Foodpairing
Foodpairing is a technique used to identify matching pairs of foods based on their molecular composition so that they would enhance each other in stimulating a person’s taste and smell receptors (SciShow, 2016).
Methylcellulose
Methylcellulose is a chemical compound that tends to form a gel when at higher temperatures but gets liquid as it gets colder, and using it in cooking allows creating foods with similar properties (SciShow, 2016).
Flash freezing
Due to its incredibly low temperature, liquid nitrogen is used in cooking for flash freezing – that is, freezing foods instantly (SciShow, 2016). Apart from that, it can be used for long-term food storage as well.
Sous vide
Sous vide is the French cooking technique of heating foods up evenly in vacuum bags put into hot water. Usual methods of heating foods up affect their structure, but sous vide ensures that the temperature does not affect the foods’ molecular structure (SciShow, 2016).
Sphefirication
Sphefirication is a technique of using a chemical called sodium alginate and a salt bath to make gelatinous spheres from a flavored liquid so that it would be easier to handle and use (SciShow, 2016).
Transglutaminase
Transglutaminase, also called “the meat glue,” is a natural enzyme that helps proteins bind together (SciShow, 2016). In cooking, it gives the opportunity to combine together all sorts of different meats.
Cotton candy
Cotton candy is made by using a centrifugal force on malted sugar syrup to create thin sugar strings (SciShow, 2016). Sugar keeps its chemical composition but loses its crystalline structure and changes its texture.
Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate, the inside of which binds to hydrophobic molecules (SciShow, 2016). In cooking, it allows using it to turn oils into powders so that they would be easier to handle.
Flavored foams
Flavored foams are made with the use of soy lecithin that allows keeping hydrophobic and hydrophilic ingredients together (SciShow, 2016).
Reference
SciShow (2016). 9 scientific cooking techniques [Video]. YouTube.