks and wheeled bins with lids.
 Flour bins should be of a type that can be easily cleaned.
 Because of the fat content, the keeping quality of oat products needs extra care. They should
be kept in containers with tight fitting lids and stored in a cool, well ventilated store room.
 Barley needs the same care storage as oats.
 Rice, Tapioca and Sago should be kept in tight-fitting containers in a cool, well-ventilated
store room.
 Arrowroot is easily contaminated by strong smelling foods therefore it must be stored in air-
tight tins.