Lesson video

Hello, I'm Mr. Ballam.

Thanks for choosing this lesson.

This lesson's all around making jerk veg and black bean curry with rice and peas.

Let's get started, shall we? So, what you're going to learn today? Well, by the end of this lesson, you are gonna use your own food skills to make the jerk veg and black bean curry served with rice and peas too.

First of all, there's some keywords which I want to go through, which we need to pick up in today's lesson.

Now the first one is "jerk," and it's a cooking style from the Taino people, which the indigenous people from Jamaica.

The second one is to "saute," and this is a type of frying, a way of cooking food quickly in a small amount of oil in a shallow pan over a medium to high heat.

And the last one is "timeplan," and this is a schedule which outlines a sequence of events or tasks with different time allocations.

So let's get started with the first part of the lesson, all around food evolution.

Now, the dishes we cook, eat, and serve, along with our food experiences, continue to evolve today, but they've changed over time due to a variety of different factors.

And these might include things like our food history, our culture and traditions, the impact of TV, social media, and different food trends, for example, and health and the environment too.

Plus, the money and availability of different food also play an impact, as well as our personal experience.

As we mentioned, there were lots of different factors why food has changed over time.

And one of them is history.

So, for example, many years ago, we would've eaten the food that was either grown or raised locally.

But over time, food has been introduced to us, perhaps from the Romans or in the Middle Ages, too.

And new foods have arrived to the UK through exploration, like potatoes coming to the UK.

Or in World War II, we had rationing.

Or immigration, which brought new cuisines, ingredients, and cooking styles too.

It could also be things linked to culture and traditions, so the way people live, the ingredients available, and the food that they eat from around the world.

Plus different celebrations and international influences, too.

Plus food fusion and new traditions, too.

But also, it could be the impact of TV, social media, and food trends.

So chefs on TV, new styles of cooking and ingredients, or perhaps it's recipes and food influences on socials, or perhaps it's just new food trends such as using the air fryer recipes, Korean street food, or plant-based dishes too.

Also, we've got impacts on health and the environment, which change what we eat.

So choosing foods that are low in fat, salt, and sugars, for example.

Or thinking about where our food comes from and how it's being produced, too.

Also, about making sure our diets are healthy and more sustainable.

We also gotta think about money and availability, too.

So impacts of a cost-of-living crisis, for example, or deprivation and hunger in the UK, or things around using seasonal or new ingredients, so it's changing what's cooked.

Plus, we need to think about our personal experience, our family tradition, and our culture too, perhaps the places that we've travelled and our food likes and dislikes, our preferences, plus who we eat with and the impacts of our friends, not just our family too.

So let's have a quick check for understanding, shall we? So true or false? The food that we cook, eat, and serve, along with our food experiences, have stayed the same over time.

Well, that's false, isn't it? And why is that? Well, we know that the dishes that we cook, eat, and serve, along with our food experiences, continue to evolve or change over time due to lots of different factors such as history or culture, social media, and health reasons too.

Great work.

Well done.

Jerk cooking comes from the Taino people, the indigenous, or original, people of Jamaica.

The Taino used a method of cooking meat over pimento wood, also called allspice wood, on an open fire.

They rubbed or marinated the meat with local herbs and spices to flavour it and also help preserve it in the heat too.

And the slow cooking method over the smoke made the meat taste smoky, spicy, and delicious.

And it also helped to keep it from spoiling too.

Later, when enslaved people were brought to the Caribbean, they adopted and adapted this method.

Some of the escaped enslaved people used the cooking techniques of the Taino people, for example, the slow roasting.

Plus, they used their own spices, such as chilli peppers, and cooking techniques, such as dried rubs.

So together, this created what we know now as jerk cooking, a blend of Taino and African traditions.

So let's have a quick check you've been listening, shall we? So jerk cooking was created through a blend of cooking from which traditions? A, B, C, D? Yes, that's right.

The first one is B, Taino.

The second one? Brilliant.

Yes, African.

Great work.

Now, traditionally, jerk spice uses Scotch bonnet peppers, which are quite hot and spicy.

Allspice, so pimento, a pepper.

Thyme, garlic, also ginger, spring onions, sugar, and also vinegar, too.

And the spice mix can be made into a dry rub, a powder, or perhaps a wet marinade like a paste, too.

And jerking is a method of cooking.

The meat, such as chicken or pork, is seasoned or marinated in the jerk spices.

