U.S. patent application number 13/882700 was filed with the patent office on 2013-08-29 for cooking method for simultaneously cooking foods.
This patent application is currently assigned to NESTEC S.A.. The applicant listed for this patent is Rebecca Lian Hwee Peng. Invention is credited to Rebecca Lian Hwee Peng.
Application Number | 20130224342 13/882700 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43953130 |
Filed Date | 2013-08-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130224342 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lian Hwee Peng; Rebecca |
August 29, 2013 |
COOKING METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY COOKING FOODS
Abstract
A method of preparing a food dish simultaneously cooking a food
item with rice, wherein the food item is seasoned or flavoured by
placing food and seasoning or flavouring ingredients inside a
cook-in bag, sealing the cook-in bag, placing the sealed cook-in
bag in a cooking appliance, and wherein the rice is placed in the
cooking appliance either before or after the cook-in bag is placed
in the cooking appliance, and the food item and the rice are cooked
together. A cooking kit for use in the method comprising a cook-in
bag provided together with a sachet containing seasoning or
flavouring ingredients.
Inventors: |
Lian Hwee Peng; Rebecca;
(Beijing, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Lian Hwee Peng; Rebecca |
Beijing |
|
CN |
|
|
Assignee: |
NESTEC S.A.
Vevey
CH
|
Family ID: |
43953130 |
Appl. No.: |
13/882700 |
Filed: |
October 25, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
October 25, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2011/068583 |
371 Date: |
April 30, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/113 ;
426/394 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23L 27/88 20160801;
A23L 27/10 20160801; A23L 27/14 20160801; A23L 23/00 20160801; B65D
81/3415 20130101; A23L 7/196 20160801; A23L 5/13 20160801; A23L
7/197 20160801; A23L 5/42 20160801; B65D 81/3438 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/113 ;
426/394 |
International
Class: |
B65D 81/34 20060101
B65D081/34 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 1, 2010 |
CN |
201010544373.7 |
Claims
1. A method of preparing a food dish by simultaneously cooking a
food item with rice, comprising seasoning the food item by placing
food and seasoning or flavoring ingredients inside a cook-in bag,
sealing the cook-in bag, placing the sealed cook-in bag in a
cooking appliance, wherein the rice is placed in the cooking
appliance either before or after the cook-in bag is placed in the
cooking appliance, and the food item and the rice are cooked
together.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the food item and the
rice are cooked for 10 to 90 minutes.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein water is added to the
cooking appliance to aid cooking of the rice.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seasoning or
flavoring ingredients are selected from the group consisting of
fermented ingredients, spices, taste enhancers, and Chinese
functional ingredients.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seasoning or
flavoring ingredients comprise an ingredient selected from the
group consisting of thickeners, binders, and food coloring
agents.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooking appliance is
selected from the group consisting of a conventional oven, a
microwave oven, an electric rice cooker, a stove-top rice cooker, a
pressure cooker and a steamer.
7. A cooking kit comprising a cook-in bag provided together with a
sachet containing seasoning or flavoring ingredients, or a
combination of seasoning and flavoring agents that can perform a
method of preparing a food dish by simultaneously cooking a food
item with rice, comprising seasoning the food item by placing food
and seasoning or flavoring ingredients inside a cook-in bag,
sealing the cook-in bag, placing the sealed cook-in bag in a
cooking appliance, wherein the rice is placed in the cooking
appliance either before or after the cook-in bag is placed in the
cooking appliance, and the food item and the rice are cooked
together.
8. A cooking kit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cook-in bag and
the sachet are packaged together.
9. A cooking kit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cook-in bag is
provided tightly folded.
10. A cooking kit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the seasoning or
flavoring ingredients are selected from the group consisting of
fermented ingredients, spices, taste enhancers, and Chinese
functional ingredients.
11. A cooking kit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the seasoning or
flavoring ingredients further include an ingredient selected from
the group consisting of thickeners, binders, and food coloring
agents.
12. A cooking kit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the seasoning or
flavoring ingredients are in the form selected from the group
consisting of a cube, a powder, granules, a liquid, and a
paste.
13. A cooking kit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cook-in bag is
made of a monolayer film formed from 99 wt % or more of
polyester.
