Dr Hector Perera         London

We just assume what is meant by cooking without any proper definition. When we say cooking, it means applying some form of heat to the food so that it transforms into edible, safe or more palatable form due to chemical changes. Only due intermolecular, intramolecular and similar reactions with food and the ingredients give a palatable form of food. The molecular bonds stretch out due to absorption of heat then they vibrate, rotate and sometimes the bonds break and other forms of molecules may join with them to give different molecular structures that is why foods taste different. Again food are bad conductors of heat so a reasonable time should be allowed the food to get cooked. This can be achieved due to some previous experience.

I have demonstrated my SCIENTIFIC ENERGY SAVING COOKING to The Sustainable Energy Authority in Sri Lanka for their satisfaction. The Director General, The Director and two other heads of departments as well witnessed my cooking in Colombo Sri Lanka in May 2014. We went on a short holiday to Sri Lanka then I thought to contact the Sustainable Energy Authority then we went to their office to invite them to witness my kind of cooking. Usually they are very difficult to get hold because they are very busy. Fortunately one evening four officials visited to witness my scientific energy saving cooking. One thing unlike any other cooking demonstrations, I didn’t wait to add the ingredients and cut this and that and add to the chicken curry because my aim was to show them energy saving demonstration. I knew by experience the amount of each ingredient to be added so that it will be not too hot or bland. While they were there, I washed the rice and cooked because it cannot be left too long once it was washed but the chicken curry can be left for a while to absorb the ingredients. They watched the cooking and I am sure they were satisfied with my method of cooking.

I was told to come over to their office in a few days’ time to receive a certificate for my work. I am very grateful for them for the certificate awarded for my work. The day after the energy authorities seen my kind of cooking, that is a day before 2014 Vesak celebrations, I had the chance for a live cooking demonstration to SIRARA TV in Sri Lanka. Again I didn’t want to go to their TV studio to cut onions, garlic and add the ingredients because my aim was to demonstrate how to save energy. The only thing that was done at the TV studio was to wash the rice. The actual process of cooking can be seen in the video link.

A few days later, I managed to meet the Assistant Commissioner Lady of the Sri Lanka Invention Commission in Colombo. I explained the work what I intend to do then she send a team to our holiday apartment that is to the same place where the Sustainable Energy Authority came to witness the cooking demonstration. The camera crew recorded all my cooking then recorded an interview as well. I wanted to prove them as well that in my kind of cooking there was no burnt rice or Dankuda” in the pot of rice. I didn’t keep on checking the water from time to time unlike any other people. I am sure most of these Sri Lankan ladies keep on checking the water content by a long wooden handled spoon or with a Polkatu Handa”. After cooking the food, I served the camera crew to witness whether the food was edible or not. I am sure they were quite satisfied. Then a few days later this work was added to their SLIC official web site. If anybody is interested the work is still found in their official web site.

Anybody can cook such as our Kussi amma” back in Sri Lanka but have they got any idea about energy wastage? Even though they barely can read and write, I must say they cooked very tasty dishes due to years of experience. Unlike present day facilities such as gas and electricity, ovens and cookers those days they used firewood stoves.

Under cooked or medium cooked red beef

When green vegetables, fish or meat are cooked it changes colour, the appearance and the texture. If for example a lump of beef is cooked, it loses the red colour, any fish the same but to my surprise in some British TV cooking demonstrations, I have witnessed, when the so called cooked beef is cut, sometimes it is still red or even blood dripping red meat. They call them medium cooked beef. Any kind of meat or even fish should be properly cooked because there could be germs and bacteria in them. When it is cooked it should have the same colour throughout otherwise theoretically it is not properly cooked or under cooked. Their excuse was, it’s medium red cooked beef taste better, actually virtually under cooked beef is not safe for human consumption. Who would not agree with me that uncooked beef or chicken may have contaminated with harmful germs and bacteria such as campylobacter, listeria, salmonella and E-coil. The infected beef cannot be easily found just by smell.  Usually when we cook beef, often we cut into small pieces than cooking as a lump but in some British TV cooking demonstrations, they use it as a little log or lump form. If they prefer to keep them as a large piece then it must be properly cooked for a considerable time. These must be cooked for a fairly long time in a uniform high temperature not just toss up and down on a cooking pan for a couple minutes then say, it’s cooked”.

  How to avoid cooking smell

I know it for sure, this cooking smell is very appetizing, suddenly makes you feel hungry but not pleasant to wear or not ideal to walk about with the smell on you. If one works in a school as a teacher or works in a bank, or as a doctor in a hospital or in other profession, still they all need to eat some cooked food. That means when they get home, they need to cook some food. Some people think that knowing to cook is a shame or an insult. In that case perhaps they have servants.

Who would be expecting to eat raw carrots, tomatoes, salads and cucumber all the time simply because they are healthy, one must eat some cooked food as well. We need to eat a balanced diet that is why we must eat some kind of proteins as well from fish, meat or from eggs. If one does not know how to cook without getting food smell on them, definitely needs to find out the technique to cook scientifically. This is where I can help how to cook scientifically, simultaneously save the wasting energy and avoid the cooking aroma depositing while cooking.

Would this help the public?

In some British TV cooking demonstrations, the presenter lady or the gentleman always stands near the cooker for the camera while the chef hurry up and cooks carelessly. Sometimes the fumes in the cooking pan catches fire and they think it is clever cooking. The time is limited in the show, so the chef just adds this and that, jabbering anything, rushing all over the studio area, virtually dancing like a headless chicken, leaving the fire on full blast, food smell and fumes all over then toss the food once or twice then say it is cooked”. Then served on a plate for the presenters to taste, no doubt he or she must say yummy yummy” even when it is yuck”. The smell of vaporising oil and ingredients invariably escape the hot cooking pan then you know the rest. I didn’t notice the chefs made any care for the wasting gas or energy that means there is no energy saving cooking. Who would agree that kind of cooking would educate the public, including the children to learn home cooking? Those kinds of cooking demonstrations tempt them for fast food or takeaways that means they eat junk food. I know for sure that some University students eat nothing but junk food because they think cooking is a tedious thing or knowing to cook is a shame or it is a servant’s job.

 You made a cover up?

Most people just cover up this food smell on them with another smell such as a scent or cologne. The truth is the cooking aroma smell is there but you made a cover up. This is one of the reasons why some people prefer to eat takeaways or eat out than cooking at home. As I mentioned before there are ways to totally avoid or cut down this cooking smell depositing on you while cooking. Just one thing, cooking smell cannot be avoided spreading in the air because these are highly volatile chemicals but they would not deposit on you unless the conditions are correct, that must be remembered. I have demonstrated to SIRASA TV in Sri Lanka, how to avoid this so called chicken cologne depositing on you while cooking and to avoid forming burnt rice or DANKUDA”. The most important point is, I have demonstrated how to save about 60% energy wasted in cooking rice and curries. That is a part of my SCIENTIFIC ENERGY SAVING COOKING. Have you seen the Sirasa TV video found in Google? Any comments please, perera6@hotmail.co.uk