2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Salt There are several functions in food (six to be exact) - as a preservative, to add texture to improve taste, as a source of nutrients, as a binder and color enhancer. That is why almost every recipe includes salt in the list of ingredients.
When cooking, we mainly include salt to improve the taste of food. Salt enhances the taste of food and facilitates the balance between sweetness and acidity. But because it is easy to salt and thus destroy a dish, the hosts sometimes tend not to salt, which leads to a not so tasty dish. In turn, those who eat often use their hand heavily in salting, which does not improve the dish, but only gives it often too salty taste. When you watch professional chefs, you will notice that you salt the food in several stages, not just at the end before serving. This is because the chemical composition of the salt improves the taste of the food while it is still cooking. Salting at the end of cooking will add texture and a new look of taste.
The science of salt
Salt, or sodium chloride, changes its composition when it comes in contact with water. It breaks down into two parts - a positive ion and a negative ion - allowing it to penetrate deep into the food and at the same time remove the water from it (which is why salt is a component in drying). This two-way process improves the taste of the food while preventing spoilage. Salt penetrates food more slowly when it is cold, and when it is subjected to heat, it creates a more even taste, so it is best to add salt to the earlier stages of cooking.
The sodium part of salt masks any bitterness by reducing the acidity of the acid and increasing the sweetness of the sugar. By eliminating unpleasant tastes, favorable tastes can come to the fore, making food delicious.
When to salt
Most recipes will require the addition of salt along with other spices such as black pepper at certain points during the cooking process. The instructions can include it with certain ingredients. It is important to follow these instructions, as salt will affect food in different ways at different stages of cooking. Because it takes some time for salt to penetrate the food, extracting its natural flavors, adding salt to the beginning of the cooking process is ideal. Just salting at the end doesn't give the salt enough time to do something, it just adds a salty taste.
Salting of vegetables and meat
The technique for salting vegetables and meat may differ depending on the recipe you make. Some may direct you to salt before adding other ingredients to remove the liquid from them, as in a salad of green leafy vegetables or cucumbers. Meat can be a little more complicated, as there are times when salting is not recommended.
Salting the meat first brings the juices to the surface, so if you cook a steak, for example, while there is salty juice on the outside, the meat will cook without forming a nice outer crust and will be dry inside. However, if you wait a few hours, this salting liquid will be absorbed again, adding flavor and tenderness to the meat. So, you either have to salt the meat for a while before cooking or just before cooking.
How much salt?
If a recipe simply states "salt to taste", you may be wondering what the ideal amount is. Use this general guide to help you properly measure and extract the natural flavors of food to the fullest.
1 teaspoon per liter for soups and sauces;
2 teaspoons per kilogram for boneless raw meat;
1 teaspoon to 4 cups of flour for dough;
1 teaspoon per 2 cups liquid for cooked cereals;
1 teaspoon to 3 cups of water for cooked vegetables;
1 tablespoon per 2 liters of water for pasta.
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