On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 1090

each other just after they’re added to the
cooking water. Their dry surfaces absorb the
small amount of water between them so
there’snoneleftforlubrication,andthepartly
gelated surface starch glues the noodles
together. Sticking can be minimized by
constantly stirring the noodles for the first
few minutes of cooking, or by adding a
spoonful or two of oil to the pot and then
liftingthenoodlesthroughthewatersurfacea
few times to lubricate them. Salt in the
cooking water not only flavors the noodles,
but limits starch gelation and so reduces
cookinglossesandstickiness.
Stickinessaftercookingiscausedby
surfacestarchthatdriesoutandcoolsdown
afterthenoodleshavebeendrained,and
developsaglueyconsistency.Itcanbe
minimizedbyrinsingthedrainednoodles,or
moisteningthemwithsomesauce,cooled
cookingwater,oil,orbutter.
Couscous,Dumplings,


Couscous,Dumplings,
Spätzle,Gnocchi

CouscousCouscousisanelegantlysimple
pastathatappearstohavebeeninventedby
theBerberpeoplesofnorthernAlgeriaand
Moroccobetweenthe11thand13thcenturies.

ItremainsastapledishinNorthAfrica,the
MiddleEast,andSicily.Initstraditional
form,couscousismadebysprinklingsalted
waterintoabowlcontainingwholewheat
flour,thenstirringwiththefingerstoform
littlebitsofdough.Thebitsarerubbed
betweenthehandsandsievedtoobtain
granulesofuniformsize,usually1–3mmin
diameter.Thereisnokneadingandtherefore
noglutendevelopment,sothisgentle
techniquecanbeandisappliedtomanyother
grains.Couscousgranulesaresmallenough
thattheycanbecookednotinalargeexcess
ofwaterbutinsteam(traditionallyoverthe
fragrantstewthatitwillaccompany),which
allowsthemtodevelopauniquelylight,