Lesson video

Hello, my name's Mr. Balam.

Thanks for choosing this lesson.

This lesson's all around making bang bang veg with an Asian slaw.

So what are we going to learn?

Well we're gonna use your different food skills to make the bang bang veg with an Asian slaw too.

So there are a number of key words which I wanna go through, which we're gonna pick up in the lesson today.

The first one is Sichuan which is a province in Southwestern China.

The next one is florets which are the flowering stems that make up the head of a cauliflower or broccoli.

The third one is preference tests and these are tests that supply information about people's likes and dislikes of foods.

The fourth one is discrimination tests and these tests aim to evaluate different sensory attributes of food.

So for example, crunchiness.

And the last one is membrane which is a thin sheet of tissue or layer of cells acting as a lining or partition.

So let's get started with the first part of the lesson, which is all around more sustainable diets.

So bang bang veg is based on the popular dish of Bang bang chicken and it originates from Sichuan which is a province in China, a region known for its bold, spicy cuisine.

The bang bang name comes from the traditional method of tenderizing the chicken which uses a wooden stick or a mallet which makes the bang bang sound.

And the dish is commonly sold by street vendors and they prepare it freshly and customize it to your own spice level for each customer.

So let's have a quick check for understanding, shall we?

So what type of cuisine is that Sichuan province in China known for?

A, B, C or D?

That's right, it's B.

Well done, bold and spicy.

So our diets and the food that we eat and the recipes we cook can be modified to be healthier and more sustainable.

And we need to make sure that there's enough food for everyone produced in a sustainable way that protects our planet while improving our own health too.

The recipe bang bang veg has been modified using vegetables rather than meat, for more sustainable living.

So while the environmental impact of different foods can vary, there are some general principles that we can all follow to aim for a healthier and more sustainable diet.

So the first one is to eat a more plant-rich diet; more vegetables, fruit, beans, pulses, nuts, seeds and whole grain foods too.

Also, we should get our five a day.

These foods are good for our health and tend to have a lower environmental impact.

Also, we should choose sustainably sourced fish.

Choose fish with ecolabels such as the MSC label, which you can just see to the right-hand side, and have a wider variety of fish rather than just the big five; cod, haddock, salmon, tuna and prawns.

Go for different types of fish.

So let's have a quick check for understanding, shall we?

So true or false?

We should choose cod, haddock, salmon, tuna and prawns as these are more sustainable.

Well, that's false, isn't it?

And why is that?

Well, we should choose fish with ecolabels and have a wider variety of fish, not just the big five which are cod, haddock, salmon, tuna and prawns.

We should have a wider variety of fish.

Other general principles include, choosing more plant-based sources of protein.

So for example, eating more beans and other pulses, nuts and seeds, using plant-based meat alternatives and replacing some or all of the meat in recipes.

Also, we should limit foods high in fat, salt and sugars.

Limiting these foods in our diet can be a good way to reduce our environmental footprint, especially, if we eat these foods often or in large amounts.

And we should all be following the Eatwell Guide and it's been shown that it has a 32% lower environmental footprint compared to the current national diet.

So true or false?

Following the Eatwell Guide is only about eating more healthily.

Well, that's false isn't it?

And why is that?

Well, while following the Eatwell Guide can help people eat more healthily, it's also been shown to have a 32% lower environmental footprint compared to the national diet, so it can help us eat more sustainably too.

Well done to you.

So I've got a task for you here and for each of the points below, I want you to provide some practical advice for somebody wishing to have a healthier and more sustainable diet.

So good luck to you.

Pause the video and we'll come back and look at some examples together very shortly.

Well, I bet you did really well.

Let's have a look at some examples that you could've put.

So the first one, eat a more plant-rich diet.

Well, use more vegetables, fruit, beans, pulses in cooking and have more whole grains too.

Get your five a day?

Well, make sure you have them at each mealtime, as well as for snacks.

How about choose sustainably sourced fish?

Well, check for the MSC label and cook with different fish as well, like mackerel and mussels.

And the next one, choose more plant-based sources of protein?

Well, use 50% beef and 50% lentils for pies or use tofu or Quorn in a curry or stir fry.

