Standard  HUM-FNW-10: Design and demonstrate ability to select, store, prepare and serve nutritious, safe and appealing foods.  10.6 Demonstrate the selection, storage and cooking techniques for grains and starches.

Parts of the Kernel  Kernel – a whole seed of a cereal. It has three parts: the bran, the endosperm, and the germ.  Bran – the outer protective covering of the kernel.  Endosperm – makes up the largest part of the kernel.  Germ – the reproductive part of the plant.

Grain Kernel

Whole Grain? You here it everywhere EAT What are they?  Whole Grains are where products contain all three parts of the grain.  Refined Grains are when products have had the bran & germ (along with the nutrients they provide) removed during processing.

What is Cereal? Cereals are starchy grains that are suitable to use as foods. Mostly in U.S. Corn Wheat Rice Oats Barley Rye Used to make… Breakfast foods, flour, meals, breads, pasta products and starches

Whole Grains cont. Federal law requires many refined products be enriched.  White Flour  White Rice  Pasta  Cereals Whole grains provide  Protein  Complex Carbohydrates  Fiber  Vitamin B  Iron  Magnesium  Selenium

Flour Any grain can be made into flour  Most consumers use wheat flour for baking because the gluten is superior. Gluten – an elastic protein substance that provides the structure in baked goods.

Types of Flour All Purpose – made of primarily the endosperm Self-Rising Flour – is all purpose flour with added leavening agents and salt. Whole Wheat Flour is made by milling the entire wheat kernel so it contains a whole grain. Cake Flour is made from a class of wheat called soft wheat. Used with cakes and things with delicate textures. Buckwheat Flour is made from ground buckwheat grains. It is gluten free and has a nutlike flavor.

Rice  Rice (also called white rice) the white, starchy endosperm of the rice kernel.  Brown Rice has had the hull removed but contains the bran, germ and endosperm. WHOLE GRAIN  Wild Rice is not really rice. It is the seed of a grass that grows in the marshes of Minnesota and Canada. It has an appealing, nutlike flavor and is rather expensive.  Precooked or Instant Rice has been cooked, rinsed and dried by a special process before packaging. You can prepare it in a matter of minutes.

Pasta  Pasta is a dough that may or may not be dried.  Pasta dough is made from semolina, which is produced from durum wheat.  Durum wheat is specially grown for pasta making.  Give pasta a nutty flavor & firm shape.  Noodles are made by adding Egg to the pasta dough.

Other Grain Products  Hominy corn minus the hull and germ. When broken into pieces it is called hominy grits.  Cornstarch - refined starch obtained from the endosperm of corn. Used as a thickening agent.  Wheat Germ the germ portion of the wheat kernel separated during milling. Wheat germ is high in vitamins and minerals. You can add it to foods for flavor and nutrition.  Couscous is granules of precooked, dried semolina. Cooks quickly so works for meal managers. Used as a side dish or a base for stews and stir-fry.  Quinoa has been grown and eaten in South America for hundreds of years. It is the seed of the goosefoot plant rather than a true grain. However it has cooking and flavor characteristics that are similar to grain. Growing in popularity in the U.S.

Cost  Ready-to-eat cereals are the most expensive  Example: Oatmeal packets vs. Rolled Oats  All purpose flour is least expensive  Pasta no matter the type, is low in cost.  Long grain or short gain rice are priced the lowest.  Minute rice & wild rice are usually more expensive

Storage  Use tightly Covered Containers in cool dry places  Flour, breakfast foods, pasta & rice  Grain products stored uncovered will attract dust and insects.  Some can pick up moisture which will cause them to lose their characteristic texture.  Breakfast foods will keep for 2-3 months.  Brown & Wild rice will keep for 6 months  White rice & Pasta will keep for a year.

Starch  Starch is a complex carbohydrate stored in plants  Cereal grains contain plant cells that are the sources of starch granules.  Wheat Flour (gravies & unsweetened sauces), Cornstarch & Tapioca (puddings & sweet sauces) are starches commonly used in cooking.  Used primarily as a thickening agent.

Starches Cont.  Granular starch is completely insoluble (unable to dissolve) in cold water  The granules need heat to become soluble (able to dissolve).  When granules and water are heated they become soluble.  They absorb water and swell  As they swell the mixture thickens.

Preparing Cooked Cereals  Bring recommended amount of water to boil  Size of cereal particles & method of cooking determines the cooking time.  Gently stir as it cooks to prevent lumping together.  Cooked cereals should be free of lumps, thick and flow when poured.  Examples: Oatmeal and Cream of wheat

Preparing Rice  You want tender kernels that hold their shape  Should be tender and fluffy.  Rice should not stick together and form a gummy mass.  Can be cooked over direct heat, double boiler or in oven.  The amount of water varies depending on the type of rice.  Brown & white rice requires twice as much water to the amount of rice. Brown rice will take a little longer to cook.  Precooked rice takes less time to cook. Add rice to the boiling water take off heat and wait until water has absorbed.

Preparing Pasta  2 quarts of water (1 quart is a 4 cups) for each 8oz (1 cup) of pasta.  Pasta requires more water that other cereal products so it can move around.  Put water on to boil and once at a rolling boil add pasta (it should stop boiling when pasta is added).  Simmer the pasta until tender and drain.  TIPS:  Add salt and oil to boiling water at the beginning to keep pasta from sticking together.  Pull pasta apart as it cooks to help it from sticking together.

Resources Largen, V., & Bence, D. (2012). Guide to good food (12th ed., Teacher's ed.). Tinley Park, IL: Goodheart-Willcox.