A process for cooking rice, quinoa, couscous, pasta, beans, chick peas and other products which absorb water during the cooking process. The product is placed in sealed cooking bags along with a sufficient amount of liquid for absorption. The sealed bags are then conveyed through a continuous oven in which they are contacted with a superheated vapor cooking medium.

A method for operating the cooking device, especially a commercial cooking device cooking device with different operating modes, which has a least one heating device, a main cooling fan, at least one electrical component in a first space directly acted upon by the main cooling fan, at least one other electrical component which is to be cooled in a second space not directly acted upon by the main cooling fan, wherein the method has the following method steps: determining and setting limit temperatures which are assigned to the operating modes with cooling being initiated when these are exceeded, determining the activated operating mode, determining whether in the first space a temperature that is dependent on the activated operating mode exceeds the limit temperature assigned to the activated operating mode, and activating the main cooling fan if it is determined that the temperature is above the limit temperature or limit temperatures, wherein part of the aspirated air flow is conducted directly into the second space.

A microwavable frozen steamed dumpling including a noodle-strip food and a batter, the batter containing water in an amount of at least 70 wt. %, based on a total weight of the batter, thereby enabling microwaving from a frozen state to provide cooked steamed dumplings with excellent mouthfeel, textural properties, and appearance. Also provided is a method of making the microwavable frozen steamed dumpling whereby the noodle-strip food is contacted with the batter and subsequently frozen to form the microwavable frozen steamed dumpling, and a method of preparing a cooked steamed dumpling whereby the microwavable frozen steamed dumpling is heated in a microwave oven.

A device that defrosts, warms and/or cooks items such as food in a temperature controlled circulating liquid is described. Embodiments of the device are particularly useful for sous vide cooking that uses relatively low temperatures and long cooking times. The active components including a pump and heater are placed in a self-contained base unit. When the base unit and the liquid-containing vessel or carafe are engaged, the liquid in the carafe is actively circulated by the pump in the base unit. The liquid is also heated as required as it flows through the base unit. Embodiments of the invention that are designed for the consumer can include an easily detachable, lightweight carafe that can be conveniently filled, emptied and cleaned while detached from the base unit. The detachable carafe can be designed with no electrical components so that it can be immersed in water for cleaning.

Water- and energy-saving systems and methods for producing lime-cooked masa are described. Such methods generally include adding water to maize kernel in a first predetermined proportion, the maize kernel having endosperm, germ, pericarp, and tip cap components. Using a first conditioner, the maize kernel is conditioned for a first predetermined amount of time to cause moisture absorption to within a first predetermined range. The maize kernel is limed. The maize kernel is cooked, using a cooker, in an environment of steam. After the maize kernel is cooked, water is added to the maize kernel in a second predetermined proportion and, using a second conditioner, the maize kernel is conditioned for a second predetermined amount of time to cause moisture absorption to within a second predetermined range. The maize kernel is milled using one or more mills.

A packaged food product with a seasoning disk is provided. The food product includes potatoes. The seasoning disk includes seasoning and fat that is in solid form at the food product's anticipated normal storage temperature. The fat includes milkfat.

Food preparation includes utilizing food immersion into low temperature cooking fluids, high temperature cooking fluids, or a combination of applications thereof. Foods are generally closely wrapped in vented, pliable, formidable outer skins. An example construction of such an outer skin is provided, as are examples of food preparation processes.

Provided is a cooking apparatus (10). The cooking apparatus comprises a food chamber (12), and a steam supply (16, 20, 23) for supplying steam to the food chamber. A control arrangement (22, 28) controls the steam supply to maintain a steam concentration in air inside the food chamber which is below saturation. Further provided is a method of cooking.

A portable steam-producing apparatus is disclosed. Methods of making and using portable steam-producing apparatus are also disclosed.

A cooker comprises a cooking chamber configured to cook food with water; a first unit configured to feed water to the cooking chamber; a second unit configured to obtain information related to an interruption of the cooking; and a controller configured to operate the first unit according to the information related to the interruption, after the cooking recovers from the interruption. With the cooker, the influence of the interruption on the cooking process, in particular on the water fed to the cooking chamber, is taken into account, which helps to improve the taste of the cooked food.