Chapter 10: What is Cooking
पकाएँ, खाएँ (खाना पकाने की विधियाँ, बर्तन एवं सौर चूल्हा)
Don't Let a 20-Minute Bubbling Delay Cost You CTET Qualification
In offline CTET exams, bubbling 150 bubbles takes 18 to 22 minutes of mechanical time. A single misaligned row can trigger an 8-question domino error. Practice bubble-filling this chapter's solved MCQs inside Mentora's official OMR simulator.
- 4 Primary Cooking Methods: 1. Roasting (भूनना - roti, sweet potato, corn); 2. Boiling (उबालना - potatoes, rice, dal, eggs); 3. Frying (तलना - puri, samosa, pakoda); 4. Baking (सेंकना - cake, bread, biscuits).
- Cooking Fuels: Firewood (*chulha*), cow dung cakes (*upla*), coal (*angithi*), kerosene oil (wick stove), LPG cylinder, electricity (induction), and sunlight (**Solar Cooker / सौर चूल्हा**).
- The Solar Cooker: Utilizes clean solar thermal energy; box lined with black paint and mirrors traps heat via the greenhouse effect, preserving vitamins and requiring zero fuel expenditure.
- Material Evolution of Cookware: Clay pottery -> Brass (*पीतल*) and Bronze (*कांसा*) -> Iron and Cast Iron -> Modern Stainless Steel, Aluminum, and Glass.
- Trap: Which foods are prepared by roasting? Roti and chana/bhutta are roasted, whereas puri is fried and rice is boiled.
- Trap: What is the main advantage of a Solar Cooker? It produces **zero smoke, zero greenhouse emissions, and does not destroy heat-sensitive vitamins**.
NCERT Core Facts: Culinary Thermodynamics, Fuels & Utensils
NCERT Class 3 Chapter 10 classifies the scientific mechanics of cooking food and culinary materials.
1. Classification of Cooking Techniques
| Cooking Method (विधि) | Action | NCERT Food Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Roasting (भूनना) | Direct dry radiant heat without oil/water | Roti (चपाती), Corn cob (भुट्टा), Peanuts, Baingan |
| Boiling (उबालना) | Cooking submerged in 100°C liquid | Rice, Dal, Potato, Boiled egg |
| Frying (तलना) | Submerged in boiling oil/ghee | Puri, Samosa, Pakoda, French fries |
| Baking (सेंकना) | Enclosed dry oven heating | Bread, Cake, Naan, Biscuits |
| Steaming (भाप में पकाना) | Cooking in water vapor | Idli, Dhokla, Momos |
2. Sustainable Energy: The Solar Cooker (सौर चूल्हा)
- A shallow wooden/insulated box painted black inside to absorb heat radiation.
- Covered with a clear glass sheet that traps infrared heat (miniature greenhouse effect).
- An angled mirror reflects additional rays into the cooking containers.
- Benefits: Requires zero fossil fuels, produces no soot or indoor smoke, and prevents burning of food.
Test Your Mastery: What is Cooking
Authentic CBSE exam questions tested directly from this NCERT chapter.
Which of the following is the correct set of methods of cooking food according to NCERT Class 3 EVS Chapter 10?
एनसीईआरटी कक्षा 3 ईवीएस के अनुसार भोजन पकाने के सही तरीकों का समूह कौन-सा है?
Which of the following cooking devices harnesses clean renewable energy directly from sunlight without smoke or fuel costs?
निम्नलिखित में से कौन-सा उपकरण बिना धुएं या ईंधन खर्च के सीधे सूर्य के प्रकाश से भोजन पकाता है?
What are the four primary methods of cooking food according to NCERT Class 3?
Roasting (भूनना), Boiling (उबालना), Frying (तलना), and Baking (सेंकना).
How does a solar cooker cook food without wood or gas?
By trapping the thermal heat rays of sunlight using mirrors and a glass lid.