weight

COOKING GUIDE

For best results and to minimize nutrient loss when cooking vegetables follow these basic rules:

Peel the skin thinly or leave it on. Nutrients are often at their highest concentration just beneath the skin. Peeling can mean the best part is thrown away.

Rinse vegetables in fresh water before using.

Cook vegetables as soon as possible after preparation. Do not soak them. Vitamin C is destroyed when cut surfaces are exposed.

When stir-frying, cook at a high temperature for a short time and use as little oil as possible.

The addition of baking soda to vegetables should be avoided. It does make green vegetables look ‘greener’ but it destroys valuable vitamins.

You can cook your food using any of these methods

BOILING

Prepare the vegetables, cut into evenly sized pieces.

Place in boiling water 2-3cm deep. Cover tightly and bring back to the boil as quickly as possible. Boil gently until tender when tested with a fork. Add extra boiling water if necessary. Drain and serve.

Approximate cooking times for boiling four servings of vegetables:

Cabbage 5-7 minutes, Cauliflower, broccoli 8-10 minutes, Carrots (sliced), Celery 12-16 minutes Potatoes, Pumpkin 20-25 minutes

STEAMING

Prepare the vegetables, cut into evenly sized pieces.

Place in a steamer over rapidly boiling water. Don?t let the water touch the vegetables. Cover and adjust the heat to a steady simmer. Cook until tender. Add more boiling water if necessary.

Cooking times are approximately 5-10 minutes longer than boiling.

MICROWAVING

The microwave oven has by now become a quite commonly used home appliance. It is a device which cooks food by radiation and uses microwaves (a form of light energy) to generate the heat energy required. Heat is generated from within the food and therefore there is no browning and crusting on the surface of the food.

Microwave ovens vary, so you will need to consult your manual for specific cooking times.

Cooking times also depend on: - size of vegetables - quantity being cooked - their density and moisture content - the characteristics of your oven - any power fluctuations in your area

Tips for microwaving:

Cut all pieces to a uniform size to ensure even cooking. Use only a small quantity of water.

Pierce whole or unpeeled vegetables before cooking to prevent bursting. Cook vegetables on high power (100%).

Cover the dish with plastic film, paper or glass to speed cooking.

Arrange vegetables with thickest stalks or spears, which need the most cooking, towards the outside of the dish.

Rotate or stir the vegetables during cooking to ensure an even result.

Cooked vegetables should be tender but still slightly crisp. If you prefer a softer texture cook for a little longer.

Do not Overcook the vegetables as it may bring a tough dried out result. Salt vegetables after cooking, if at all! Otherwise they will lose some of their moisture.

STIR-FRYING

Stir-frying is a quick and easy cooking method.

The vegetables are cooked rapidly in a minimum amount of liquid so fewer vitamins are lost or destroyed than by conventional cooking methods.

Tips for stir-frying:

Shred, dice or thinly slice the vegetables into pieces of the same size.

Be sparing with oil, sometimes it is good to use water instead. Alternatively, start by heating oil in the pan and if the stir-fry dries out add a sprinkling of water.

Have the pan very hot before adding the vegetables.

Begin by cooking the denser vegetables (those that take longer to cook e.g. carrot and onion) and add the less dense vegetables towards the end of the cooking time (e.g. mushrooms and tomato)

Don't overcook, the vegetables it should be tender but still slightly crisp. Serve immediately after cooking.

BAKING

Suitable for a wide range of vegetables including potatoes, pumpkin, yams, tomatoes, & carrots.

For dry baking preheat the oven to 200 degree C. Scrub the vegetables, leave the skin on, remove seeds from the pumpkin. Bake until softened when tested with a fork. Medium sized potatoes will take approximately 45-55 minutes.

GRILLING

Prepare vegetables cut in half lengthwise, half tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, peppers. Baste with oil, flavored oil or marinade.

Cook under direct heat, turning once or twice, for 5-10 minutes. Cooking times will vary depending on intensity of grill and size of pieces of vegetables.

ROASTING

Roasting is ideal for root vegetables. Preheat the oven to 200 degree C.

Peel only if necessary. Cut into chunks (e.g potatoes, pumpkin, onions) or leave small vegetables whole (e.g. yams or carrots). Wash and dry vegetables, brush lightly with oil. Place in a roasting dish or on a tray. Bake until tender.

MAIN