A la belle meuniere: (French) dredged, pan-fried, served with brown butter, lemon juice, chopped parsley and sautéed mushrooms.

A la Bourgeoise: (French) The style of the family (family style).

A la Broche: (French) Cooked on a skewer over a flame. A thin skewer on which meat, etc. is broiled. See Brochette.

A la carte: (French), 1) cooked to order. 2) A menu on which each item is offered separately, priced separately, and selected separately by the diner.

A la King: (French) A Bechemel sauce containing mushrooms, green peppers, and red peppers or pimentos. A dish of diced food (usually chicken or turkey) in a rich cream sauce containing mushrooms, pimientos, green peppers and sometimes sherry

A la mode: French for "in the manner of," which refers to the style in which a dish is prepared. The term in North America refers to pie topped with ice cream.

A la Provencale: (French) Dishes prepared with garlic and olive oil. See Provencale.

A la Russe: (French) The Russian way.

A la: (French) The style of, such as: a la Francaise (The style of the French).

Acetic acid: formed when common airborne bacteria interact with alcohol present in fermented solutions such as cider or wine.

Achar: Pickle.

Ackee; akee; achee: a red tropical fruit that bursts open when ripe to reveal three large black seeds and a soft, creamy white flesh. This fruit should be eaten when ripe; when not ripe, parts of the fruit are toxic. The ackee fruit is bright red. When ripe it bursts open to reveal three large black seeds and bright yellow flesh that are popular as a breakfast food. Ackee's scientific name, blighia sapida, comes from Captain Bligh, who introduced the plant to Jamaica from West Africa. Ackee is poisonous if eaten before it is fully mature and because of its toxicity, it is subject to import restrictions and may be hard to obtain in some countries. Never open an ackee pod; it will open itself when it ceases to be deadly. Ackee is sold canned in West Indian markets.

Adrak: Ginger, either (fresh) Sont (dried); a rhizome, which can be used fresh, dried or powdered. Aegir sauce: Hollandaise flavored with powdered mustard.

Agar; agar-agar: dried seaweed, which is used widely in Asia as a setting agent. Agar can be substituted for gelatin, but has a stronger setting property, so less can be used. It is found in blocks, powder or strands.

Aging: A term used to describe the holding of meats at a temperature of 34 to 36 degrees F. for a period of time to break down the tough connective tissues through the action of enzymes thus increasing tenderness.

Agneau: (French) for Lamb.

Ajwain or Ajowain: Lovage.

Al dente: firm to the bite, yet tender. An Italian term referring originally to pasta; now applied broadly, especially to vegetables.

Albumen, Albumin: the protein portion of the egg white. Albumin is also found in animal blood, milk, plants and seeds.

Ale: an alcoholic beverage brewed from malt and hops. The color can be light to dark amber.

Alkenet Root, a ground Spice, comes from a wild plant with yellow flowers. No flavor used as a food coloring. Widely used in dishes, which need a deep red color.

Allemande: German style.

Allspice, a whole or ground spice, dark-brown, pea-size berries from the evergreen pimento tree. Also called Jamaica pepper. Pungent, sweet mixture of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg flavors. Used in breads, cakes, cookies, fruit sauce recipes

Allspice: the pea-sized berry of the evergreen pimiento tree, native to the West Indies and South America. In Jamaica, it is also known as Jamaica pepper. Tastes like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

Allumette Potatoes: (French) Potatoes cut like large match sticks.

Almond extract: a flavoring produced by combining bitter almond oil with ethyl alcohol.

Almond oil: oil obtained by pressing sweet almonds. Almond paste: made of blanched ground almonds, sugar and glycerin or another liquid. Used in confections and is less sweet and slightly coarser than marzipan.

Almond: the inner seed of the fruit of the almond tree.

Almondine, amandine: brown butter with sliced almonds and lemon juice, used in the role of a sauce.

Aloo: Potato.

Alu chole: A vegetarian dish using chickpeas, potatoes and tamarind.

Alur dom: A dish using whole potatoes.

Am chur: Mango powder, a very hot sour flavoring agent.

Am: Mango.

Amandine: (French) Food that is prepared with or garnished with almonds.

Amaretti: crisp, airy macaroon cookies that are made with bitter-almond paste or apricot-kernel paste.

Amaretto: a liqueur with the flavor of almonds.

Amb Halad: Zedoary, a root of a plant with a thin brown skin, orange interior. Blended taste of ginger, turmeric and mango. Used mainly as a pickle or in soups and chutneys. Stains.

Ambrosia: 1) a dessert of chilled fruit (usually oranges and bananas) mixed with coconut. Sometimes served as a salad. 2) A mixed drink made by shaking cognac, brandy, cointreau or raspberry syrup with crushed ice. The mixture is strained into a glass and topped off with cold champagne.

Amchoor, a ground spice: Made from sour, green mangoes, which have been sliced and dried in the sun. Also called Green Mango Powder. Sour, pungent flavor used as a souring agent in Indian food.

Anasphal: Star Anise is the fruit of a tree in the magnolia family. Dried or ground. Same intense flavor of aniseed but even more so. Dark brown in color. Used by the Chinese with chicken dishes. The Indians use this spice with rice dishes and meat curries. Anchovy: a small salted fish.

Anise: a whole or ground spice, a small, annual plant that is a member of the parsley family. The leaves and seed have a distinctive, sweet licorice flavor. The anise seed perfumes and flavors a variety of confections, savory dishes and drinks. Also used in breads, cakes, candies, cookies, fruit sauces. Whole anise seed is used for cooking in Southeast Asia.

Aniseed: Tiny oval seeds of the anise plant. Strong licorice flavor, that fades if ground and then stored. Used in curries, fried and tossed over vegetables or lentils. Best if purchased as whole seed.

Annatto: This slightly musky-flavored reddish yellow spice, ground from the seeds of a flowering tree, is native to the West Indies and the Latin tropics. Islanders store their annatto seeds in oil--giving the oil a beautiful color. Saffron or turmeric can be substituted.

Antipasto: a small plate or tray of flavorful, bite-sized cold foods such as olives, marinated vegetables, smoked oysters, spicy cold meats, fish, shellfish, and cheese.

Aperitif: a French term referring to a light, alcoholic drink taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite.

Aphrodisiac: named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. Substances (including food and drink) that are used to arouse or increase sexual desire.

Appalam: (Pappadam) is the great Indian wafer consumed all over the world. Would be in similar size to small corn tortilla but made of variety of products. Very light and very good.

Appetizer: a bit-sized piece or small portion of food used to stimulate the appetite.

Apple butter: a thick, dark brown preserve made by slowly cooking apples, sugar, cider, and spices together. Used as a spread for bread.

Areca: Betel nut.

Argenteuil: served with asparagus.

Aromatic: any of various plants, herbs and spices that impart a lively fragrance and flavor to food and drink. Arrowroot: Neutral tasting starch extracted from the root of tropical tubers, used as a last-minute thickening agent for sauces.

Arroz con pollo: rice with chicken (a Spanish dish).

Artichoke: the bud of a large plant from the thistle family with tough, petal-shaped leaves.

Arugula: a bitterish, aromatic salad green with a peppery mustard flavor.

Asafoetida, Hing: Asafoetida is the dried sap or latex of the giant fennel. White when fresh, begins to turn brownish-red when exposed to air. Very pungent, and very unpleasant smell, much like rotten eggs. When used in soups or Indian stews, the flavor softens and enriches the flavor.

Ascorbic acid: the scientific name for vitamin C. Sold for home use to prevent browning of fruit and vegetables.

Aserio: Aniseed.

Asiago cheese: a semi firm Italian cheese with a rich, nutty flavor.