Then the food is traditionally cooked slowly over an open flame or hot coals.

The smoke and heat give the food a charred, spicy, and smoked flavour.

And over time, this method of cooking is being used to cook different ingredients too.

So, for example, it might now include things like jackfruit, vegetables, or tofu.

And the cooking methods used might include oven baking, a jerk drum, air frying, griddling, and also barbecuing too.

And jerk is deeply rooted in Jamaican history and has evolved to be a cherished part of their culinary heritage.

And today, jerk represents a powerful symbol of Jamaican identity, resilience, and cultural pride enjoyed locally and internationally.

So I've got a task for you here.

What I want you to do is to simply fill in the gaps in these sentences.

There's a word bank that you might find useful, too.

So good luck.

Pause the video, and we'll come back very soon to see how you got on.

Okay, how did you get on? Let's look at the first one together.

So, "Jerk cooking comes from the.

." That's right, Taino people.

Well done.

The second one? "They rubbed or.

." "Marinated, well done, "the meat with local herbs." The next one.

"The jerk spice mix, can be made into a.

." Brilliant.

"Dry rub or a wet marinade, a paste.

' Great.

And the last one? "Jamaican history." Brilliant.

And the last one there, "culinary heritage." Great work.

You've been listening today.

Okay, well, let's move on to the second part of the lesson, all around making and evaluating your jerk veg.

So creating a timeplan ensures more efficient use of time when preparing and cooking.

If you think about what we're cooking today, we've got the jerk veg, we've got the curry, and we've got the rice and peas too.

So a timeplan will help us make all of these much more efficiently.

And the aim of the timeplan is to think carefully about the order in which the tasks need to be done to ensure all elements of the dish or the meal are ready at the right time.

So we need to read through the recipes carefully, noting: any advanced preparation that needs to be done, such as preheating the oven or perhaps lining a baking tray.

And any overlaps, too, for example, like chopping vegetables that could be done.

Also, you need to think about the estimated time taken for each of the tasks.

We also need to note things like preparation and cooking times so it can be sequenced in the right order.

So, for example, while some things are baking, other tasks can be done.

So we need to start with the tasks that take the longest time, first of all.

And sometimes, when you're writing a timeplan, it's easier to start at the end and work backwards to the start.

Plus, health and safety and special points can also be highlighted on the timeplan.

So things like food hygiene and safety, or washing up, too.

So here's an example time here for the jerk veg with a black bean curry and the rice and peas.

So you can see I put the time in one column, which I've estimated for each of the tasks.

I then put the order of work, what needs to be done.

So, for example, I've preheated the oven at the very start, so it's ready to go.

I've also highlighted anything to do with hygiene and safety too, as well as any special point for each of the steps.

So here's the first part, here's the second part, and here's the third part as well.

And you can see at the very end, I've even included things like washing up, too.

So that's just one example of a timeplan.

Okay, so I've got a quick check for understanding here for you.

So based on this timeplan for veggie lasagne, what three times are missing? Just read the recipe quickly.

Well, that's right.

The first one will be 10:15 because above it, it said prepare the vegetables, about 10 minutes.

The next one? Yes, 10:30.

That's because we said grate the cheese, about five minutes.

And the last one? Yes, that's right, 11 o'clock, 'cause we can remove the lasagne from the oven.

And if we look earlier, it actually says to cook the lasagne for 25 minutes.

Great work.

Well done.

Okay, so to make your jerk veg with a black bean curry and rice and peas, you're gonna be using lots of different food skills.

The first one is measuring.

So you're gonna be using the weighing scales, measuring jug, and also measuring spoon.

Now, why is it important to measure accurately? Well, let's have a quick look together, shall we? Well, the first one is to ensure that the food turns out great each time; that's important.

Also, too much or too little can change the flavour or the texture of the food.

So it might be like dry pastry, for example, or a runny pancake batter, or perhaps an over-risen cake or a very spicy soup.

Also, we're going to be peeling.

Now, why are vegetables and sometimes fruits peeled, do you think? Now, there might be many different reasons, but it might be that some peels or the skin are tough, chewy, or hard.

Plus, some peels or the skin taste bitter or strong.

And they might look more attractive peeled too.

However, many are safe to eat without peeling, and the peel also adds fibre to the diet.

But we should always wash vegetables and fruits.

We're also going to be deseeding.

Now, why should care be taken when deseeding a chilli pepper? Well, that's right.

