Dishing out attractive fair

If you are a mother and fed up with tantrums thrown by your kids over food, perhaps its time to focus on the decoration and presentation of the same and see your child being attracted towards it, only to gulp it down instantly.

Food presentation as we all know is the art of modifying, processing, arranging or decorating food to enhance its aesthetic appeal.

The visual presentation of foods is considered very important by the chefs. From the manner of tying or sewing meats, to the type of cut used in chopping and slicing of meats or vegetables, to the style of mould used in a poured dish – presentation is of utmost importance. And when your kid is stubborn, this trick can surely be effective in helping him eat the food he really dislikes.

Amitabh Kumar, Executive Chef, Cafe Ludus, shares his idea of decoration, “Everybody is a foodie but it is the presentation which will increase your appetite even more. Even a normal dish, like dal, chawal or roti can be decorated with coriander and pieces of tomatoes for your kids. The child will surely be attracted to the red colour in the dish. He will get some nutritional value out of it also.”

The food may be decorated as in elaborately iced cakes, topped with ornamental sometimes sculptural consumables, drizzled with sauces, sprinkled with seeds, powders or other toppings or also an be accompanied by edible or inedible garnishes.

“Any dish should be eye-appealing even it is cooked properly in correct temperatures. The ‘wow’ factor (read presentation) will always attract a person to the food he dislikes. Garnishings like capsicum, cucumber, carrots can add colour to the dish. Also a dish should not look like as if you have dumped something on the plate.

The decorations should be presentable enough for the kid to grab a bite,” adds, Amitabh.

Some common styles of plating include a classic arrangement of the main item in the front of the plate with vegetables or starches at the back, a stacked arrangement of various items, or the main item leaning upon vegetables.

A thumb rule for plating is to make sure you have the five components on a dish – protein, vegetable, starch, sauce and garnish. So, surprise your kid with some innovative decoration or garnishing and end your daily fights by helping your kid actually enjoy those unwanted items on his plate!