Aspic: (English) Clear meat, poultry, or fish jelly. 1) Powdered meat-flavored gelatin. 2) Plain or colored jellied aspic, often used in decorating cold foods. 3) A cold dish consisting of ingredients bound in jellied aspic.

Ata or Atta: Chupatti flour. Fine whole meal flour used in most Indian breads. English whole meal is a suitable alternative.

Au bleu: method of poaching a freshly killed and cleaned trout in court bouillon.

Au four: baked in an oven.

Au Gratin: (French) To top food with cheese or bread crumbs, then baked, having a glazed or crusty surface, especially a sauced food topped with bread crumbs or cheese and baked in a hot oven or glazed under the broiler

Au jus: (French) Served with natural juices, usually mixed with stock and enriched by simmering with a mirepoix.

Au Lait: (French) With milk.

Au maigre: without meat. Aubergine: French for "eggplant."

Avocado: Tropical fruit, green to purple in color. A large seed in the center that is removed. Sliced on salads, used for everything from soups to desserts.

Baba: a rich, light currant or raisin-studded yeast cake soaked in rum or kirsch syrup.

Back bacon: see Canadian bacon.

Bacon: smoked and cured pork from the side of a pig.

Badai: Aniseed stars.

Badam: Almond.

Bagel: a doughnut-shaped yeast roll with a dense, chewy texture and shiny crust. Bagels are boiled in water before they are baked, which reduces starch and creates a chewy crust.

Baguette: a French bread, formed into a long, narrow cylindrical loaf. Has a crisp brown crust and light, chewy interior.

Bain-marie: a vat of hot water kept at approximately 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius), used to hold hot liquids such as soups or sauces in readiness for service. Steam table or double boiler insert

Bake blind: To bake a pastry shell empty, without a filling.

Bake: to cook by heated air in an enclosed area called an oven. The term usually applies to pastries, cookies, breads, casseroles, and sometimes fish and poultry.

Baked Alaska: a dessert made up of a layer of sponge cake, topped by a thick slab of ice cream, covered with meringue. It is baked in a very hot oven for approximately 5 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown.

Baking powder: A chemical leavening agent produced in three forms, all activated when combined with liquid. Tartrate acts instantly. Phosphate is activated partially by liquid, partially by heat. Double acting is activated mainly by heat, releasing most of its carbon dioxide in the baking process.

Baking powder: a leavening agent made up of baking soda (e.g. cream of tartar), an acid, and a moisture-absorber such as cornstarch. When mixed with liquid, baking powder releases carbon dioxide gas bubbles that cause a bread or cake to rise. Baking soda: A leavening agent that releases gas only when mixed with an acid agent, such as buttermilk, yogurt, or lemon juice.

Baking soda; bicarbonate of soda: used as a leavening agent in baked goods. When combined with an acid ingredient, such as buttermilk, yogurt or molasses, baking soda produces carbon dioxide gas bubbles, causing dough or batter to rise. Reacts immediately when moistened.

Ballotine, ballottine: meat, fish or fowl that has been boned, stuffed, rolled and tied in the shape of a bundle. It is then braised or roasted.

Balsamic vinegar: see vinegar.

Banana: Tropical fruit. Most popular are the Ladies finger or Cavendish type. Firm and very yellow when ripe. Begins to turn brown when older. Skin is almost black when over ripe. Used for desserts, ice cream, jelly, cakes, and buns.

Barbecue; Bar-B-Que, bbq: to slow roast at a low heat in or over a pit infused with smoke to add flavor.

Bard: To wrap meat with bacon or salt pork. To cover meat with a layer of fat for cooking

Bargar: The process of frying whole spices in hot oil.

Barley, Pearl: Polished barley.

Barquette: a small boat-shaped pastry shell used for hors d'oeuvres.

Base, meat or soup: a convenience product made by cooking a stock down to a thick gelatin concentrate and adding salt and other preservatives. Used in small quantities to enhance flavor in soups, sauces, and stocks.

Base, sauce: a convenience product containing both flavoring and thickening for making a sauce. Used in preference to meat or soup bases, bouillons and bouillon powder if made from a convenience product.

Basil: an herb either fresh leaves, or dried and then crumbled. Most varieties have green leaves. A member of the mint family. Sweet clove-like flavor, pungent used in chicken, eggs, fish, tomatoes, pasta, Italian and Mediterranean recipes.

Basil, Opal: has a purple color Lemon basil and cinnamon basil have green leaves and their fragrance and flavor matches their respective names. Basil: an annual herb that is a member of the mint family. Fresh basil has a pungent flavor.

Basmati rice: A long grain rice with a fine texture and perfumy, nut-like flavor and aroma. The grain is aged to decrease its moisture content.

Baste: to pour drippings or liquid over a food before or during cooking to prevent drying, to add flavor, or to glaze the product.

Batch-cook: to cook in small amounts as needed for service, usually by a quick- cooking method such as pressure steaming.

Batter: A liquid mixture (containing flour and other ingredients) that can be stirred. A semi-liquid mixture of liquid, eggs, and starch used to make pancakes, cookies, or a coating for foods to be fried. To batter is to coat with batter for frying.

Bavarian cream: a dessert made of custard mixed with gelatin, whipped cream, and other flavor ingredients.

Bay leaf, laurel: An herb dried whole leaves: Leaves from the evergreen bay laurel tree. Also called bay laurel or laurel leaf. Woodsy, pungent used with meats, in pickling, sauces, soups (see bouquet garni) and (see garam masala), stews, vegetables, an aromatic herb from the evergreen bay laurel tree, native to the Mediterranean. Used to flavor soups, stews, vegetables and meats; generally removed before serving. When overused this herb can make a dish bitter.

Bay Rum: The bay rum tree is related to the evergreen that produces allspice. Used to flavor soups, stews.

Bean curd: see tofu.

Bean paste: see miso.

Bean Sprouts: Chinese Mung beans.

Bean threads: see cellophane noodles.

Beans, Peas: Interchangeable terms for red kidney beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, pigeon peas, and yellow and green lentils. Often combined with rice, used in soups and stews or pulped and made into fritters.

Bearnaise: (French) Sauce derived from Hollandaise, with a tarragon reduction added. A sauce made with a reduction of shallots, tarragon, and white wine and combined with egg yolks, butter and seasoning. Served mainly with grilled meats and fish

Beat: to move a whip or spoon rapidly back and forth in order to blend products together or achieve a smooth texture.

Bechamel: a white sauce made by thickening milk with roux. A basic bechamel may be a mother sauce for many small sauces; seasoned bechamel is a finished sauce. A rich cream sauce made from cream and a roux, with an onion pique.

Beef, Dried: Beef soaked in brine and then soaked and dried.

Beignet: bite size fritters of meat, fish, poultry or vegetables, which are batter coated and deep-fried.

Bell pepper: see sweet peppers.

Benne seed: see sesame seed.

Berni or berny potatoes: duchesse potatoes shaped like pears, breaded and deep- fried.

Besan: Chickpea flour.

Beta-carotene: one of the most important and abundant of the carotenes, a portion of which the liver converts to vitamin A. Found in vegetables such as carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli and spinach.

Beurre manie: a thickening agent of butter and flour in a 1 to 1 ratio by weight, made by kneading ingredients together to pie-dough consistency.

Beurre noir: butter cooked until it is dark-brown, or just short of burned. Butter cooked to a dark brown, then adding capers and a dash of vinegar.

Beurre noisette. Butter, clarified: liquid butterfat separated from the water and solids from ordinary butter. Butter that tastes like hazelnuts, achieved by melting butter until it turns a golden brown.