14. A cooking kit as claimed in claim 13, wherein the monolayer
film has an oxygen transmission of 110-168 cm.sup.3/m.sup.2datm at
23.degree. C., and a water vapour transmission rate of 25-40
g/m.sup.2d at 38.degree. C.
15. A cooking kit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cook-in bag is
provided with a sealing device.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates a method of preparing a food
dish by simultaneously cooking more than one food item where at
least one of the food items is seasoned or flavoured in a cook-in
bag. The invention is ideally suited for seasoning and cooking a
food item in a cook-in bag where the food item is cooked at the
same time with rice in the same cooking appliance.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In Asia nearly every household has a rice cooker appliance.
The main function of a rice cooker is for cooking rice. Generally,
other foods needed for preparing a food dish for serving as a meal
must be cooked in different ways and often in different cooking
appliances. However, as the pace of modern life accelerates, there
is a need to prepare food more conveniently and efficiently using
only one cooking appliance by simultaneously cooking two or three
food items, one of which is usually rice. The ability to
simultaneously cook two or more different foods at the same time
would have wide market appeal due to convenience, time saving, and
reduced energy consumption.
[0003] Rice dishes are typically prepared by placing uncooked rice,
main ingredients (e.g. pieces of meat, vegetables, etc.) and
seasonings in a rice cooker appliance, and are then cooked together
in water for the appropriate time. However, this method has
drawbacks. The rice and main ingredients will have the same taste
from the seasoning. The seasoning tends to settle during cooking
and form a layer on the bottom of the appliance, which is likely to
burn and form a crust in the appliance, and also deliver an
unpleasant flavour.
[0004] The rice and the main ingredients plus seasoning can be
prepared separately in two different compartments (e.g. a rice
cooker appliance and a cooking pot on a stove top). However, this
is a high energy consumption method. In addition, the cooking time
for each is usually different, which causes inconvenience.
[0005] Some other cooking methods utilise a plastic or stainless
steel basket in the upper portion of a rice cooker appliance to
steam dishes in the headspace of the appliance. One can steam a
single dish at a time, or foods can be steamed at the same time as
rice is cooked. The drawback of steaming foods while cooking rice
in this way is that flavours from the dish are released into the
headspace and into the rice itself. Additionally, cooking juices
drop onto the rice affecting the undisturbed taste and plainness of
the rice. This plain or neutral flavour of rice is highly desirable
to many consumers.
[0006] Therefore, there is a need to improve the conventional
methods for simultaneously cooking two or more foods, especially
cooking with rice.
[0007] An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a
cooking method and kit that at least goes part way to overcoming
one or more of the above disadvantages of existing methods or at
least to provide a useful alternative.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In a first aspect, the invention provides a method of
preparing a food dish by simultaneously cooking a food item with
rice, wherein the food item is seasoned or flavoured by placing
food and seasoning or flavouring ingredients inside a cook-in bag,
sealing the cook-in bag, placing the sealed cook-in bag in a
cooking appliance, and wherein the rice is placed in the cooking
appliance either before or after the cook-in bag is placed in the
cooking appliance, and the food item and the rice are cooked
together.
[0009] The food item and the rice are preferably cooked for 10-90
minutes. Water may be added to the cooking appliance to aid cooking
of the rice.
[0010] Preferably, the seasoning or flavouring ingredients are
selected from fermented ingredients, spices, taste enhancers, and
Chinese functional ingredients, and may further include thickeners,
binders, or food colouring agents. The seasoning or flavouring
ingredients may be in the form of a cube, a powder, granules, a
liquid, or a paste.
[0011] The cooking appliance may be any appliance suitable for
cooking food, but is preferably a conventional oven, a microwave
oven, an electric rice cooker, a stove-top rice cooker, a pressure
cooker or a steamer.
[0012] In a second aspect, the invention provides a cooking kit for
use in the method of the invention, comprising a cook-in bag
provided together with a sachet containing seasoning or flavouring
ingredients, or a combination of seasoning and flavouring
agents.
[0013] The cook-in bag and the sachet are preferably packaged
together. The cook-in bag may be provided tightly folded, and may
be provided with a sealing device.