And the last one, limit foods high in fat, salt and sugars?

Well some advice would be, if you have these have them in small amounts and only now and again.

Plus also, go for lower fat, salt and sugar versions too.

Brilliant work.

Well done to you.

Okay, now let's move on to the second part of the lesson, which is all around making and evaluating your bang bang veg.

So to assess a recipe, a range of different sensory tests can be performed.

And sensory tests analyze and measure human responses to the composition of food and drink.

So for example, it might be its appearance, touch, odor, texture, temperature and taste too.

And the results of these tests can be used to make and justify changes to the recipes.

And the main sensory tests include preference tests and discrimination tests.

So let's look at preference tests first and these types of tests supply information about people's likes and dislikes about a recipe or a dish.

And they're not intended to evaluate certain characteristics, such as crunchiness or smoothness.

Remember, it's just their likes or dislikes.

So they are subjective tests.

So the first one is the hedonic scale which starts with dislike very much and moves all the way up to like very much and you might put remarks too.

And sometimes, you might have seen it with different smiley faces.

So for example, sad, neutral or happy.

So you tick the one you dislike or like.

And also, perhaps a test like paired comparison where the person selects which one out of two, they prefer.

Again, their likes or dislikes.

Or perhaps, scoring something and they give it a score between one and five.

Again, dislike to like.

So that's preference tests for you.

Now, let's get to discrimination tests.

So these types of tests aim to evaluate different sensory attributes or characteristics of foods.

So for example, crunchiness.

So we're not looking at likes or dislikes.

We're just looking at the attributes or characteristics.

And these are objective tests and they include things like a triangle test.

For example, this is out of these three dishes, pick the odd one out.

Or perhaps, the duo trio test where you're tasting a control sample and which of the other two samples is the same.

Perhaps a ranking test.

So for two or more dishes, and you rank one sensory attribute.

For example, crispiness and you put them in the order of crispiness.

Or perhaps, paired comparison.

So for two dishes, compare one sensory attribute.

So for example, which one is smoother?

Or perhaps, you might do a star diagram and it shows the intensity for a range of different sensory attributes for one or more dishes.

So we're going to evaluate our Bang bang chicken with the Asian slaw using one preference test and one discrimination test.

And the results will allow us to make and justify changes to our recipe in the future.

And we're gonna use the hedonic test to see how well the dish is liked or disliked.

So that's a preference test.

I'm also gonna use a star diagram.

Do you remember?

That's to rate the intensity of a range of different sensory attributes and that's a discrimination test.

So let's have a quick look at these two types of tests, shall we?

So the hedonic test, you're gonna ask people to taste each sample in turn and tick a box, going from dislike very much, up to like very much, to indicate their preference.

And they might also want to make some remarks or some comments about it.

So for example, they might talk about its appearance or its odor or texture.

And then you're going to analyze the results to see what people think.

And this information helps us see how well the dish is liked or disliked and the comments can help us improve next time.

The other test we're gonna use is the star diagram, which is a discrimination test.

So first of all, you need to choose eight sensory attributes that describe the characteristics of the dish.

So for example, you might choose something like crunchy, spicy or savory and then they're gonna taste the dish.

And then you need to decide on the intensity of each attribute using the score between zero and 10.

So the higher the number, the greater the intensity of that attribute.

So if it's really, really, really crunchy, it gets a 10.

If it's not crunchy at all, it gets a zero.

Then you're gonna use the information to draw a star on the chart or the diagram for the product's attributes.

And this information shows us the intensity of a range of different sensory attributes and allows us to modify the recipe next time for its appearance, odor, taste and texture.

So let's have a quick check for understanding, shall we?

So which of these are discrimination tests?

Yes, well done.

Star diagram and, that's right, triangle test.

Well done.

So we're going to make the Bang bang chicken with Asian slaw.

We're gonna use a number of different food skills.

The first one is measuring.

So we're gonna use the weighing scales and it's really important that it's at zero before you start, so you weigh accurately.

And we're gonna be using measuring spoons and it sounds really silly, but make sure you read the recipe and use the correct spoon.