Beurre: (burr) (French) Butter.

Bhajee or bhaji: Dryish mild vegetable curry.

Bhajia: Deep-fried fritter, usually onion. See pakora. Bhare: Stuffed.

Bharta or Bhurta: Mash or puree.

Bhoona or Bhuna: The process of cooking the spice paste in hot oil. A bhoona curry is usually dry and cooked in coconut.

Bhunana: Roast.

Bibb lettuce: see butter head lettuce.

Bind: to cause a mixture of two or more ingredients to cohere as one homogeneous product, usually by adding a binding agent.

Binding agent: a substance, usually starch or gelatin that causes a mixture of ingredients to cohere as one homogeneous product.

Biriani: A traditional dish. Rice baked with meat or vegetable filling.

Bisque: a shellfish soup thickened by roux as well as by a puree of its main ingredient.

Bistec a la Criolla: Marinated steak--typically rump, round or sirloin of beef.

Bitter almond: see almond.

Black beans; turtle beans: dried beans that have a black skin, cream-colored flesh and a sweet flavor.

Black-eyed pea, cowpea: originating in Asia. A small beige bean has a black circular "eye" at its inner curve. A popular legume.

Blaff: A broth infused with whole Scotch bonnet peppers and bay rum leaves in which whole or filleted fish is poached.

Blanch: To immerse food briefly in boiling water, either to help loosen the skin or to cook briefly to set color and flavor.

Blanch: to plunge into boiling liquid and cook 10 to 20 percent of doneness.

Blanquette: a stew made with white meat and a white sauce. Blend: to mix two or more ingredients completely, so they lose their separate identities. To thoroughly combine two or more ingredients until smooth and uniform in texture, color, and flavor.

Blintz: a tender, thin pancake that can be made with a number of flours. Rolled to enclose a sweet or savory filling including cottage or ricotta cheese, fruit, or meat mixtures. Then it is sautéed until golden brown and served with sour cream.

Blond sauce: a sauce made by thickening a light stock with roux; a veloute.

Blood orange: a sweet-tart orange with a bright red or red-streaked white flesh. Best eaten when fresh.

Blue cheese: a ripened, crumbly, sharp-flavored semi soft cheese with blue veins of mold, similar to Roquefort. Used in salads and dressings, canapé toppings, and as a dessert cheese.

Boil: to cook submerged in a boiling liquid. The body of a boiling liquid is in turmoil, its surface agitated and rolling. Its temperature is constant at 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius) at standard atmospheric pressure.

Boiled dressing: a cooked salad dressing without oil, made by thickening milk or fruit juices with starch and/or eggs.

Boiling point: the point at which a liquid bubbles and turns to vapor. The boiling point of pure distilled water is 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius) at standard atmospheric pressure.

Bombay Duck: Not a duck at all, but a smallish (lizardfish), this fish is native to the Bombay area and is known locally as Bommaloe Macchi. This was probably too hard for the British to pronounce so, there was born the “Bombay Duck”. It is dried and appears on the table crispy deep fried or accompaniment to a curry.

Bombay potato: Small whole potatoes in curry and tomato sauce.

Bone: to remove flesh from the bone or bones from the flesh.

Boned, rolled, and tied: Meat cuts that are boned, then rolled into a compact shape and tied to secure.

Borage, an herb, and fresh leaves: European herb with hairy leaves. Faint cucumber flavor, used in salads, teas and vegetables Bordelaise sauce: demiglace with a reduction of red wine, shallots and parsley stems.

Borscht: a thin soup made with beets and other ingredients in many versions. Russian or Polish in origin.

Boti kebab: Marinated cubes of lamb cooked in a tandoor oven.

Boudin, Black Pudding: Sausage that may include pigs' blood, thyme and Scotch bonnet peppers. Frequently served with souse, a pork dish that can include any part of the pig.

Bouillabaisse: a fish soup or stew made of several kinds of fish and shellfish cooked together in a tall pot with olive oil, flavor builders, water and sometimes white wine.

Bouillon cubes, bouillon powders: convenience products made from dehydrated finished bouillons. Substitutes for fresh-made bouillon.

Bouillon: a French term for stock or broth. The stock is strained and all the fat removed but it is not clarified any further.

Bouquet garni: a combination of vegetables, herbs and spices used in making light stocks. The bouquet garni of classical stockmaking uses celery, onion, carrot, leek, parsley, bay leaf, clove, peppercorns

Bouquetiere: a selection of three or more vegetables to accompany an entrée.

Braise: To cook gently in a small amount of liquid in a covered pan. Food may or may not be browned first.

Braise-Deglaze: A way to cook foods in a small amount of liquid until liquid evaporates and foods brown. More liquid is then added and mixture is stirred to release browned particles.

Bread: To coat with bread or cracker crumbs before cooking, usually after first dipping food into beaten egg or other liquid so crumbs will adhere.

Breadfruit: Captain Bligh introduced Breadfruit to Jamaica from its native Tahiti in 1793. The breadfruit is a large green fruit, usually about 10 inches in diameter, with a pebbly green skin and potato-like flesh. Breadfruit is not edible until they are cooked and they can be used in place of any starchy vegetable, rice or pasta. Breadfruit is picked and eaten before it ripens and is typically served like squash--baked, grilled, fried, boiled or roasted after being stuffed with meat. It's even been known to turn up in preserves or in a beverage.

Breading: a three step process producing the coating of breading; a coating for a product to be fried, consisting of a coat of crumbs on top of a coat of egg wash on top of a coat of flour.

Brie: a soft dessert cheese.

Brine: a heavily salted solution for soaking foods.

Brinja: Aubergine.

Broche: a large skewer.

Brochette: a small skewer.

Broil: to cook a food by direct heat from above.

Broiler: 1) equipment providing an overhead heat source for broiling. 2) A grill or underfired broiler, commonly used in preparing steaks and chops. 3) Poultry: a tender young bird. Chicken broilers are also called fryers

Broth: Liquid in which meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables, or a combination, are cooked; also called stock.

Brown sauce: a sauce made by thickening a brown stock with roux or cornstarch, or by reducing it quickly.

Brown: To cook in a small amount of fat until browned on all sides, giving food an appetizing color.

Brunoise: a cube-shaped cut 1/8 inch in size, fine dice.

Buffet: a visual presentation of foods in a line.

Bunuelos: Similar to crullers, they are made with flour, cassava meal or mashed sweet potato and have fruit fillings like guava and banana.

Burfi or Barfi: An Indian fudge-like sweetmeat made from reduced condensed milk in various flavors, either plain or pistachio.

Butter sauce: a sauce made by emulsifying egg yolks and butter. Butter, brown: whole melted butter cooked gently until golden brown;

Butter, simple: heated butter with no added ingredients, used in the role of a sauce.

Butter, sweet: unsalted butter.

Butter: 1.) A fat derived from the creamy part of milk. 2.) Compound a blend of softened butter and one or more pureed or finely chopped ingredients. 3.) To butter, to spread

Cafe: (French) Coffee.

Cafeteria: a buffet that offers single standard-size portions of a selection of foods displayed in a line.

Calabaza, West Indian Pumpkin: Terms for a number of large squashes or pumpkins used in island stews and vegetable dishes. Hubbard and butternut squash are similar in flavor and make the best substitutes.

Calavo: The trade name for California Avocados.

Callaloo: Spelled half a dozen different ways, this colorful word turns up in Jamaican records as early as 1696. This leafy, spinach-like vegetable is typical prepared as one would prepare turnip or collard greens. This variety of callaloo Amaranthus viridis), better known as Chinese spinach or Indian kale, should not be confused with the callaloo found in the eastern Caribbean, which refers to the leaves of the dasheen plant.