The seeds and the pith contain capsaicin, which provides the spiciness, the heat in the plant.

And the capsaicin can stick to your fingers, so your hands need to be washed thoroughly.

So do not touch your eyes, mouth, or nose when deseeding.

It can sting and be hot.

We're also going to be slicing, dicing, and chopping in this recipe.

So why do we slice, dice, and chop food, do you think? Well, one thing might be to help the food cook evenly at the same time or rate.

It could also be to help the food cook quickly, or perhaps it's to change the texture of a food.

So, a chunky or a smooth soup, or perhaps it's to make it look more appetising, or lastly, to make it easier to eat.

I'm sure there are other reasons, too, that you've got.

For a quick check for understanding, just looking at the photos here, which are the two main safe cutting techniques? A, B, C? Yes, that's right.

First of all, A, the bridge hold, and the second one, B, that's right, the claw grip.

I'm sure you know these absolutely really well by now.

We're also gonna be draining.

And in this dish, we're gonna be using two different types of canned beans.

Now, what do you think the benefits are of using canned beans? Well, that's right.

First of all, the canned beans are quick and easy to use because they're already cooked inside the can.

Plus, they have a long shelf life.

Also, the beans provide protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals too.

Plus, they're relatively cheap compared to other protein sources and also count as one of your five a day too.

We're also gonna be using the oven for roasting, and we're gonna roast the veg with the oil and the jerk seasoning in the oven.

Now, what happens to the veg in the oven? Well, I'm sure some of you have been very clever and said it cooks, but let's have a look in a bit more detail, shall we? Well, the vegetables get hot, that's right, and they start to caramelise.

They start to become sweeter; things like the carrots, for example, and the mushrooms develop more of an umami or a savoury taste.

Plus, the oil helps the heat to spread more evenly over the vegetables and sticks the seasoning to the veg and helps with the browning too.

Plus, the aromatic oils are released from the spices in the seasoning, creating delicious odours and flavours too.

We're also gonna be using the hob for boiling, simmering, and sauteing.

Now, what happens to the vegetables during cooking here, do you think? Well, that's right.

The vegetables start to soften.

The heat breaks down the cell walls, that's a type of fibre, and the colour can change as well if it's cooked too long.

So they might become a dull green, for example.

And there also could be nutrient losses in the water.

So vitamin C could leach into the water here.

On the hob, we're also gonna be cooking the rice.

So what happens to the rice during cooking? Well, that's right.

The starch in the rice absorbs water and swells, turning it soft.

And this process is called gelatinization.

The heat in the water causes the rice to go from hard to soft.

Also, cooking makes the food safe to eat, plus also easier to eat and digest, and can also help to improve the taste and its texture too.

Now, another food skill we're gonna use on the hob is sauteing.

And what is sauteing, do you think? Well, that's right.

Sauteing is a type of frying, isn't it? And it's a way of cooking food quickly in a small amount of oil in a shallow pan over a medium to high heat.

And the food is kept moving, so it doesn't burn.

And the word "saute" is from the French, and it means "jumped." So let's have a quick check you've been listening, shall we? So sauteing is a type of frying which.

A, B, or C? Yes, well done.

That's C, isn't it? Cooks food in a little oil over a medium to high heat.

Well done.

So we've looked at all the food skills we're gonna use in turn, but we can also assess our food skills for accuracy and also precision, highlighting any further improvements in the future too.

And food skills can be assessed by another person.

So, for example, that might be a teacher or another pupil in your class, or perhaps yourself, a form of self-assessment.

And in addition, we can also assess things like time management, hygiene and safety, organisation, and independence, too.

So here's an example rating here that I could use.

So on the first left-hand column, I've got the different areas I'm looking at.

So it might be about being organised, or my timing is accurate, or using the hob, or measuring, so the different food skills.

And I've got a rating of the stars from the left-hand side, right the way to the right-hand side.

So on the very left, it says, "I need help." So that's interesting.

And on the other side, it says, "I can help others." So I can just rate the stars as I go through for the different areas I go through.

What's interesting that "I need help" might also mean "I don't understand" as well.

Or perhaps "I can help others" means "I completely understand." So the rating can also change.

But you can get the idea here that you can rate your food skills or other areas on this really helpful rating, so you know what's going well and also what you need to improve in the future, too.

So now I want you to make your jerk veg and black bean curry with rice and peas.

And before you cook, I want to make sure you are ready to cook.

Now, you know this really well, but it's really important.

