The Science of Cooking

Featured Image: Red Velvet cookies and Chocolate chips cookies made by me.

I've always talked about the art of cooking, but I want to talk about the science. Aside from how our brains and sense organs react to food, I want to talk about the cooking processes and why some things are the way they are.

Cooking is basically a bunch of tiny experiments happening in real-time. The nature of the textures, flavors built layer by layer, and aromas are all scientific. Here, I will talk about one thing that has piqued my interest lately — Enzymes.

Understanding Enzymes

Enzymes are proteins that speed up chemical reactions. I've been trying to find the perfect analogy, and the closest I can think of is how we break big tasks into smaller, manageable steps to get things done faster. Similarly, enzymes break down complex molecules into simpler ones to make biological processes efficient.

I recently stumbled upon a research paper on thermophilic lipases, and since then I have been reading about enzymes. But what are Lipases? Lipases are enzymes that break down fat and oils, so Thermophilic lipases are the Lipases that function under high temperatures and pH. They're usually used as catalysts in industries with processes requiring high temperature/pH like Detergent Industries. Enzymes speed up chemical reactions in food by breaking down molecules and here are several ways they do that.

Tenderizing Meat with Pineapple

My first experience using pineapple in tenderizing meat was from Food Wars, an Anime with 50+ episodes that I binge-watched in just five days. I wouldn't recommend the Anime because it had weird fetishes in it, but I was too focused on the food to care. But I digress; pineapples contain Bromelain, which naturally breaks down Collagen — the protein that makes meat tough. So, putting it on meat tenderizes it and adds a layer of flavor to it. But do not leave it too long or the Meat turns mushy. 2–4 hours is enough.

Fermentation

My favorite topic ever! I love reading about how other countries adopt fermentation into their cooking, like Kimchi, Miso, Sourdough, Natto, etc.

Fermentation is a metabolic process in which microorganisms we can't see, such as bacteria, yeast, and molds, grow in your food. It is like launching a startup — you start with a problem (raw ingredients), bring together a team (microorganisms), who break down the problem and develop a solution (chemical changes in the food), and after some time, you release a finished product. Fermentation not only preserves food but also enhances its flavor, digestibility, and nutritional value. It also leads to the production of probiotic-rich foods that promote gut health, like Yogurt and Kimchi.

Types of Fermentation

Fermentation in Iru (Locust Beans)

Iru is a popular addition to many soups in Southwestern Nigeria…

Fermentation in Fufu

Fufu is a popularly known swallow in West African countries…

Garri undergoes pressing, drying, and roasting after fermentation, which removes most odor-causing compounds. Fufu retains more of its strong-smelling fermentation compounds…

Yeasts

Yeast ferments food. The baking strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae turns sugars into carbon dioxide, causing dough to rise…