Calorie: a unit that measures the energy value of a food. Unit of heat; 1 calorie = 3.968 B.T.U. The heat required to raise 1 gram of water 1 degrees centigrade

Camembert: a soft dessert cheese.

Canadian Bacon: Lean, trimmed, pressed, smoked pork loin.

Canape: a bite-sized or two-bite-sized finger foods consisting of a base, a spread or topping, and a garnish or garniture; usually served from the cocktail buffet or passed on a tray.

Canard: (French) Duck. Canola Oil: Canola is a type of rapeseed, which has been developed and grown in Canada. Canola oil a neutral oil that is great for cooking, because it is low in saturated fats and doesn't detract from the flavor of the foods being cooked.

Caper: pickled bud of the caper bush, used for piquant flavor.

Capon: a desexed male chicken, noted for its tender flesh.

Carambola, Star Fruit: Tart or acidy-sweet star-shaped fruit used in desserts, as a garnish for drinks, tossed into salads or cooked together with seafood.

Caramelize: to heat sugar until it liquefies. For a caramel flavor, you must heat it further until it turns brown.

Caramelize: To melt sugar without scorching, until it turns golden brown and develops characteristic flavor. To cook onions and other vegetables until sweet and golden.

Caraway: seeds of the herb plant. Slightly bitter, aromatic and somewhat pungent.

Cardamom: Elaichi. Various types, notably green, white, and brown. One of the most aromatic and expensive spices.

Cartouche: A piece of stiff paper cut into a circle the same diameter as a cooking pan, with a hole in the center. It is used as a cover when cooking items in liquid to ensure the food does not rise up above the surface whilst allowing the steam to dissipate.

Cassareep: Made from the juice of grated cassava root and flavored with cinnamon, cloves and sugar--this is the essential ingredient in pepperpot, the ubiquitous Caribbean island stew.

Cassava: This tuber is also known as manioc and yuca or yucca. A rather large root vegetable with a 6- to 12-inch length and 2- to 3-inch diameter, cassava has a tough brown skin with a very firm white flesh. Both kinds of cassava can appear as meal, tapioca and farina and can be bought ready made as cassava or manioc meal. Sweet cassava is boiled and eaten as a starch vegetable. Bitter cassava contains a poisonous acid that can be deadly and must be processed before it can be eaten. Boiling the root in water for at least 45 minutes discard the water does this). Alternatively, grate the cassava and place it in a muslin cloth, then squeeze out as much of the acid as possible before cooking. Bitter cassava is used commercially but is not sold unprocessed in some countries. Casserole: a food or mixture of foods bound by a sauce, baked in the oven and served as a complete dish.

Cassia bark: A corky bark with a sweet fragrance similar to cinnamon and is used extensively in Northern Indian cookery. Although cooked in the curry the bark is too coarse to eat and is removed before serving.

Caster, castor sugar: Superfine sugar, known in Britain as castor (or caster) sugar, is more finely granulated than regular sugar. It can be substituted for regular granulated sugar cup for cup.

Cauldron: a large pot formerly used for cooking over an open fire.

Caviar: salted eggs or roe of sturgeon, salmon, and other fish.

Cayenne: a hot red pepper, sometimes used as a seasoning or flavoring.

Celery seed: tiny light seeds of the celery plant. Strong smell and perhaps a little bitter.

Celsius scale: see Centigrade scale.

Centigrade scale (C): the system of temperature measurement used in most countries, also called the Celsius scale. It sets the freezing point of pure distilled water at 0 degrees and the boiling point at 100 degrees at standard atmospheric pressure. One- centigrade degree equals 1.8-Fahrenheit degrees.

Cèpe: a species of wild mushroom also known as Porcini mushroom.

Ceylon curry: Usually cooked with coconut, lemon and chili.

Ceylon Grass: dessert made from dissolving Agar-Agar in sweet milk. It is then flavored with various spices, colorings and then chilled.

Chaamp: Chop.

Chafing dish: a dish for holding hot food for buffet service, set over a small burner or into a container of hot water or steam. A steam-table pan is one kind of chafing dish.

Chakla belan: Special rolling pin and board.

Chamcha: Ladle. Chana: Type of lentil.

Chasseur sauce: demiglace with a reduction of mushrooms, shallots, white wine, tomato, parsley stems, and sometimes cream.

Chateaubriand: a thick piece of beef tenderloin, cut from the thickest end of the fillet, broiled or grilled, and then sliced at the table.

Chaud: (French) Hot.

Chaudfroid sauce: white sauce combined with aspic, used to coat culinary showpieces before decorating them.

Chawal: Rice.

Cheddar: a firm ripened cheese that comes in many varieties ranging from mild to sharp; used in sandwiches and appetizers, as a dessert cheese, and in cooking.

Cheese: a dairy product made from coagulated milk protein and curd); used as a favorer, meat substitute, topping, appetizer, cold buffet food, sandwich filler, salad ingredient, or dessert.

Chef de cuisine: head chef.

Chef: (French) A culinary expert. The chief of the kitchen. An executive chef or person of recognized superiority in a specialized area of cooking - e.g. a pastry chef. The term chef has been loosely used and has lost precise applications

Chef's salad: a combination of salad of leafy greens, ham, turkey, cheese, optional other vegetables.

Chemiser: to coat the inside surface of a mould or dish with aspic or gelatin (for cold food) or sugar or flour (for hot food).

Cherimoya: Pale-green fruit with white sweet flesh that has the texture of flan. Used for mousse and fruit sauces, the fruit is best when fully ripe, well chilled and eaten with a spoon.

Chhalni: Sieve.

Chicken cordon bleu: chicken, cheese, and sliced ham, breaded, pan-fried, often finished in the oven. Chicken lobster: a small lobster, usually 1 to 2 pounds.

Chicken tandoori: chicken marinated in yogurt and braised.

Chiffonade: shredded lettuce.

Chilgoze or even Nioze: Small long creamy nuts with brown shells used in cooking or eaten raw.

Chili Peppers: Members of the Capsicum genus ranging from medium to fiery hot. Scotch bonnet pepper, the most widely used, can be replaced with serrano, jalapeno or other hot peppers.

Chimta: Tongs.

China Grass: dessert made from dissolving Agar-Agar in sweet milk. It is then flavored with various spices, colorings and then chilled.

Chirongi or Charauli: Small rounded nuts resembling Egyptian lentils. Used in puddings or pullaos.

Chop: 1) to cut into pieces of no specified shape. 2) A tender portion-size cross cut of meat from the rib, loin, or shoulder, usually including the bone

Chor maga: Melon seeds. Used as a thickener.

Chor magaz, Methi: Fenugreek.

Chorizo: Spanish sausage that combines pork, hot peppers and garlic.

Choux paste: dough of flour, butter, egg and water.

Chowder: a hearty soup made of fish or vegetables with a large proportion of solid ingredients served in the liquid.

Christophine, Chayote, Cho-cho, and Mirliton: A small pear-shaped vegetable, light green or cream colored, and often covered with a prickly skin. Bland, similar in texture to squash and used primarily as a side dish or in gratins and soufflés. Like paw-paw (papaya, it is also a meat tenderizer.)

Chupatti: A dry 6-inch disc of unleavened bread. Normally griddle cooked, it should be served piping hot. Spelling varies for example Chuppati, Chapati etc. Chutneys: The common ones are onion, mango and tandoori. There are dozens of others, which rarely appear on the standard menu.

Cinnamon: Dalchini. The quill-like dried bark of the cinnamon tree. It is one of the most aromatic spices. Same family as cassia, it is generally used in dishes which require a delicate flavor.