So, tying up any long hair, removing jumpers, washing hands, and wearing an apron, for example.

Plus, I want to make sure you've got your ingredients and your equipment ready, too.

And then when you prep and cook, I want you to be safe and hygienic.

And I want you to think about your food skills.

Remember, we're gonna be rating these, so think about your accuracy and your precision, too.

There's a lot to get through in this lesson today.

So here are the ingredients that you need for your black bean curry.

Here's the ingredients you need for your jerk veg.

And here's the ingredients you need for your rice and peas.

And here's the equipment that you're gonna need as well.

Now, as we go through the method here, we've already dovetailed the three different parts of this meal together for you.

So here's part one of the method, here's the next part, here's the next part, here's the other part, and here's the last part where we bring everything together.

So good luck to you.

I'm sure you're gonna do really well.

There's a lot to get through, but I have faith in you.

You're gonna do a great job today.

So pause the video, and I'm gonna come back very soon to see how you get on.

Good luck.

Okay, well, how did you get on? Did you do really well? I bet you did.

There's a lot to get through, but it's a great recipe, isn't it? A great dish with the three different components.

So let's quickly go through the recipe to see how you were successful.

So we would've preheated the oven, then we would've prepared all the different types of vegetables, which are listed below here.

Then you would've prepared and cooked the jerk veg, so that's the ones in the oven.

And then you would've started the curry, then you would've then started the rice and peas, 'cause there's quite a few things here that need to be cooked in the background.

Then you would've continued with the curry, adding the extra courgette and the water and stock, and then bringing that to a boil and allowing it to simmer so the potatoes are tender.

Then you would've finished the rice and peas too.

And lastly, you would've finished the curry and brought everything together, three amazing parts of this great dish.

Okay, so I've got a task for you here.

And what I want you to do is to evaluate at least five food skills and way in which you worked today.

And that might be things like timing, hygiene, and organisation.

So on the left-hand side in the column under "Area," I want you to write down at least five food skills or other areas and ways in which you worked.

And I want you then to evaluate yourself from "I need help," or that might be "I don't understand," all the way through to "I can help others" or "I completely understand." Plus, writing any comments.

That's really helpful if things go well.

So, why did they go well? Plus, if things didn't quite go as well as you thought, you can then think about improvements for the future, too.

Okay, so complete the chart now.

I'm gonna come back shortly to see how you got on.

Okay, so how did you get on? Well, let's look at an example together, shall we? So here what I've written down is my different areas.

I've got timing, measuring, slicing and dicing, sauteing, and being hygienic too.

And you can see here I've given them a tick.

So the timing, I'm not doing too bad.

I think I'm really smashing the measuring and slicing and dicing.

Sauteing is sort of in the middle, but I'm not being very hygienic.

And my comment to this would be, well, timing: I need to check the timings more often, and the rice needs more time.

It was a bit undercooked, a bit nutty.

Measuring: it was spot on.

I was really pleased about that.

I was precise, and I was accurate too.

Slicing and dicing: I was precise and took my time.

Plus, I did help some others in the class too.

Also, sauteing: the heat was a bit high, I must admit, and I burnt some of the vegetables.

So I need to control my temperature better in the future.

And hygiene, well, I'm sad to say, I was a bit untidy and messy, and this is a big improvement for me in the future.

Well, I'm sure you've come up with some great comments too, thinking about what went well, but also how you can improve in the future too.

Great work.

Okay, well, that's the end of the lesson, and I hope you really enjoyed making your jerk veg with black bean curry with rice and peas today.

We've been through so much today, haven't we? It's been an amazing lesson.

Let's have a quick summary of what we've learned, shall we? Well, the first one is that the dishes we cook, eat, and serve, along with our food experiences, continue to evolve and change over time due to a number of different factors, which we looked at earlier.

And jerk cooking comes from the Taino people, the indigenous people, the original people, from Jamaica.

Next, we know that creating a timeplan ensures more efficient use of time when preparing two or more dishes simultaneously.

We did three today.

I think you did really well.

Plus, the food skills that we use can be assessed for accuracy and precision, highlighting areas of future improvement, too.

And lastly, we used lots of different food skills today, things like measuring, peeling, deseeding, slicing, dicing, chopping, draining, and using the oven and the hob too.

Well, you've done really well today.

I'm really proud of you.

Great work.

And hope you come back very soon for another lesson with me.

Thanks a lot.

Take care.

Bye!.