Question 1

What is cooking?

Accepted Answer

Cooking is when you prepare food to eat by using heat. This means you can use a stove, oven, or even a campfire to make food tasty and safe.

Question 2

Why does food change color when we cook it?

Accepted Answer

When we cook food, heat changes its color because the heat causes chemical reactions. These changes often make the food look and taste better!

Question 3

Why do we need to cook some foods before eating them?

Accepted Answer

Cooking helps to make food safe by killing germs that could make us sick. It also makes hard foods soft and easier to chew and enjoy.

Question 4

What does baking mean?

Accepted Answer

Baking is cooking food in an oven. It’s a great way to make cakes, bread, and cookies which become deliciously fluffy or crispy.

Question 5

How does water help in cooking?

Accepted Answer

Water helps cook food by boiling or steaming it. This makes food like vegetables and pasta soft and ready to eat.

Question 6

Why do we fry food in a pan?

Accepted Answer

Frying uses oil and heat to cook food, making it crispy and yummy. It's a quick way to cook things like chicken nuggets or fries.

Question 7

What is grilling?

Accepted Answer

Grilling is when you cook food over an open flame or hot coals. It gives food a special smoky flavor and nice grill marks.

Question 8

Why do we knead dough when baking?

Accepted Answer

Kneading dough mixes everything together and helps it become stretchy. This makes bread and pizza crusts fluffy and chewy.

Question 9

What is simmering?

Accepted Answer

Simmering means cooking food slowly in liquid over low heat. It's good for making soups and sauces full of flavor.

Question 10

How does marinating help food taste better?

Accepted Answer

Marinating means soaking food in a sauce or spices before cooking. This helps the food soak up flavors, making it tastier.

Question 11

Why do cakes rise when baking?

Accepted Answer

Cakes rise because the ingredients, like baking soda, create bubbles when heated. These bubbles make the cake fluffy and light.

Question 12

How does cooking change the texture of food?

Accepted Answer

Heat makes the proteins and starches in food change, becoming soft or crispy. This makes food more enjoyable to eat.

Question 13

What does it mean to sauté food?

Accepted Answer

Sautéing is when you cook food quickly in a small amount of oil in a pan. It makes things like vegetables tender and tasty without burning them.

Question 14

Why do we put some foods in the refrigerator before cooking?

Accepted Answer

Chilling foods like cookies dough helps them hold their shape better when cooking. It also keeps ingredients fresh until you're ready to cook them.

Question 15

How does a microwave cook food?

Accepted Answer

A microwave uses invisible waves of energy to make the water molecules in food move quickly. This creates heat and cooks the food fast.

Question 16

What does it mean to boil food?

Accepted Answer

Boiling means cooking food in boiling water. It's often used for pasta, eggs, and vegetables, making them soft and ready to eat.

Question 17

Why do chefs taste food while cooking?

Accepted Answer

Chefs taste food to make sure the flavors are just right and not too salty or bland. It helps them know if they need to add more spices or ingredients.

Question 18

What is roasting?

Accepted Answer

Roasting is when you cook food in the oven at a high temperature. It makes foods like chicken or veggies golden and slightly crispy.

Question 19

Why do recipes have cooking times?

Accepted Answer

Cooking times make sure food is cooked through and safe to eat, so it’s not raw or burned. They help achieve the best flavors and textures.

Question 20

What is the difference between steaming and boiling?

Accepted Answer

In steaming, food cooks in the vapor from boiling water, staying a bit firmer. Boiling means the food gets fully covered by water, making it softer.

The Science of Cooking: Culinary Techniques and Methods - 20 FAQs Explained Simply