Clarify: to clear a liquid of all solid particles.

Clear soup: an un-thickened soup, usually translucent.

Cleaver: a hatchet-shaped knife used for cutting bone or for chopping.

Cloves: flower bud of the clove tree. Air-dried unopened flower bud, dark brown. Woody and bitter, warm taste.

Coagulate: to gather together into a thickened mass.

Coat a spoon: The stage reached by a thickened liquid mixture when it leaves an even film on the back of a metal spoon.

Coat: To cover a food with another ingredient, such as egg or flour, by sprinkling, dipping, or rolling.

Cocktail sauce; red sauce: a cold sauce, with a blend of catsup (ketchup), chili sauce, tomato paste, and tomato puree flavored with horseradish and fresh lemon juice; served with cold fish cocktails.

Cocktail: an appetizer typically consisting of several bite-sized pieces of meat, fish, shellfish, or fruit with a highly flavored sauce, usually served at a table an opener to the meal.

Coco Quemade: A pudding similar to flan. Also a base for ice creams and a replacement for creme anglaise.

Coconut Oil: Oil extracted from the meat or dried kernel (copra) of the coconut. Used in cooking where the smell of the oil helps in fish, chicken and vegetable curries.

Coconut: This member of the palm family, which is native to Malaysia, yields fruit all year long. Coconut is edible in both its green and mature forms. Both the water and the "jelly" of the green coconut find their way into island drinks, and meat from the mature coconut gives desserts south sea island identity. Coddled egg: an egg boiled in the shell for one minute.

Coddling: Cooking just below the boiling point; such as Coddled Eggs.

Coffee shop: moderately priced restaurant that typically serves three meals a day composed of simple and popular menu dishes.

Colbert butte: a compound butter made with meat glaze, lemon juice, and chopped parsley.

Cold sauce: a cold thickened, seasoned liquid used to enhance a meat, poultry, fish, or vegetable dish.

Collagen: white connective tissue in meats, capable of tenderization by moist-heat cooking.

Combine: To stir together two or more ingredients until blended.

Complement: to add a second food or flavor that goes well with the first so that both are enhanced.

Compote: a dish of dried or fresh fruit poached in syrup, generally with added flavoring or liqueur, and served hot or cold.

Concasser, concasse: to cut rough but even-sized pieces, as in preparing a mirepoix.

Conch: These gastropods are a beloved part of the cuisine in the Caribbean. When preparing conch soup, conch salad or spicy conch fritters, you must beat the tough conch flesh into tender submission with a mallet, the flat of a cleaver or a wooden pestle before cooking. The job can sometimes (depending on the recipe) be made easier by using a food processor. Like abalone it must be beaten until “it gives up”, not until it is mashed.

Condiment: a highly flavored bottled "sauce" that is added to a dish as flavoring, usually after cooking is complete.

Conduction: the transfer of heat from something hot to something touching it that is cooler.

Consommé brunoise: consommé with a garniture or parboiled vegetables cut into very fine cubes. Consommé celestine: chicken or beef consommé with a garniture of thin strips of pancake with chives.

Consommé: a strong clear broth made from stock, enriched in flavor and clarified by the addition of egg whites, ground meat and vegetables, which coagulate and are then removed.

Convection oven: an oven, in which hot air is circulated throughout by means of one or more fans.

Convection: in cooking, the spread of heat by a flow of hot air, steam or liquid.

Convenience food: a food product that is purchased partly or wholly processed.

Cook: to bring about change in a food product by applying heat over a period of time, usually to make the food more edible.

Cook’s helper: worker of limited skill or experience who works under the direction of a station head.

Cooler: kitchen jargon for refrigerator.

Coquille: (French) Shell. A seashell such as a scallop or an oyster, used to serve seafood in. Also: en coquille: therefore served in a shell.

Core: To remove the seeded center of a fruit or vegetable.

Coriander, Cilantro, Chinese Parsley: Intense, pungent herb that looks like parsley. The seeds are used in curries.

Corned: soaked in brine.

Cottage cheese: an un-ripened, mild-flavored, soft-curd cheese used mainly in salads.

Cotton Seed Oil: Oil extracted from the cotton seed. Not very desirable in cooking. Use a higher quality oil

Cream cheese: a smooth, soft, white, un-ripened cheese used in sandwiches, canapés, hors d'oeuvres, dips.

Cream soup: a soup thickened with a thickening agent.

Cream: To beat until soft, smooth, and fluffy, as for butter and sugar. Crecy: served with carrots.

Creme andalouse: cream of tomato soup with a garniture of diced onion, tomatoes, and rice.

Creme monaco: cream of chicken soup with a garniture of cheese straws.

Creme pompadour: cream of tomato soup with a garniture of tapioca and julienne of lettuce.

Creme potugaise: cream of tomato soup with a garniture of rice.

Creole, Criolla: Creole refers to the cooking of the French-speaking West Indies, as well as to southern Louisiana and the Gulf states. Criolla refers to the cuisine of Spanish-speaking islands. Both terms encompass a melding of ingredients and cooking methods from France, Spain, Africa, the Caribbean and America.

Creole: New Orleans style.

Crepe: (French) Thin pancakes used for both desserts and entrees

Crimp: To seal the edges of two pieces of pastry together by pressing with fingers or fork tines.

Croissant: a light, flaky, crescent-shaped roll.

Croquette: small, oval or cylindrical shapes of finely ground meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables, generally bound with a sauce, then seasoned, breaded, and deep fried.

Cross-contamination: the spread of bacteria from one food to another via a towel, dirty knife, counter, sink, dish, cutting board, hands.

Croustade: a crisp bread base or shell for entrees, usually deep-fried.

Crouton: 1) a small cube of bread fried with herbs and spices, used as a garniture for soups and salads. 2) A buttered bread shape baked in the oven until brown and crisp, used as a canapé base

Crustaceans: shellfish whose shells are like jointed suits of armor, such as shrimp, lobsters, crabs.

Cube: To cut into small cubes (usually a specific size). “Cubed” meats are mechanically tenderized or pounded to break up muscle fibers. Cuisine: style of cooking, of a restaurant, region or culture.

Cumberland sauce: sauce intended for pates and galantines, made with currant jelly, red wine, and julienne of orange and lemon rind.

Cumin: There are two types of seeds: white and black. The white seeds are a very important spice in Indian cookery. The black seeds (Kala Jeera) are used in Chinese cooking. Both can be used whole or ground.

Curd: the protein in milk when coagulated.

Curdled: Separated into a liquid containing small solid particles (caused by overcooking or too much heat or agitation).

Cure: to preserve by salting, pickling or drying.

Curry powder: a blend of 12 to 20 oriental spices.

Curry: a dish heavily spiced with curry powder.

Cut in: To distribute solid fat into dry ingredients with a pastry blender (or two table knives, scissors fashion) until particles are desired size.

Cut: to divide into pieces or to shape using a knife.

Cutlet: a lean slice of meat, often pounded or tenderized.

Dahi wala: A meat dish cooked in a savory yogurt sauce.

Dahi: Yogurt.

Dalchini or Darchim: Cinnamon.

Danish: a large, flat sweet roll, typically served at breakfast.

Darne: a thick slice, including the backbone, of a large raw fish.

Dash: A very small amount, less than 1/8 teaspoon.

Dasheen: Also known a coco, taro and tannia, dasheen is a starchy tuber that is usually served boiled or cut up and used as a thickener in hearty soups. While considered by some to have a texture and flavor superior to that of a Jerusalem artichoke or potato. Potatoes can often be used as a substitute for dasheen in recipes. Dasheen is often called coco, but coco is actually a slightly smaller relative of dasheen.

