|
Italian for 'to the tooth',
al dente describes the perfect texture
of cooked pasta, soft yet firm to the bite. |
| au gratin |
A dish topped with breadcrumbs and/or
grated cheese and baked in the oven so
the top is a nice golden brown, it is said
to be au gratin. |
| baste |
To moisten food during cooking by pouring
melted fat, stock or liquid over it. |
| blanch |
Blanching
kills enzymes and preserves the vivid
colour of food prior
to freezing, soften vegetables or
makes the easier to remove the skins
of vegetables, fruit or nuts. The food
is
placed in boiling
water for a few minutes, then immediately
immersed in cold or iced water to cool
it quickly and stop the cooking process. |
| chickpeas |
Also known as garbanzo beans are small
round peas, usually a pale tan, though
they can also be red or black. They are
one of the main ingredients of hummus,
falafel and tabbouleh. |
| cornflour |
In the US, this is called cornstarch.
It is a very fine, white powder made from
corn and used to thicken gravies, soups
and sauces. |
| flambé |
When
you see a smarty-pants waiter sling a
slug of brandy into a frying pan and
nearly get his eyebrows singed in the
ensuing blaze, he is flambéing
something. |
| garam
masala |
Garam
masala is a blend of various spices including
black pepper, cardamom and cumin that
is used extensively in Indian cooking.
You can buy garam masala ready made in
Indian stores and health shops. |
|
Ghee
is clarified butter and is extensively
used in Indian cooking. It is said to
stimulate
the digestion and boost the immunity. |
| julienne |
The
thin strips of vegetables that are used
as a garnish,as a side dish or are often
seen in Chinese cooking. |
| kohlrabi |
This is one of my favourites, the first
time I saw kohlrabi mentioned in a recipe
I had no idea if it was fish, fowl or fancy
vegetable. In fact, it is a member of the
cabbage family and not so new or fancy.
It has been around since the 1500s. The
name means cabbage-turnip and its
taste is
similar
to,
but milder than
turnip. |
| parboil |
To
boil vegetables for a time until they
are partially cooked. An example would
be parboiling potatoes before adding
them to the roasting pan for roast potatoes. |
| pesto |
An Italian sauce using garlic, basil,
olive oil and parmesan cheese. There are
many variations using walnuts, herbs or
assorted additions. |
| reduce |
To
boil a liquid until a certain amount
has evaporated. This will thicken the
liquid and stregthen the flavour. |
| salsa |
A relish or dip made from tomatoes, usually
quite coarse in texture. |
| sauté |
To cook food quickly in oil or butter,
in a shallow pan. |
| simmer |
When a liquid is just below boiling
point, it is simmering. |
| sweat |
To
soften or steam vegetables with a little
oil so as they do not brown. |
| Tagine |
A
ceramic cooking base with conical lid
used to make many African dishes. Also
used to describe the dishes made in a
tagine. |
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