You don't wanna put too much chili in, or maybe you do, it could be really spicy.

Also, we're gonna be peeling.

We're gonna peel the onion by hand and the garlic by hand too.

And the ginger, we're gonna use a vegetable peeler.

You could also use a knife if you wanted to.

The carrot in this recipe is not peeled, but it's always really important to wash vegetables before preparation.

We're also going to be slicing.

So we're gonna be slicing the onion and also we're going to be slicing the cauliflower or broccoli.

Now, what's happening in that image of slicing the cauliflower or broccoli?

Well the florets, which are the edible flour buds of the plant, are being sliced from the head of the plant which is also known as the curd.

We're also gonna be shredding.

So what do you think it means to shred the red cabbage?

Well, it means to cut the cabbage into very fine, thin pieces, almost like ribbons.

And you can shred with a knife, a mandoline or a food processor.

And it's great for salads, coleslaw or when you want to make a softer texture or have faster cooking.

We're also gonna be chopping.

So for example, here we've got chopped garlic and we've got chopped chili.

So what does it mean to chop the garlic or chili?

Yeah, that's right.

It means to cut the food into pieces and it can be chopped finely to tiny pieces or roughly into bigger pieces.

We're also gonna be grating.

Now, what advice would you give someone about using the grater safely?

Yes, that's right.

Well, make sure the grater is on a staple surface, like a cutting board or a chopping board.

Because if it slips, you might accidentally grate your fingers.

Also, hold the carrot firmly near the top and move it downwards across the grater, keeping your fingers away from the blades.

And also as the carrot gets smaller, slow down near the end, as it's easy to slip and scrape your knuckles too.

We're also gonna be de-seeding.

Now, we're gonna de-seed the chili.

Now, what care should be taken when preparing fresh chilies?

Well, that's right for in fresh chilies, the membrane and the seeds contain capsaicin which is a chemical compound that makes the chili spicy and hot.

And the capsaicin helps to protect the chilies from animals and insects when it's growing that might try to eat them.

So we always need to make sure we wash our hands thoroughly after preparing it and don't touch our nose, eyes or mouth.

It could sting.

And rather than using a knife to remove the seeds, we can also use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.

Let's have a quick check for understanding, shall we?

So which vegetable contains capsaicin, a chemical compound that makes it spicy and hot?

Yes, well done.

It's A isn't it?

It's chilies.

Great work.

We're also going to be mixing in this recipe.

So here's a bowl.

Now, why is it important to mix?

Well, that's right.

Yes, mixing helps to incorporate and cook all the ingredients evenly.

It also prevents lumps from forming or the food from sticking too.

And we're gonna be mixing the firecracker sauce together and the vegetables when we're going to be cooking them on the hob too.

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

Now, which direction should the pan handles point on the hob?

That's right.

Pan handles should point toward the side away from the front of the hob or the other rings too.

And what's the difference between boiling, simmering and frying?

Well, here we go.

Let's have a quick look together, shall we?

Well, boiling is cooking in a liquid at boiling point and it's bubbling rapidly.

Simmering is cooking in a liquid just below the boiling point and it's bubbling gently and frying is cooking in hot oil.

So what happens to the cauliflower or broccoli during boiling when we're cooking it?

Well, there are a number of things that happen.

First of all, it becomes softer and the boiling water breaks down the tough fibers.

It can also lose color, especially the broccoli, as the heat breaks down the green pigments.

It can also cause vitamins to leach into the water and, therefore, vitamin loss.

For example, Vitamin C.

And also, if you boil it for too long a strong smell is released caused by the sulfur compounds in the food.

So let's have a quick check for understanding, shall we?

So what happens to the cauliflower or broccoli during cooking?

Yes, that's right, they lose color.

Anything else?

Yes, they become softer.

Is there one more thing?

Yes, well done.

They lose nutrients.

Well done to you.

So what I want you to do now is to go away and make your bang bang veg with Asian slaw.

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

So make sure you've tied up any long hair, remove jumpers, wash your hands and, also, wear an apron too.

And also want to make sure you've got your ingredients and your equipment ready, so you're ready to cook.