Degchi: Brass or metal saucepan without handles also called Pateeli or Batloi.

Deglaze: To add liquid such as wine, stock, or water to the bottom of a pan to dissolve the caramelized drippings so that they may be added to a sauce, for added flavor.

Deglaze: To loosen browned particles from bottom of a pan by adding wine, broth, or other liquid.

Degrease: 1) to remove the fat from the top of a liquid such as a sauce or stock. 2) To remove excess fat from the bottom of a pan after cooking

Dehydrated: dried; having had moisture removed.

Demi: (French) Half.

Demiglace: a basic sauce made from an enriched esagnole simmered down to half its volume. Seasoned, it is a finished sauce.

Demitasse: a small cup, usually coffee.

Dessert: 1) on a classical menu, a final course consisting of fresh fruit and cheese. 2) On a typical North American menu, a final course consisting of a sweet dish, fruit or cheese

Devilled eggs: hard-cooked eggs stuffed with a spread made from their yolks blended with mayonnaise and flavorings.

Dewa: Lentils. There are over sixty types of lentil in the sub-continent. The most common restaurant types are masoor, channa and urid.

Dhal or Dal: Hindu name for legumes; such as peas or lentils.

Dhania: Coriander, one of the most important spices in Indian cookery. The leaves of the plant can be used fresh and the seeds used whole or ground.

Dhansak: Traditional chicken or meat dish cooked in lentil and vegetable puree.

Dhungar: Applying the smoke of charcoal to ingredients.

Diable: Devilled. Dice: a cub-shaped cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch. To dice is to cut into small even cubes; to cube.

Diced: Cut into small cubes.

Dietitian: person who has a degree in a four-year program in food and nutrition and/or institutional food service management, has completed a recognized Dietetic Internship, and is a registered member of the College of Dietitians e.g. Dietitians of Canada, or the American Dietetics Association. Usually found in a large hospital or other large institution.

Dill: Seeds of the dill plant. The aroma of caraway seeds, but very light.

Dip: an informal appetizer made with softened cheese, sour cream, mashed avocado, bean puree, or a food of similar consistency flavored to complement crisp, bite-sized foods that are dipped into the product.

Do piaza: Traditional meat dish. Do means two and piaza means onion. It gets its name because onions appear twice in the cooking process.

Dolma: a stuffed grape or cabbage leaf (Middle Eastern cuisine).

Doroo: Celery.

Dosa or Dosai: A south Indian pancake made from rice and lentil flour. Usually served with a filling.

Dot: To scatter bits of an ingredient, such as butter, over surface of food.

Dough: A thick, pliable mixture of flour and liquid ingredients, firm enough to be kneaded or shaped with the hands.

Drawn butter: Melted butter.

Dredge: to pass a product through a fine dry or powdery substance such as flour, cornmeal or ground almonds to coat it lightly.

Dredging: To coat with dry ingredients such as flour or breadcrumbs.

Dress: to prepare for cooking or service.

Dressing: 1) for salads, a flavorful liquid or semi-liquid used to enhance a salad. 2) For poultry, an accompaniment or stuffing consisting of a bread product or rice, mixed with flavorful foods such as onions, herbs and sausage, usually moistened with fat or stock, sometimes bound with eggs.

Drippings: juices and fat from a cooked product.

Drippings: Melted fat and juices given off by meat or poultry as it cooks, usually by frying or roasting.

Drizzle: To pour oil, melted fat, sugar syrup, icing, or other liquid in a fine stream, making a pattern over food surface.

Dry aging: the aging of meat by hanging the carcass for three to six weeks in a refrigerator with carefully controlled temperature, air flow and humidity.

Dry storage: the storing of foods in a dry place at room temperature.

Dry-heat method: any cooking method in which heat is transferred to the product by air or by waves from the heat source. Baking, roasting, barbecuing, broiling, grilling and searing are examples of dry-heat methods.

Du barry: served with cauliflower.

Du jour: food of the day.

Duchesse potatoes: boiled or steamed potatoes pureed and mixed with butter and egg yolks, flavored with nutmeg.

Dum: Steam cooking. Long before the west invented the pressure cooker India had her own method, which lasts to this day. A pot with a close fitting lid is sealed with a ring of dough. The ingredients are then cooked in their own steam under some pressure.

Dumpling: a small mass of poached dough often served in the liquid in which it is cooked.

Dust: to sprinkle a fine substance such as sugar or flour gently on a surface.

Dust: To sprinkle lightly with flour or sugar, shaking off excess.

Dusting: To sprinkle with sugar or flour.

Duxelles: stuffing made with mushrooms, shallots, and chopped parsley, flavored with cayenne. Ecossaise: (French) The way of the Scottish.

Edam: a firm, milk, red-jacketed yellow cheese, used on the buffet and as a dessert cheese.

Egg wash: a mixture of eggs and liquid (usually milk) used in breading a product for frying; also used in baking for coating dough products, such as breads and rolls, to produce good color and gloss.

Ekuri: Spiced scrambled eggs.

Elaichi: Cardamom.

Elastin: tough yellow connective tissue in meat; it cannot be tenderized by cooking.

Emince (French) Cut fine, or sliced thin.

Emincer: to slice very thin.

Emmenthal: an imported Swiss cheese, used in fondues, soufflés and as a buffet cheese.

Emulsify: to form an emulsion.

Emulsion: a mixture of two liquids in which one, evenly dispersed in the other, is held in suspension. A mixture, such as mayonnaise, in which fatty particles are suspended in a liquid.

En chemise: with skins on (e.g. potatoes) or in a paste crust.

Entrecote: a steak cut from the top of the strip loin or sirloin of beef.

Entrée: 1) a main dish. 2) On a classical menu - a portioned piece of meat or game that has been boiled, braised, grilled or pan-fried; not the main dish

Entremets: the dessert or sweet course.

Escabeche: The Spanish word for "pickled." This term usually refers to fish that is fresh that is fried, then picked in vinegar, spices, oil and hot peppers. Can also include poultry of some kind.

Escargots: French word for snails. Espagnole: A mother sauce. Basic brown sauce.

Etamine: cheesecloth used for straining.

Fahrenheit scale: the system used in most U.S. kitchens to measure temperature. On the Fahrenheit scale the freezing point of pure distilled water is 32 degrees and its boiling point is 212 degrees at standard atmospheric pressure.

Falooda, chilled rose flavored milk drink. Made with subja seeds.

Farce: (French) Forcemeat or Stuffing.

Farci: Stuffed.

Farina: Inner portion of coarsely ground hard wheat.

Fat: Generic term for fats that is solid at room temperature, such as butter, margarine, lard, vegetable shortening, and the rendered drippings of meat and fowl.

Fennel: an herb, dried seeds and plant parts. The seeds have a sweet and warm flavor that can be intense.

Fenugreek, Methi: This important spice is used as seeds and in fresh or dried leaf form. It is very savory and is used in many Northern Indian dishes.

Filet mignon: a slice about 1 1/2 inch thick that is cut from the beef tenderloin.

Fillet, filet: 1) meat: a boneless cut from the tenderloin. 2) Fish: a full-length segment removed from the bones. A fillet of a round fish is an entire side; a flatfish fillet is half a side. To fillet a fish: is to remove the fillets from the bones.

Fillet: The boneless tenderloin of meat or poultry; a boneless piece or slice of meat or fish; filleting is the process of removing bones.

Fine dice: a cube-shaped cut 1/8-inch in size; brunoise.

