A Kitchen Calamityby Gary Boyle

Bangkok Post Learning: Test Yourself Test Yourself is where you can improve your reading skills. Whether it’s for tests like University Entrance Exams or IELTS and TOEFL, or even just for fun, these pages help you to read, understand and improve your English. A kitchen calamity by Gary Boyle Photo by Bangkok Post Read the following story by Arusa Pisuthiparn from the Bangkok Post. Then, answer the questions that follow. Nathinee Jiamprasert approached the MasterChef Thailand judging table full of confidence as she served a dish called Shanghai Frog, which is basically frog topped with spring onions. “It’s probably the first time I am totally happy with my dish,” said the 38-year-old contestant from Phuket in the TV cooking contest which aired last month. HOT TOPIC Unfortunately, the judges were not happy. Nathinee’s spring onions came with dirty roots — a culinary malpractice which, according to the appraisers, was extremely unacceptable. “You must be responsible for the people who eat your dish,” said one of the judges, furiously. In the same episode, another contestant, Jitsak Lim-Pakornkul, 42, also from Phuket, served raw potatoes — also a cooking no-no. At the end of the episode, Jitsak was in the bottom three while Nathinee was asked to leave the programme. Setting aside the heated drama in MasterChef Thailand that aims to make the programme all the more entertaining, it is in fact a universally known cooking rule that serving raw potatoes and vegetables contaminated with dirt is an absolute must-not. Not only did the episode provide contestants with a memorable lesson; it also stirred up public discussion as to whether the judges had overreacted, and if the incident was due to a lack of knowledge among Thais with regard to food safety. Monruedee Sukprasansap, lecturer from the Institute of Nutrition under Mahidol University, explained that certain kinds of vegetables release natural toxins to shield themselves against enemies, and there are chances that those toxins are still there even after harvest. Knowledge on food safety and hygiene is therefore paramount for chefs and consumers alike. “The best prevention is to opt for food that is clean and healthy. But that’s easier said than done,” commented Monruedee. POTATO PAIN Potatoes, she added, must never be eaten raw. To protect themselves against enemies such as earthworms as well as germs like bacteria, mould and microorganisms, potatoes naturally release a toxin called solanine, which accumulates on the outer and inner skin, with a small amount in the flesh. Such a natural poison is released by other plants, including green tomatoes and eggplants. “How much solanine will be released by plants depends on various environmental factors,” she explained. “Heat and sunlight trigger the release of the chemical. Parts of the potato that turn green contain a high level of solanine. People should slice that part off before eating.” Potatoes should be kept in dry storage, away from sunlight. Failure to do so could also potentially stimulate the release of solanine, even though the potatoes are no longer under the soil. Reactions to the toxin can be acute, said Monruedee. “People might develop conditions like stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and a sharp pain.” SAFETY FIRST There is a piece of good news, though. Solanine from potatoes is not invincible. According to Monruedee, the toxin can be destroyed at temperatures above 170 degrees C. At such high temperatures, the amount of solanine will be reduced by 20-80%. Boiling or steaming potatoes must therefore be done long enough to ensure that it reaches a temperature where the toxin can be broken down. “[Given the temperature], roasting does not really help. But it can certainly help reduce the amount of poison in the vegetable,” she added. As for vegetable roots, it is best not to serve them. But for certain types of roots that are widely used as an ingredient or seasoning, such as coriander roots, it is crucial to wash away all the soil and dirt. That can help reduce contamination by over 50%. “Boiling or steaming those roots can further reduce the microorganisms, because most of them can be destroyed at the temperatures of over 100 degrees C,” she advised. Section 1: Read through the story and answer the following questions. 1. Who is older, Nathinee or Jitsak? ……………. 2. Which part of the spring onions upset the judges? ……………. 3. Where does Monruedee work? ……………. 4. What harmful substance do potatoes release? ……………. 5. The green part of a potato is safe to eat. True or false? 6. Do red tomatoes release solanine? a. yes. b. no. c. the story doesn’t say. 7. What destroys solanine effectively? a. roasting. b. high temperatures. c. both a and b. 8. What reduces toxins in vegetables? a. washing. b. steaming. c. both a and b. Section 2: Write the noun form of the following words. 9. happy.……………10. responsible. ……………11. easier.……………12. protect.…………… 13. release.…………… Section 3: Read the following passage. Then, fill in the blanks with the correct words from the choices given. “Microorganisms can grow …14… fast,” Monruedee said. “In a matter of seconds or minutes, they can …15… 10 times or even 100 times. So if you buy some food for lunch and …16… finish it, storing it for dinner in air- conditioned temperatures is not enough. You …17… to put it in the fridge to stop bacteria growing. And don’t be too …18… . If you know how to deal with your ingredients and your food correctly, you should be …19… .” 14. a. surprise b. surprisingly c. unsurprisingly 15. a multiply. b. multiplication c. multiple 16. a. can b. cannot c. could 17. a. must b. have c. should 18. a. delicious b. anxious c. furious 19. a. safety b. safe c. unsafe Section 4: Find words or phrases that match the following definitions. 20. the parts of a plant that grow under the ground. …………… 21. in an angry way. …………… 22. a poisonous substance, especially one that is produced by bacteria in plants and animals. …………… 23. the time of year when the crops are gathered in on a farm. …………… 24. too strong to be defeated or changed. …………… For the answers, find the story online at www.bangkokpost.com/learning If you have any questions or feedback, please contact the Editor at [email protected] .

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