Cul123 Final Week1

Gateways Institute of Science and
Technology
Menu Planning and Nutrition

Final Term
Week 1
I. OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Apply the specific techniques needed in fruit and vegetable

carving;
2. Define the importance of food carving; and
3. Perform basic fruit and vegetable carving.
II. LESSON PROPER
Fruit & Vegetable Carving
The purpose of fruit and vegetable carving is to make food more

attractive, more appetizing, and also easier to eat. The accomplished
homemaker welcomes her guests with fruit carefully pared, seeded,
and perhaps cut into bite-size slices depending on the type. Vegetables
are first delicately carved, then cooked, and finally arranged
attractively to decorate the dish which they are part of. Needless to
say, guests are greatly pleased to be honored with such a gracious
welcome, displaying as it does the good feelings and willing hospitality
of the maker.
Decorating fresh, well-formed, and colorful fruits and vegetables

through artistic carving is by no means difficult; all it takes is
concentration. Starting out, there is no need for special carving knives;
one sharp-pointed knife is enough to carve fruits and vegetables
beautifully. The knife, however, must be sharp at all times, and so you
should always have a small whetstone nearby.
Developed by: Gateways Institute of Science and Technology

Subject: Menu Planning and Nutrition
Term & Week #: Final Term – Week 1
Before Carving
1. Before carving, fruits and vegetables must be washed and cleaned

thoroughly.
2. Use knives with stainless steel or bronze blades. Knives with

ordinary steel blades will cause discoloration of fruits and vegetables.
3. Do not carve excessively so as to avoid waste and loss of nutritional

value.
4. The designs carved should be appropriate for decorating a plate of

food; thus, floral patterns are suitable, while figures of animals such as
rats are not.
5. Vegetables to be dipped into sauces should be cut to appropriate

sizes.
6. Vegetables chosen for carving should be appropriate to the dish in

which they are to be used, and they should be vegetables which are
resistant to wilting, such as carrots and Chinese radishes.
7. Care must be exercised during carving so as to avoid bruising fruit

and vegetables.
Watermelon Basket Carving perfect for a summer picnic, this

Watermelon Fruit Basket is carved from a watermelon into the shape
of a dolphin. Kids will love to help draw the pattern on the watermelon
rind and make the melon balls with the help of a melon scoop.

Refrigerate until serving time, when you can sit back and enjoy the
compliments.
Materials
 One small watermelon
 Sharp-pointed knife
 Carving knife
 Melon scoop
Preparation
1. Choose an elongated
watermelon.
2. Lightly draw a dolphin on the
rind of the watermelon as in
the picture with a sharp point.
3. Cut along the lines carefully with the knife and then gently cut
away the rind.
4. With a melon scoop, make the flesh into watermelon balls and
set aside in a dish. Remove any remaining flesh so the interior is
clean and white.
5. Cut triangles through the rind to represent the eyes, and in the
edges, cut notches for the eyelashes.
6. Cut a crescent for the mouth, and then notch the upper border
of the rind all around except at the tail.
7. Arrange the watermelon and cantaloupe balls attractively in the
dolphin-shaped bowl.
You can watch the procedure here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBXLFRo-TaE

Apple Leaf Material:
2 red or green apples
Equipment:
sharp pointed knife, carving knife
Instructions:
1. Wash the apples.
2. Cut a wedged-shape slice as in the picture.
3. Trim away any of the core, leaving the
flesh and skin.
4. With the carving knife, cut the slice to the
shape of a leaf.
5. With the tip of the knife, make curving grooves in the skin to
represent the veins of the leaf. Work from the base of the leaf to the
tip.
6. Cut notches along the edges of the leaf.
You can watch the procedure here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=WTcu3ydIoaE
Simple White Lotus Cucumber Garnish Material:

1 long cucumber and 1 carrot
Equipment:
sharp pointed knife and carving knife
Instructions:
1. Wash the cucumbers. Cut into 3 sections.
2. Divide the circumference of each into 8 equal
parts and then make cuts about 3mm deep
between each part down the length of the section.
3. Slice beneath each part down the length almost

to the base to separate it from the flesh, thus forming the 8 outer
petals.
4. Trim the flesh to remove ridges and then divide into 8 parts as
before to make the inner ring of petals. These should be centered
between those of the outer ring.
5. Remove the core of the cucumber, trim each petal so it tapers to a
point, and then insert the center of the flower.
6. For the center, use 1/4″ thick disk cut from a small carrot. Cut small
grooves in a crisscross pattern on one face, and place up in the lotus
flower.
You can watch the procedure here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=bQ0F5eyKBgE
Tips on Selecting Fruits & Vegetables for Carving
Each kind of fruit and vegetable has its own unique characteristics, so
keep these pointers in mind when choosing fruits and vegetables to
carve.
Onions and shallots should be fresh and without wrinkles. Choose

either medium-sized or small bulbs that are all of uniform size.
Carrots should be straight and of medium or large-size.
Radishes should be fresh, firm, and round. Use medium-sized

radishes, all of uniform size.
Chinese radishes should be straight and of medium-size with clear

bright skins. The flesh of large Chinese radishes tends to be mealy.