Fines herbes: combination of several finely minced fresh herbs used for flavoring and garnishing. Traditional fine herbs are equal parts of parsley, chives, chervil and tarragon, but any combination of mild-flavored fresh herbs may be used.

Finish-cook: to bring a partially cooked food to doneness, usually just before service.

Finnan Haddie: Smoked haddock. Fish stick: a cross-cut segment of a fish fillet, usually fried.

Flake: To lightly break foods into small, thin pieces, usually with the tines of a fork.

Flambé: food items that are served for show flamed with wine or liqueur.

Flame: to add wine or liqueur to a dish and ignite.

Flapjack: a pancake.

Flavor builder: an ingredient added in cooking to enrich the flavor of the main ingredient.

Flavor: 1) the way a food tastes, produced by the combination of sweet, sour, bitter, and salt tastes perceived by the tongue plus the aromas perceived by the nose. 2) To flavor is to add a product whose distinctive taste complements the predominant flavor of a dish, without masking that flavor or losing its own identity

Flavoring: a product of distinctive taste added to a dish to complement the predominant flavor.

Florentine: served with spinach.

Floweret: A small flower, one of a cluster of composite flowers, of broccoli or cauliflower.

Flute: To make decorative indentations around the edge of pastry, vegetables, or fruit.

Foie gras: the liver of specially fattened geese, usually used in the form of a meat paste.

Fold in: To gently combine a light, delicate, aerated substance, such as whipped cream or beaten egg whites, into a heavier mixture by lifting mixture up and over with each stroke.

Fold: to mix a whipped ingredient lightly with another ingredient or mixture by gently turning one over the other with a flat implement.

Fond blanc: veal stock.

Fond brun jus: brown beef stock.

Fond de poisson: fish stock. Fond de volaille: chicken stock.

Fond lie: a basic brown sauce made from an enriched brown veal stock thickened with cornstarch; a mother sauce. Fond lie, seasoned, is a finished stock.

Fondue: the French term for melted. Melted cheese and white wine eaten by dipping small pieces of bread into the cheese.

Foogat: Lightly cooked vegetable dish.

Forcemeat: Ground meat or meats, mixed with seasonings used for stuffing.

Forestiere: served with mushrooms.

Frappe: French for chilled, in reference to creams, fruits and liqueurs.

Freeze: To get cold enough to become solid.

Freezer: cooled storage area for frozen foods kept at temperatures of 0 degrees to -10 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees to –23 degrees Celsius).

French fry: 1) a rectangular food cut about 4 inches long and 3/8 to ½ inch square. 2) A deep-fried potato that is cut as described.

French knife: a thick, rigid, wide-bladed knife with a distinctive triangular profile, designed for heavy-duty cutting and chopping.

French toast: bread soaked in seasoned egg and fried.

Fricassee: a dish of white meat or poultry served in a white sauce, a white meat stew with a light golden sauce

Froid: (French) Cold.

Fromage: French word for cheese.

Fry: To cook in hot fat. To pan-fry, use a small amount of fat. To deep fry, immerse foods in fat.

Fumet: Specially flavored and often concentrated stock, in which flesh has been poached, used as the body of an accompanying sauce.

Gajar: Carrot. Galantine: a showy meat creating from classical cuisine, made of a special meat filling ground to a smooth paste, with a special decorative garniture, wrapped in skin and poached in stock. Served chilled and sliced.

Game hen: an immature chicken five to seven weeks old, weighing less than 2 pounds. A Cornish or Rock Cornish game hen is a specially bred game hen.

Game: wild birds or animals hunted for sport. The same kinds of birds and animals raised domestically are also called game.

Garam Masala: Literally 'hot mixture'. This refers to a blend of spices in Indian cooking.

Garnish: to add a colorful edible accent to a finished dish entirely for eye appeal. A garnish may be eaten but that is not its purpose. To decorate, also referring to the food used to decorate

Garniture: French for garnish, something edible added to a finished dish for eye appeal, flavor, and often-textural contrast e.g.. Croutons added to a bowl of soup. A garniture becomes part of the dish and is eaten with it.

Gateau: an elaborate decorated cake.

Gaufres: (French) Wafers.

Gazpacho: an uncooked puree of marinated salad vegetables, served cold. Spanish in origin.

Gel: To congeal.

Gelatin: 1) a semisolid jelly-like substance, or gel, used as a binding agent in salads, desserts and cold entrees 2) the dry powder or leaves that are dissolved to produce the gel.

Ghee: Clarified butter or margarine much used in Northern Indian cookery. Almost pure butterfat. Can be purchase in Indian shops after 7500 years of being made at home.

Giblets: The trimmings from poultry such as the liver, heart, etc.

Glace: coated, iced, frosted, and glazed.

Glaze: To coat with a substance or mixture that gives food sheen. Gluten: Protein part of wheat flour that is essential in bread making.

Gnocchi: a small dumpling made with choux paste.

Gnocchi: Italian dumpling.

Goat: Goat meat is eaten with enthusiasm in only a few places in the world, and Fiji one of those places. Some credit immigrants from India who searched for lamb to prepare with their beloved curry. Finding no lambs, they latched onto the next best thing and curried goat became a classic. Most first-timers find goat milder in flavor than lamb and an excellent substitute for lamb in most recipes.

Gobi or phoolgobi: Cauliflower.

Goor or gur: A mixture of jaggery (palm sugar) or molasses, and ginger

Gosht: Lamb.

Gouda: a firm, ripened, red-jacketed cheese somewhat like mild cheddar.

Gourmand: glutton

Gourmet: (French) Connoisseur of culinary delights. One who knows and appreciates fine foods; connoisseur of cooking

Gram flour: Chickpea flour (besan)

Grand jus: ordinary brown stock.

Grate: To rub solid food against a metal object that has sharp-edged holes, reducing food to thin shreds.

Gravy: North American term for a jus or sauce made from juices of the meat being served.

Grease: To rub fat or oil on the surface of a bowl, pan, or other utensil to prevent food from sticking.

Grill: to cook on a grate with heat from below. The term is also used loosely for cooking on a fry-top range.

Grind: To run food through a food chopper or food processor until of very fines texture. Groundnut Oil: Oil used in Gujarat cooking, colorless and odorless, therefore used in dishes in which flavor of the food come though without oily after taste.

Gruyere: an imported Swiss cheese, used in fondues and soufflés and as a buffet cheese.

Guava. Tropical fruit that has over a hundred species. It is pear-shaped, round and oval; yellow to green skinned, with creamy yellow, pink or red granular flesh; and has rows of small hard seeds. The smell and taste are intense and perfumy. Guava is used green or ripe in punches, syrups, jams, chutneys, ice creams and an all-island paste know as guava cheese.

Gulab jaman: An Indian dessert. Small 1-inch diameter balls of flour and milk powder deep-fried to golden and served cold in syrup. Cake-like texture.

Gumbo: an un-thickened soup crowded with meat or fish and vegetables; usually served with rice. Usually serve with okra.

Gurda: Kidney. Gurda kebab is marinated kidney skewered and cooked in the tandoor.

Haldi or huldi: Turmeric, An Indian spice, turmeric is a rhizome. The fresh root is used occasionally as a vegetable or in pickles. The ground spice is extensively used to give the familiar yellow color to curries. Use sparingly or it can cause bitterness.

Halva: Sweets made from syrup and vegetables or fruit. Serve cold in small squares. It is translucent and comes in bright colors depending on ingredient used; e.g. orange (carrot), green (pistachio), red (mango), etc. Has texture thicker than Turkish delight. Sometimes garnished with edible silver foil.

Ham: smoked and/or cured pork, often purchased fully cooked.

Handi: Earthenware cooking pot.

