Is cooking an art? Most of you would say, yes. While there’s no denying that creativity is one of the core elements, cooking is actually the ultimate science. Imagine your beautifully-plated chocolate ice cream drizzled with olive oil. Or a slice of golden cheese laced with tomato juice. Doesn’t sound appetising at all, does it? For centuries, women (willingly and unwillingly) have been handed out the responsibility and onus of combining ingredients to create magical dishes and meal combinations. And how we’ve succeeded! Over time, borders and civilisations, women have proven themselves as the ultimate culinary scientists, adding flavours and health to life with their cooking experiments.
Think about how your calcium-rich, probiotic-infused home set curd is created. The exact temperature you heat it to… the strain employed to set it… the vessel used… the time taken to cool it… and several other factors contribute to how delicious and creamy it eventually turns out to be. If that isn’t science, what is?
Shruti Kainya, health expert at Fast&Up GoodEatz says, “The true science of cooking is not in making fancy or complicated dishes, but using the correct cooking methods with the right mix of seasonal ingredients.” Kainya lists out some basic ways to master this. “Firstly, cook in your own kitchen, as it helps to create a better understanding of processes. Always choose seasonal and fresh ingredients. Incorporate nature's best resources. Focus on simple but effective cooking methods like steaming, grilling, roasting, sauteing, braising, and stir-frying.”
Cooking methods are more important than we give them credit for. Most cooking uses heat, yet the same ingredient takes on different forms when this heat is applied differently. For instance, let’s take the versatile potato. Mashed potatoes taste and benefit you very differently from French fries, which again are very different from an Indian aloo saag curry. Even something as minute as substituting water for vegetable stock in a soup can impact its taste and composition. Cooking vessels are also important while preparing food. Stainless steel is popular since it doesn’t react with acids and also retains heat. Anodised aluminium is another winner but tends to be more expensive. Iron, aluminium, and non-stick pans don’t have as much of a good rep.
Kainya believes that one must cook for health along with taste and not just for taste at the cost of one’s well-being. One of the key components is the oil that is used as a base for cooking. “Opt for cold-pressed oils to add a dash of healthy fats and keep inflammatory markers under check. Avoid using extra virgin olive oil for cooking purposes. It's meant for light sautes and salads. Do not overheat your food as it can destroy certain vitamins and minerals. Add a tadka of desi masalas like turmeric, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, or cumin seeds, which can truly add spice to all meals.”
She also emphasises on the four fundamental elements of cooking; Salt, Heat, Acid, and Fat.
Salt allows us to truly unlock food tastes. Heat doesn’t refer to spice – instead, it’s all about your cooking method, and how you apply it effectively. Acid balances flavours in our food, from the citrus tang of an orange to the vinegar dressing on a salad. Lastly, using the right kind of fat for cooking – whether it is ghee or cold-pressed coconut oil – makes a huge difference to texture, taste, and nutrition.
Suparna Krishnan, a student pursuing a Master’s in Food Science in the USA believes, “We often don’t think about what we put in our mouths, but we should. It isn’t just the physical characteristics of food that count, but also the chemical and microbiological ones. Understanding the science behind the foods we eat allows us to make sensible choices and ensures food safety; How many carbs are we putting into our body every day? Can I binge on avocadoes without impacting my calorie intake? Is it better to sautee or steam my broccoli? Effective application of food science also allows us to maximise our resources and reduce wastage.” Krishnan’s ultimate focus is molecular gastronomy, which essentially incorporates science-based cooking techniques and food technology with the tried and tested culinary arts. “To put it simply, we experiment with new combinations to see how foods react with one another chemically to provide varied tastes and wellness benefits. This can only be done when one understands the basics such as the properties of the ingredients and the effect of the cooking tools and methodologies. There is a constant demand for products that are innovative, tasty, and high in nutrients as well.”
Modern experiments in science are all well and good, but it is also vital to pay attention to age-old methods that are backed by logic. Soaking rice, for instance, helps remove phytic acid which causes stomach issues and can also impair the absorption of nutrients. Soaking almonds and various lentils also follow a similar logic. The process of fermenting healthy snacks across the country also dates back hundreds of years. These contain microflora that promotes gut health - Idlis from south India, Hawajir from Manipur, Dhokla from Gujarat, Enduri Pita from Odisha, and Selroti from Sikkim are some examples. Lastly, pickles and chutneys are all bottling techniques that allow you to effectively preserve seasonal fruits and vegetables for months, even after the season has passed.
“No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing,” said ace chef and cookbook writer Julia Child. As someone who failed, and learned by trial and error, Child is the classic example of a woman who was able to grasp the science behind cooking and harness its precision to create dishes that are celebrated to this day.