Preparing Vegetable
Dishes
VEGETABLES
are edible plants that give color,
flavor, and texture to meals.
are good source of vitamins,
minerals and fiber.
VEGETABLES
Are plants or parts of plants used as
food. As parts of plants, they include
roots, tuber, bulbs, stems shoots,
leaves, fruits, and flowers.
They are a favorite for their color,
texture, and flavor.
They are rich sources of vitamins,
minerals, and fiber.
Parts of Plants Used as
Vegetables
Roots
these are underground parts of plants
which include sweet potato, cassava, carrot,
radish, turnip, sugar beets, and purple yam
or ube.
Tubers
- these are short, thickened, fleshy
parts of an underground stem such as
Irish potatoes and Jerusalem
artichokes.
Seeds
- these are parts from which a new
plant will grow which include
legumes or beans
Bulbs
- these are underground buds that are made
of very short stems covered with layers such
as garlic, onion, chives, leeks, and shallots.
Leaves
- these include the onion family such as
spring onion, leeks, scallion and a wide
variety of leaves such as sili leaves, ampalaya,
alugbati, spinach, kangkong.
Stems and Shoots
- these are the stalks supporting
the leaves, flowers, or fruits. They
include the stems of the leaves of
kangkong, celery, kintsay, alugbati,
lettuce, mustard, and petsay.
Fruits
- these include those cooked as viands such as
ampalaya, patola, upo, kalabasa, kamatis,
langkang hilaw, bell pepper, and siling
pansigang.
Flowers - these are bulaklak ng kalabasa,
bulaklak ng saging, cauliflower,
puso ng saging, and katuray or sesban flower.
Market Forms of Vegetables
Fresh Vegetables
These are newly harvested produce sold in the market. As a guide in buying
quality fruits and vegetables, consider the following:
Buy vegetables in season.
Choose vegetables that are crisp, firm, and bright in color with no signs of
decay, blemishes, or rotting.
Choose fruit vegetables according to their freshness, size, and maturity
Purchasing fresh vegetables presents problems especially if
purchased in bulk because of the following reasons:
The market is subject to constant fluctuation between supply and
demand due to weather, crop conditions, and other factors.
The perishable nature of vegetables.
There many varieties available in the market, which is why specifications are
important.
The lack of standard grading according to size, freshness, shape, and
maturity makes selection a tedious task for the purchaser, especially
if bulk buying is intended for institutions.
2. Canned Vegetables
As there is no grading of vegetables by the government, it is best to buy by brand as
these are usually consistent in quality.When exclusive brands are used and have
been found satisfactory, many buyers will depend on these labels and will
continuously buy them.
Can Size Measurement of Can Volume of Can
No. 300 3"x 4 7/16'' 14.6oz
303 3 3/16 '' x 4 9/16'' 16.2oz
2 4 1/16"x 4 11/16'' 19.7 oz
2 1/4 5 1/8 x 5 5/8 " 28.55 oz
5 5 1/8 x 5 5/8" 56.oz
10 6 3/ 16" x 7" 105.1 oz
3. Frozen Vegetables
These are now increasingly being used by hotel restaurants and institutions. They are
grown and packed in the same controlled conditions as canned vegetables.
4. Dried and Dehydrated Vegetables
Dried vegetables include beans, lentils, potatoes sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach garlic,
onion, ginger, mushroom, and tomatoes. Some of these are dehydrated and powdered
such as garlic, onion, ginger, mustard, chives, and pepper.
Considerations in Selecting Vegetables
1. Know for what purpose the vegetable is to be used to determine the
kind and degree of maturity you will buy.
2. Vegetables are available fresh, frozen, canned, bottled, vacuum-
packed, and dried.
3. Select those that are clean, with no blemishes and bruises.flavored,
and less expensive.
4. Select those which are in season because they are plentiful, better-
5. Select the size most suitable for the purpose.
Considerations in Selecting Vegetables
6. Consider the cost of the vegetable against the edible portion and the
amount of waste removed.
7. Buy only the quantity required for a set number of days.
8. Select the freshest and the best quality for each type and for the
intended purpose
9. Here are some characteristics of good-quality vegetables:
a. Leafy vegetables such as kangkong
bright green in color
crisp, firm, whole in shape
free from decay, blemishes, and holes
Considerations in Selecting Vegetables
b. Fruits vegetables such as patola (sponge gourd), upo (bottle gourd),
okra (lady finger), talong (eggplant), labanos (radish), and sayote
(chayote):
should be tender, young, firm
bright in color
Free from decay , blemishes and holes
c. Fruit vegetables such as ampalaya (bitter gourd), karot (carrot),
kalabasa (squash), kamatis (tomatoes), sibuyas (onion), and
bawang (garlic): should be mature, whole, and plump bright in
color uniform size and shape free from decay, blemishes, and
bruises free of dirt and soil.
d. Beans such as Baguio beans and sitaw (string beans) should be
young, crisp, tender, easily snaps when cut or broken, free from
decay, bright green in color, and free from dirt or soil.
e. Root crops should be free from dirt and dark spots, heavy, well-
shaped, and with unbroken skin.
f. Legumes should be free from holes, insects, and not powdery.
Preparing Vegetables
1. Wash leafy vegetables in a bowl of clean water,
splashing their leaves up and down in the water to
remove stuck dirt and particles.
2. Inspect vegetables thoroughly. Then, cut the decayed or
rotten part of each vegetable.
3. Pare vegetables thinly to minimize wastage and to
preserve the nutrients found between the skin and
flesh.
4. Cut vegetables only when about to be cooked. Long
exposure to the open air can cause discoloration and
loss of volatile nutrients.
5. Cut vegetables according to purpose. Cut thinly for fries, thicker for
vegetable tempura, and much thicker for viands such as pinakbet or
kare-kare.
6. Never overcook vegetables as they can lose nutrients and their
aesthetic appeal.
7. Vegetables should be prepared just before cooking to avoid loss of
vitamins and minerals. When cooking, use only a small amount of
water.The cooking pan must be covered to shorten cooking time and
to avoid the loss of volatile flavors.
Serving Vegetables
1. Serve vegetables as soon as they are cooked. Long-standing
reduces their appeal and nutrients.
2. Use bowls or platters made of glass, porcelain, ceramic, or stainless
steel, with or without designs, appropriate for the dish.
3. Arrange vegetables to show shapes, natural color, and crunchy
texture.
Create a shiny or glossy appearance by splashing a teaspoon of
sesame oil on top as in chopsuey.
4. Serve fresh salads in expensive-looking containers.
Serving Vegetables
1.Serve vegetables as soon as they are cooked. Long-standing reduces
their appeal and nutrients.
2. Use bowls or platters made of glass, porcelain, ceramic, or stainless
steel, with or without designs, appropriate for the dish.
3. Arrange vegetables to show shapes, natural color, and crunchy texture.
Create a shiny or glossy appearance by splashing a teaspoon of sesame
oil on top as in chopsuey.
4. Serve fresh salads in expensive-looking containers.
5. Cook and serve only for a day's consumption
Storing Vegetables
1.Keep root crops and legumes stored at room temperature.
2.Store leafy green vegetables in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator.
3. Keep vegetables in their wrapper or package before storing them in the
vegetable crisper.
4. Wash vegetables when about to use.
5.Store potatoes, onions, beets, carrots, and other root vegetables in a
cool, dry, and well-ventilated area.
Thank You