And then as you prepare and cook, I want you to be safe and hygienic.

And I want you to think about and focus on your food skills too, precise and accurate.

Now, here's some of the ingredients you need and here's the other ingredients you need.

And here's the equipment that you need.

So you might want to pause the video now while you go and get these ready.

And here's part one of the method and here's part two of the method and here's the third part of the method.

So, good luck to you.

I'm sure you'll do fantastically.

I hope you enjoy making it and we'll come back very soon to see how successful you were.

Pause the video.

Okay, so how'd you get on?

I bet you did really well, didn't you?

Well, let's have a quick look through the recipe to see how successful you were making your bang bang veg with an Asian slaw.

Well, the first thing is you would've made your firecracker sauce with the chilies, the chopped garlic and also mixing it together with other sauce ingredients.

Then you would've made the Asian slaw, so using your food skills like shredding, grating, slicing, chopping and combining it all together.

Then you would've prepared your bang bang veg and then you would've cooked the bang bang veg all together, absolutely delicious.

Then you would've stirred in the firecracker sauce and simmered it to heat it all the way through, and then you would've served it with the Asian slaw.

Absolutely, delicious.

Well done.

So now I want you to evaluate your bang bang veg with Asian slaw using the hedonic and the star diagram sensory tests.

So consider, also, how the results can help you make and justify changes to the recipe in the future.

So first of all, I want you to do the hedonic test and I want you just to ask three people to taste your dish.

And once you've done the hedonic test, I want you then to move on and do the star diagram test.

And again, consider how you can use the results to justify and make changes to the recipe in the future.

So good luck to you.

I'm gonna come back very soon to see how you've got on.

Okay, so how did you get on?

Let's look at an example together, shall we?

Let's start with the hedonic test.

So we had three people here; Izzy, Jacob and Sofia.

They've tried my dish and they're going to put ticks in.

So like, like and neutral.

So that's interesting to know.

What other information have they given me?

Well, they put some comments in.

It was quite spicy, which was good, and I could go hotter.

It smelled great.

I liked the veg.

Cooked to perfection.

Oh, thank you, Jacob.

Sofia, it was okay, but I prefer foods more spicy.

I liked the color.

So that's really interesting.

Great feedback from these three people.

So that feedback makes me think, well actually, the dish was mostly liked by most people and there were no dislikes.

And it could be spicier next time.

So I could use more chili and maybe some chili seeds too.

And perhaps the cooking time seemed to be okay.

So I need to make sure I keep to those so I'm perfect next time too.

How about the star diagram?

So first of all, I would've come up with the eight different types of sensory attributes.

You can see them around my good diagram and then I would've tasted my dish and then I would've rated each of those attributes.

Remember, the different intensity between zero and 10.

So here I go, crunchy, starts off at a good nine and I'm gonna go forward to hot, sweet, salty, soft, gingery, spicy, cool and back again.

You can see here, I've made a great star diagram here.

So how can this help me in the future?

Well, the star diagram shows that it was quite spicy and hot, but there's room for improvement.

And it seems to be the vegetables are crunchy, so perhaps I need to cook the cauliflower for a bit more time next time.

And I might use chicken or tofu next time as these are softer, for example.

And I liked that there was a balance of ginger, saltiness and sweetness.

But I like more ginger, as it's my favorite too.

So again, some great information to help me improve next time.

Well we've done so much today.

Well done to you, We'll have a quick summary of what we've learned.

So the first thing is that bang bang veg is based on the dish Bang bang chicken, which originates from the Sichuan province in China.

And our diets and the food we eat and the recipes we cook can be modified for health and be more sustainable too.

And the results of preference tests and discrimination tests can be used to make and justify changes to recipes.

And the membrane and seeds of chilies contain capsaicin, which is a chemical compound that makes them spicy and hot.

So care needs to be taken during preparation.

And lastly, we used a huge range of food skills.

So for example, measuring, peeling, slicing, shredding, chopping, grating, de-seeding, mixing, using the hob and draining too.

Well, I really hope you enjoyed today's lesson and you come back very soon for another cooking and nutrition lesson with me.

Thanks a lot.

Bye.