And that’s a wrap: making vegetarian tortilla delights with the Molecular Gastronomy REAL class

By Brahmjot Singh, Jonas Lui, Eunice To and Yana Wong

The Year 10 REAL molecular gastronomy students recently explored the science behind nourishment and how that knowledge assists in cooking vegetarian delicacies. In one of the lessons, they explored the world of handmade tortilla wraps and the science behind it. 

Recipe (for 4 servings):

Ingredients:

• ½ cup whole wheat flour

• ½ cup plain flour

• 2 or 3  tbsp olive oil

• ¼ cup water

• Salt to taste

• A spoon of carom seeds

• A little extra flour for sprinkling

Method:

1) Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl, bar the extra flour for sprinkling, using a spoon, fork or hand. It shouldn’t take more than a minute or so.

2) To the mixture, add water little by little. If the dough is still dry, add more water as needed.

3) Once the mixture forms a big lump of smooth dough, split it into four balls. As a tip, put flour on your hands to prevent dough from being too sticky. 

4) Wipe your station area with clean wet cloth and then a tissue. Then, sprinkle some flour on your table top surface and place the first ball on it.

5) Press down on the ball with your hands until the dough is fairly flat. Again, if the dough gets a too sticky at any point, sprinkle more flour on it!

6) Use a rolling pin or equivalent to flatten the dough into a thin circle, roughly the size of a small frisbee. Always flatten the dough a little at a time and spin it round again to prevent it from sticking to the surface. Sprinkle flour whenever you spin it around. 

7) Get a large pan and turn the heat up. No oils, fats, or spray are needed. When the pan is ready to go, throw in your first tortilla . 30-40 seconds per side should be enough – brown spots are a good indicator that it’s cooked but not burning. When both sides are done, take the tortilla off the pan and onto a plate. Tip: the key to a tasty, soft tortilla is cooking quickly and at a high heat, or flash cooking.

8) Roll out the second ball and cook in the same way. Tip: roll all 4 balls before you start cooking.Repeat until finished.

9) Fill your tortilla! You may use homemade cooked vegetables, cheese, and any other fillings.

10) Place your fillings in the center your freshly made tortillas. Wrap it up in the shape of a semi circle.

11) Spread a little ( ½ spoon butter) on the pan and place your tortilla on it. Press it down and toast it for 30 seconds on each side. 

12) Your awesome handmade tortilla wraps are now ready to eat. Enjoy!

Understanding the Science

The Ingredients:

• Tortillas → the tortillas used in this recipe were wheat tortillas made from scratch and contained carom seeds. These seeds are well known within Indian and Mediterranean  cuisine and are packed with antifungal and antibacterial properties to improve cholesterol levels.

• Olive Oil → Olive oil is a good choice for frying tortillas as it has a neutral taste that doesn't overpower the taste of the tortillas. It is rich in antioxidants and contains monounsaturated fats. Any oil of your choice and preference can be used, but keep in mind that each oil contains around the same number of calories (120 approx.) and fat (14 approx.) per tablespoon; the difference is in the fat make-up and the smoke point.

• 3-4 toppings of your choice → While making this dish, we used a variety of vegetables including carrots, bell peppers, avocado, and cucumber. Avocados are rich in protein, fibre, and folate. Bell peppers are packed with vitamins A and C and are low in calories. Carrots are packed with fibre that can help keep blood sugar levels under control. And they're loaded with vitamin A and beta-carotene. Cucumbers help lower blood sugar, promote hydration, and contain antioxidants. 

• Salsa → Salsa is developed using very few basic ingredients. This consists of lime, tomato, onions, coriander, and chilli pepper. We used ready to use Salsa mix which had a chunky consistency. It provides a good dose of vitamin C, stabilizes blood sugar, and most importantly is low in calories but packed with tantalizing flavours. 

• Mozzarella Cheese → Mozzarella cheese is a great source of Biotin (vitamin B7), is a source of zinc, good for bone health, and is powerful with potassium. Much like many other kinds of cheese, if this is consumed in large quantities, it can lead to a high level of cholesterol. For vegan options, plant based parmesan can be used. (Monica, 2020).

The Cooking:

The perfect dough needs to rest long enough to ensure the gluten is malleable. Gluten is a protein that frees up the starch molecules in flour when mixed with water, forming long chains that bond to one another. When the dough is rested, it ensures these chains have the capability to stretch, providing dough with its elasticity. If too much gluten is formed, the elasticity will be negatively impacted, causing the dough to be tight, tough and chewy. The olive oil ensures the transferral of heat to the tortillas and makes it crispy, whilst providing vital fats to the recipe.The vegetarian tortillas are a great, sustainable, meat-free option. For gluten-free and vegan recipes, use rice flour with emulsifiers to ensure the flour binds together. Vegetarian tortillas are versatile, tasty, and environment friendly, making it an excellent addition to your diet!