[0014] The bag is preferably made of a monolayer film formed from
99 wt % or more of polyester. The monolayer film preferably has an
oxygen transmission of 110-168 cm.sup.3/m.sup.2datm at 23.degree.
C., and a water vapour transmission rate of 25-40 g/m.sup.2d at
38.degree. C.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The invention relates to a method of preparing a food dish
by simultaneously cooking a food item with rice, wherein the food
item is seasoned or flavoured by placing food and seasoning or
flavouring ingredients inside a cook-in bag, sealing the cook-in
bag, placing the sealed cook-in bag in a cooking appliance, and
wherein the rice is placed in the cooking appliance either before
or after the cook-in bag is placed in the cooking appliance, and
the food item and the rice are cooked together. The invention also
relates to a cooking kit comprising a cook-in bag provided together
with a sachet containing seasoning or flavouring ingredients, or a
combination of seasoning and flavouring agents
[0016] The term "cook-in bag" means any bag suitable for the
cooking of foods, commonly known as an oven bag, and made from a
see-through temperature resistant flexible plastics material.
[0017] The term "cooking appliance" refers to any appliance
suitable for cooking foods, including conventional oven, microwave
oven, rice cooker, pressure cooker, steamer, whether powered
electrically or by gas or any other suitable means.
[0018] The cooking kit may contain more than one cook-in bag, and
may contain more than one ingredient sachets.
[0019] The seasoning or flavouring ingredients preferably comprise
a complete seasoning mix for preparing dishes. These ingredients
may include fermented ingredients, spices, taste enhancers or
Chinese functional ingredients, as well as thickeners, binders,
food colouring agents, and other suitable ingredients.
[0020] The term "Chinese functional ingredients" refers to dietary
ingredients that have been consumed over centuries and considered
by the public to have certain positive functions on human health.
Examples include black fungus and red dates.
[0021] The seasoning or flavouring ingredients may be in various
forms, such as cubes (for example, pressed cubes), powder,
granules, liquid, or paste with or without particulates (for
example, pastes including pasta). In addition, these ingredients
may be in frozen form or presented under chilled or refrigeration
conditions, or at normal ambient temperatures.
[0022] The cook-in bag is normally presented tightly folded to save
space. In addition, the cook-in bag may be provided with a sealing
device, such as a twistable tie or zip-lock seal.
[0023] The cook-in bag is preferably made of a monolayer film
formed from 99 wt % or more of polyester. The film can be produced
by conventional bi-axially orientated extrusion. In order to
further improve anti-adhesive characteristics of the cook-in bag,
silica can be included in the film.
[0024] The film preferably has a non-polarized structure, has an
oxygen transmission of 110-168 cm.sup.3/m.sup.2datm at 23.degree.
C., and has a water vapour transmission rate of 25-40 g/m.sup.2d at
38.degree. C. The low oxygen transmission and water vapour
transmission rate provide excellent water proofing and grease
proofing of the bag. In addition, the bag has anti-adhesive
characteristics and does not decompose, deform or melt over the
temperature range of 30-121.degree. C. Therefore, the cook-in bag
of the invention is particularly suitable for a variety of cooking
appliances, especially rice cookers.
[0025] More than one sealed cook-in bag can fit in a typical
cooking appliance, and thus two or more dishes can be
simultaneously prepared in the appliance. The waterproof and
greaseproof characteristics of the bag mean there is no taint of
odour or flavour between the food materials from the different
bags. Preparing more than one dish in the appliance at the same
time is also energy efficient.
[0026] During cooking the rice keeps its original neutral taste
because it does not come into contact with the foods contained
within the cook-in bag.
[0027] In addition, the cook-in bag of the invention typically has
anti-adhesive characteristics, which means that neither the bag,
nor any food materials or seasoning ingredients, stick to the
bottom of the cooking appliance. The appliance is therefore easy to
clean after cooking.
EXAMPLES
[0028] The invention is further described with reference to the
following examples. It will be appreciated that the invention as
claimed is not intended to be limited in any way by these
examples.
