Here are some more of the basic principles to think about when it comes to cooking food, and how it can affect the finished outcome of the meal that ends up on your plate.

The factors that affect the amount and intensity of heat applied to food are as follows.

1. The softness or hardness of the food.

2. Whether it is of animal or vegetable origin.

3. The size of the pieces being cooked.

4. The combination of ingredients and whether they are dried, fresh or frozen.

5. The type of heat to be applied.

6. The quality and type of saucepans and utensils. This knowledge can be gained only by using various utensils on different commercial cooking appliances. Good cooking cannot be achieved on thin-bottomed, uneven pans, and these must be avoided at all cost.

Too much heat will result in overcooking, dryness, shrinkage, burning and disintegration (the food falls apart and the texture is mushy). Too little heat may result in poor flavour development, flat or watery taste, softness, poor colour and loss of nutritional value. Think of these points when you are cooking.

Food may absorb heat in three different ways: by convection, conduction and radiation.

Ø Convection – Convected heat is the sort of heat used in an oven or steamer when air or steam is heated and the heat is transferred to the item being cooked. In an oven, the air is dry: baked items lose some moisture unless they are completely covered.

Ø Conduction – Conducted heat requires one surface to be in contact with another. Deep-frying and shallow-frying, poaching, boiling, steaming and grilling use this principle. In frying, the oil or fat conducts heat to the food item. In shallow-frying, the surface of the pan in contact with the food also conducts heat. This is also the case with poaching and boiling, except that a non-fat liquid is used as a conductor.

Ø Radiation – Food is heated by radiation when it is cooked on a barbeque grill, placed under a salamander or toasted. This type of heat is often used for browning. Browning occurs most rapidly when a bright red glow (incandescent heat) is present, but it must be remembered that cooking will take place at lower settings. Microwave energy is a form of radiation. When food is heated by microwave, the cell structure is made to vibrate very quickly and this causes the food to heat.

Most cooking processes use some or all of these methods of heat transfer in varying combinations. The choice depends on the food and the desired result.