Doorgekookte

Doorgekookte is a Dutch term used to describe food that has been boiled or cooked for too long, resulting in a soft, mushy texture, diminished flavor, and loss of nutrients. The word is commonly applied to vegetables and starches, such as potatoes, carrots, green beans, or rice, but can refer to any dish that has been overcooked by boiling or simmering. In culinary critique and everyday use, doorgookte food is considered undesirable because texture and taste are compromised.

Etymologically, doorgookte is the past participle of koken (to cook) formed with the prefix door-, meaning through or thoroughly. The form doorgkookte agrees with the noun it describes (for example, doorgookte groente). Other inflections include doorgookt for masculine or neuter singular nouns and doorgookte (plural) for plural nouns.

The primary causes of doorgookte dishes are excessive cooking times, high heat, or cooking vegetables in too much water. Consequences include loss of color, a dull or pale appearance, and the leaching of water-soluble nutrients, particularly vitamins. Textural changes can range from limp vegetables to mushy potatoes or over-soft grains.

In practice, doorgookte is typically something cooks aim to avoid, though in some cuisines or specific recipes an overly soft texture may be intentional. The term appears in Dutch-language cooking guidance, menus, and domestic discussions as a straightforward descriptor of overcooking.