Instant-cooking dry macaroni and like dry foods and a method of their

Abstract

Instant-cooking dry macaroni products are manufactured by preparing a raw macaroni or like macaroni type food material containing at least 25% by weight of water by mixing, with substantially no kneading, components consisting mainly of wheat flour and water or additives; then subjecting this mixture to a preliminary steaming at a gauge pressure of 0.5-1.5 kg/cm.sup.2 for 2-5 minutes till an .alpha.-conversion degree of from 60% to 80% is reached; then shaping the resulting material into individual molded pieces of a desired configuration; thereafter, with or without application of water to the surfaces of the molded pieces so that these surfaces carry water in an amount not exceeding 100% by weight relative to the weight of the molded pieces; then subjecting the molded pieces to a further steaming step at similar pressure and time till an .alpha.-conversion degree of at least 90% is attained; and thereafter drying them till the water content of the molded pieces is reduced to at most 10% by weight relative to the weight of the molded pieces thus dried. These dry macaroni products have no portions sticking to each other, have smooth surfaces and have fine porous texture, and are easily transformed to an edible cooked state by immersion in hot water for a short time, and give good sense, feel and taste. Also, these dry foods are stable and have good durability without change in quality during storage for an extended period of time.