Do you know how to keep your meals colourful?

In the processing of vegetables, many chemical and physical operations take place. The vegetables’ colours can react in various ways to temperature changes. In order to know how to prevent vegetables undergoing some of these changes, which reduce their attractiveness when served in dishes, we need to understand the types of reactions that take place in them.

 

 

 

White vegetables

Potatoes, cauliflower, onion, white cabbage, celery and zucchini contain colours from the flavanoids group. In sour environments they remain white, but in alkali ones, they turn yellow.

 

Therefore, in order to avoid the yellowing of vegetables, add some lemon juice to boiling water. It’s also good to cover the pot with a lid. Also remember not to overcook white vegetables, since they can turn grey.

Red vegetables

Beets, red cabbage and red onions contain anthozyan. Red colourings are sensitive to both a sour environment and alkaline. Therefore it’s best to cook beets with a little acid, like lemon juice or a piece of shredded apple. But we must remember to only add a little acid, since it also prolongs the cooking time. The remaining acid should be added when the cooking is done. Cook the vegetables quickly in very little water. If possible, don’t peel them, e.g. beets. Also a good culinary method is to steam them.

 

Orange vegetables

Carrots, corn, tomatoes, peppers and pumpkins all contain carotenoids. These colours have great stability; their acids and alkaloids only influence them to a small extent. However, overcooking them can lead to the bleaching of their colours.