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COOKING OF GRAINS.
All grains, with the exception of rice, and the various grain meals,
require prolonged cooking with gentle and continuous heat, in order t
o so disintegrate their tissues and change their starch into dextrine
as to render them easy of digestion. Even the so-called "steam-cooke
d" grains, advertised to be ready for use in five or ten minutes, req
uire a much longer cooking to properly fit them for digestion. These
so-called quickly prepared grains are simply steamed before grinding,
which has the effect to destroy any low organisms contained in the g
rain. They are then crushed and shredded. Bicarbonate of soda and lim
e is added to help dissolve the albuminoids, and sometimes diastase t
o aid the conversion of the starch into sugar; but there is nothing i
n this preparatory process that so alters the chemical nature of the
grain as to make it possible to cook it ready for easy digestion in f
ive or ten minutes. An insufficiently cooked grain, although it may b
e palatable, is not in a condition to be readily acted upon by the di
gestive fluids, and is in consequence left undigested to act as a mec
hanical irritant.
Water is the liquid usually employed for cooking grains, but many of th
em are richer and finer flavored when milk is mixed with the water, one
part to two of water. Especially is this true of rice, hominy, and far
ina. When water is used, soft water is preferable to hard. No salt is n
ecessary, but if used at all, it is generally added to the water before
stirring in the grain or meal.
The quantity of liquid required varies with the different grains, the
manner in which they are milled, the method by which they are cooked
, and the consistency desired for the cooked grain, more liquid being
required for a porridge than for a mush.
All grains should be carefully looked over before being put to cook.
In the cooking of grains, the following points should be observed:
1. Measure both liquid and grain accurately with the same utensil, or w
it