Cucumbers should be green, straight, and of medium-size. The type
called for in this book is the larger type. If the smaller type is used,
those with green skins have firmer flesh and are better for carving
than those with greenish white skins.
Tomatoes should be of uniform size. Plum tomatoes, with

elongated fruits, are firmer than round varieties. Choose fresh ones
with no wrinkles.
Pumpkins should have thick, firm flesh. Such pumpkins have a

rough exterior.
Spur chilies should be fresh and have firm skins. Generally small
ones are used, because if large ones were cut and spread out to
make a blossom, they would cover the entire plate. However, large
spur chilies are used for making anthurium flowers.
Spring shallots and leek should be fresh and green with no

yellowing on the leaves. Select thick, medium-sized plants.
Cabbage and Chinese cabbage should be fresh with firm, heavy

heads. Use medium sized heads.
Lemons should be very fresh.
Taro should be of medium-size. The fragrant taro has fine-textured

flesh.
Cantaloupes should be those that are not yet fully ripe. The skin
should be pale yellow without wrinkles or scratches.
Yam bean tubers used for carving should not be too large. Large,
mature tubers have a lot of fibers. These become frayed in carving,

detracting from the appearance of the finished work.
Papayas should be straight, thick-fleshed and without any bruises.

They should not yet be fully ripe so that the flesh is firm and does
not bruise easily.
Green mangoes should be fully mature and of a variety whose flesh

is not too crisp. The skin should be green and un-wrinkled and the
stem should look fresh.
Watermelon should have red flesh and green rinds with no bruises
or wrinkles.
Pineapple should have large eyes. The leaves should be fresh and
green and there should be no shriveling of the skin or stem.
Guavas should be those that are just becoming ripe. The skin
should be a fresh light green skins and there should be no bruises
or scratches.
Apples should be fresh with glossy, brightly colored skins and no

bruises.
Jujubes should have straight fruits with green skins and no bruises.
Sapodillas must be firm, so avoid fully ripe fruits. The skins should
be even and clear. Avoid sapodillas that have been dyed for the

market. Their skins have a dusty appearance.
Rose-apples should have clear, fresh looking skins.
Specific preparations and treatments
1. Tomatoes should be soaked in a mixture of lime juice and water to

prevent browning.
2. Shallots and onions should be soaked in water before being peeled
and carved to reduce irritation of the eyes.
3. Taro should be washed thoroughly before being peeled. If washed
after peeling, a slime is released which causes itching.
4. Carrots should not be soaked in water before carving as this will
make the flesh tougher and more difficult to carve.
5. Beets should be washed in water to which a little salt has been
added. This will reduce loss of color. Also, if left standing, beets will
blacken, so they should be kept moist by spraying them with water
regularly.
6. Potatoes should be washed with water after peeling to remove the
sap and then washed again after carving. This will help prevent
browning.
7. Apples should be soaked in mixture of lime juice and water before
being peeled to prevent browning.
8. Cantaloupes should be washed before carving. While carving, avoid
letting water come into contact with the fruit because it will lose its
taste and spoil more quickly.
9. Yam bean tubers should be soaked too long after carving, will
yellow.

Storing carved fruits and vegetables
1. After carving, fruits and vegetables should be placed in ice cold

water so the petals of flower designs are firm and spread beautifully.
2. Carved fruits and vegetables should not be left in water as this will
cause petals to become discolored and to spoil.
3. Each type of carved fruit should be kept separately. This will
prevent loss of all your work in the event that one type spoils.
4. Store carved fruits and vegetables by putting them in containers
and placing in a refrigerator, or if no refrigerator is available, by
covering them with a damp piece of thin white cloth and putting them
in a place protected from drafts so they do not dry and wilt.
5. After carving, pumpkin should be dipped in water and removed
right away. If left in water, flower petal designs will become bruised.
III. LEARNING RESOURCES (References)
https://asian-recipe.com/methods/fruit-vegetable-carving


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Gateways Institute of Science and

Menu Planning and Nutrition

1. Apply the specific techniques needed in fruit and vegetable

II. LESSON PROPER

Fruit & Vegetable Carving

The purpose of fruit and vegetable carving is to make food more

Decorating fresh, well-formed, and colorful fruits and vegetables

Developed by: Gateways Institute of Science and Technology

1. Before carving, fruits and vegetables must be washed and cleaned

2. Use knives with stainless steel or bronze blades. Knives with

3. Do not carve excessively so as to avoid waste and loss of nutritional

4. The designs carved should be appropriate for decorating a plate of

5. Vegetables to be dipped into sauces should be cut to appropriate

6. Vegetables chosen for carving should be appropriate to the dish in

7. Care must be exercised during carving so as to avoid bruising fruit

Watermelon Basket Carving perfect for a summer picnic, this

Developed by: Gateways Institute of Science and Technology

You can watch the procedure here:

Developed by: Gateways Institute of Science and Technology

You can watch the procedure here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

Simple White Lotus Cucumber Garnish Material:

Developed by: Gateways Institute of Science and Technology

You can watch the procedure here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

Tips on Selecting Fruits & Vegetables for Carving

Onions and shallots should be fresh and without wrinkles. Choose

Carrots should be straight and of medium or large-size.

Radishes should be fresh, firm, and round. Use medium-sized

Chinese radishes should be straight and of medium-size with clear

Developed by: Gateways Institute of Science and Technology

Tomatoes should be of uniform size. Plum tomatoes, with

Pumpkins should have thick, firm flesh. Such pumpkins have a

Spring shallots and leek should be fresh and green with no

Cabbage and Chinese cabbage should be fresh with firm, heavy

Lemons should be very fresh.

Taro should be of medium-size. The fragrant taro has fine-textured

Developed by: Gateways Institute of Science and Technology

Papayas should be straight, thick-fleshed and without any bruises.

Green mangoes should be fully mature and of a variety whose flesh

Apples should be fresh with glossy, brightly colored skins and no

Developed by: Gateways Institute of Science and Technology

Rose-apples should have clear, fresh looking skins.

Specific preparations and treatments

1. Tomatoes should be soaked in a mixture of lime juice and water to

Developed by: Gateways Institute of Science and Technology

1. After carving, fruits and vegetables should be placed in ice cold

III. LEARNING RESOURCES (References)

Developed by: Gateways Institute of Science and Technology

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