Example 1
[0029] Black pepper sauce in a liquid form (about 50 g) was placed
inside a cook-in bag with fish fillet (300 g) and bell pepper (45
g). After thorough mixing, the cook-in bag was sealed. The sealed
bag and uncooked rice (300 g) were placed in a rice cooker and
water (500 ml) added to the rice cooker. After cooking for 30-45
min, the bag was taken out and the cooked black pepper fish fillet
removed ready for eating. The cook-in bag was made using a
monolayer film formed from 100 wt % polyester. The bag remained
intact during cooking, and did not melt, deform, or stick to the
rice cooker. Thus, the rice cooker was easy to clean after cooking.
There was no unpleasant flavour in the rice cooker. In addition,
the rice maintained its original neutral taste and there was no
contamination of odours between the rice and the cooked black
pepper fish fillet.
Example 2
[0030] Cha Shao powder (about 30 g) was placed in a cook-in bag
with pork fillet (200 g). After thorough mixing, the cook-in bag
was sealed. The sealed bag and uncooked rice (300 g) were placed in
a rice cooker and water (500 ml) was added to the rice cooker.
After cooking for 45 min, the bag was taken out and the cooked Cha
Shao pork removed ready for eating. The cook-in bag used was made
from monolayer polyester film containing 0.02 wt % or less of
silica. The bag remained intact during cooking, and did not melt,
deform, or stick to the rice cooker. Thus, the rice cooker was easy
to clean after cooking. There was no unpleasant flavour in the rice
cooker, in the cooked food or in the rice. In addition, the rice
maintained its original neutral taste and there was no
contamination of odours between the rice and the cooked Cha Shao
pork.
Example 3
[0031] A curry cube (about 50 g) was placed in a cook-in bag with
beef pieces (300 g) and vegetables, including potatoes and carrots,
(100 g). After thorough mixing, the cook-in bag was sealed. The
sealed bag was placed in a rice cooker together with the sealed
cook-in bag of Example 2. Uncooked rice (300 g) and water (400-500
ml) was added to the rice cooker. After cooking for 45-55 min, the
two bags were taken out and the cooked curry beef and Cha Shao pork
removed ready for eating. The cook-in bag used was the same as that
of Example 1. The two bags remained intact during cooking, and did
not melt or deform. There was no adhesion between the two bags, and
neither bag stuck to the rice cooker. Thus, the rice cooker
appliance was easy to clean after cooking, and there was no
unpleasant flavour in the rice cooker, or the cooked food or rice.
Furthermore, there was no contamination of odours between the curry
beef and the Cha Shao pork. In addition, the rice kept its original
neutral taste, and there was no contamination of odours between the
rice and the curry beef or the Cha Shao pork.
Example 4
[0032] Spicy chicken mix in the form of powder (about 30-50 g) was
placed in a cook-in bag with chicken pieces (300-500 g) and some
vegetables, such as bell peppers. After mixing together, the bag
was sealed and placed in an electric pressure cooker. Rice was
added to the cooker with the required amount of water. After 20-30
min cooking, the dish was ready for serving. The cook-in bag used
was prepared by conventional methods. The polyester monolayer film
used contains 0.02 wt % or less of silica. The bag remained intact
during cooking with no physical or chemical damage. The bag did not
melt, deform or stick to the pressure cooker.
Example 5
[0033] Thai curry mix in the form of powder (about 30 g) was placed
in a cook-in bag with chicken pieces (300 g) and some vegetables,
such as diced potato. After mixing together, the bag was sealed and
placed on rice with added water in a traditional pressure cooker
and heated on a gas stove top. After cooking for 20 min, the cooked
chicken was removed and served. The cook-in bag used was the same
as for Example 6. The bag remained intact during cooking with no
physical or chemical damage. The bag did not melt, deform or stick
to the pressure cooker.
[0034] As used in this specification, the words "comprises",
"comprising", and similar words, are not to be interpreted in an
exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to
mean "including, but not limited to".
[0035] Further, any reference in this specification to prior art
documents is not intended to be an admission that they are widely
known or form part of the common general knowledge in the
field.
[0036] It is to be appreciated that although the invention has been
described with reference to specific embodiments, variations and
modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the
invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, where known
equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are
incorporated as if specifically referred to in this
specification.
* * * * *