Hasina kebab: Pieces of chicken breast, lamb or beef marinated in spices and then skewered and barbecued with onion, capsicum and tomato. Of Turkish origin.

Hearts of Palm: Ivory-colored core of some varieties of palm trees.

Heifer: A young female cow that has not had a calf yet. Hen: a female bird. A hen chicken, also called a fowl or stewing chicken, is mature and suitable only for stewing. A young hen turkey (5-7 months old) is suitable for roasting.

Herb Bouquet: A mixture of tied herms used for seasoning in soups, sauces, and stocks.

Herb: a plant product of distinctive flavor and aroma, often classed as a spice, used in small quantities to flavor foods.

Hibiscus, Sorrel: A tropical flower, not to be confused with the garden-variety hibiscus, grown for it crimson sepal, which is used to flavor dinks, jams and sauces.

Hoisin sauce: a thick, sweet Chinese barbecue sauce made from salted black beans, onions and garlic. Used for cooking, or directly on rice or noodles.

Hold: to keep a partly or fully prepared food product at a safe temperature for a short period before its intended use at a specific time.

Hollandaise: butter sauce made from an emulsion of egg yolks, clarified butter, and a flavor reduction.

Hor d'oeuvre: (French) Petite appetizers or relishes. Serve as the first course of the meal. Usually a small appetizer usually having a major ingredient that is served whole and eaten with a pick or cocktail fork; served from a buffet or passed on a tray.

Huitres: French word for oysters.

Huldi: Turmeric.

Hull: To remove stems or outer husks (as from strawberries or nuts).

Hydrogenated fat: a fat in which extra hydrogen has been added to the chemical structure to increase its stability.

Ice wine: a rich, flavorful dessert wine, which is made by picking grapes that are frozen on the vine, then pressing them before they thaw. Because much of the water in the grapes is frozen, the resulting juice is concentrated, thereby very rich in flavor and also high in sugar and acid.

Idli: Rice and lentil flour cake served with light curry sauce. South Indian.

Imli: Tamarind, a date-like fruit used as chutney, and in cooking as a souring agent. Infusion: Liquid derived from steeping herbs, spices, etc. The flavor that's extracted from an ingredient such as tea leaves, herbs or fruit by steeping them in a liquid (usually hot), such as water, for tea.

Isgubul: Vegetable seed.

Jack: A fish family of over two hundred species, these colorful saltwater fish go by a host of names such as yellowtail, black and amber jack. These delicately flavored fish tend to be large, weighing a much as 150 pounds, and readily available in waters around the world. Tuna and swordfish make good substitutes.

Jaggery (palm sugar) or molasses. Made during the process of making sugar. Three byproducts are made during this time. Molasses, alcohol and jaggery. Jaggery is really just a dehydrated form of sugar cane juice. There is no real substitute for jaggery, though in a pinch, brown sugar can be used. Sold in cup size blocks.

Jaifal, Jaiphal, Javitri or Taifal: Nutmeg and Mace

Jal frezi: Sautee or stir fry

Jalebi: An Indian dessert. Flour, milk powder and yogurt batter that is pushed through a narrow funnel into deep-frying oil to produce golden curly crispy rings.

Jalousie: a small cake made with flaky pastry, filled with a layer of almond paste and topped with jam.

Jambalaya: a dish that combines cooked rice with a variety of ingredients including tomatoes, onion, green peppers and almost any kind of meat, poultry or shellfish.

Jambon: French for ham.

Japanese Grass: dessert made from dissolving Agar-Agar in sweet milk. It is then flavored with various spices, colorings and then chilled.

Jardinière: served with root vegetables cut julienne.

Jasmine rice: an aromatic rice from Thailand that has a flavor and fragrance that compares to basmati rice.

Javitri: Mace, from the outer part of the nutmeg. Jeera: Cummin or Cumin: There are two types of seeds: white and black. The white seeds are a very important spice in Indian cookery. The black seeds (Kala Jeera) are used in Chinese cooking. Both can be used whole or ground.

Jhanna: Flat slotted spoon.

Jinga praj patia: Prawn butterfly, prawns marinated in spices and fried in batter.

Jinga: Prawns.

Julienne: Matchstick pieces of vegetables, fruits, or cooked meats; or a technique for cutting foods into matchstick pieces.

Jus lie: the French phrase for gravy (thickened jus).

Jus: the French word for juice, which can refer to both fruit and vegetable juices, as well as the natural juices exuded from meat. A dish (usually meat) that is served au jus is presented with its own natural juices.

Kabli chana: Chickpeas.

Kaddu kas: Grater.

Kadhi: Yogurt soup.

Kaju: Cashew nut.

Kala jeera: Black cumin seeds.

Kala namak: Black salt

Kala: Black.

Kalamata olive: a Greek olive that ranges in length from about 1/2 to 1 inch. Kalamata olives are a dark eggplant color and have a flavor that can be very rich and fruity. They're often slit to allow the wine vinegar marinade in which they're soaked to penetrate the flesh.

Kaleji: Liver.

Kalonji, Nigella: An herb. Very small seeds and they can also be purchased ground. Similar to wild onion seeds, but not related to onions. Slight nutty taste, but bitter. Used in dishes of fish, or baked into naan, sprinkled over vegetables. Karahi Karai, korai: Cast iron, wok-like, frying pan.

Karanji: Kind of a fried pastry, in which jaggery figures prominently.

Karchhi: Metal flat spoon used for turning frying ingredients.

Kardi Seed Oil: Safflower Oil. Flavorless, colorless oil pressed from safflower seeds. High in poly-unsaturates and has a high smoke point, making it good for frying.

Karela: Small, dark green, knobby vegetable of the gourd family.

Karo: Light or dark corn Syrup.

Kasha: Buckwheat grouts.

Kashmir chicken: Whole chicken stuffed with minced meat.

Kashmir curry: A Restaurant creation. A sweetish curry often using lychees or similar ingredient.

Kathal: Jackfruit.

Katori: Small serving bowls which go on a thaali (tray).

Kebab: Any skewered food cooked over charcoal. A process that is over 4000 years old, which probably originated in the Middle East. It was imported to India by the Moslems centuries ago.

Kebabs: small pieces of seasoned meat broiled on a skewer, often with vegetables.

Keema: Minced meat curry.

Kesar or zafron: Saffron, the world's most expensive spice, saffron is the stamen of the crocus flower. It takes 70,000 stamens to give a recipe a delicate yellow coloring and aroma.

Kewra: Screw pine water. An extract of the flower of the tropical screw pine tree. It is a fragrant clear liquid used to flavor sweets. It is a cheap substitute for rosewater.

Khalla musaria: Grinding stone or device like a pounder.

Khir: Technique of making a sort of cream. Milk is cooked with cucumber and pureed. Khurzi: Lamb or chicken, whole with spicy stuffing.

Khus Khus: see Poppy seeds.

Kimchee: this spicy-hot, pungent condiment is served at most Korean meals. It's made of fermented vegetables, such as cabbage or turnips that have been pickled before being stored in tightly sealed pots or jars and buried in the ground. It's dug up and used as needed.

Kippered Herring: Smoked or dried herring.

Kirsch: this clear brandy is distilled from cherry juice and pits.

Kish mish: Sultanas.

Kitchen Bouquet: A trade name a bottled sauce flavor and color enhancer.

Knackwurst: short, thick links of precooked beef and/or pork sausage that is well flavored with garlic. Knackwurst is usually boiled or grilled before serving, often with sauerkraut. The name comes from the German knack (crack) and wurst (sausage).

Knead: a technique used to mix and work dough in order to form it into a workable mass. By hand, kneading is done with a pressing-folding-turning action performed by pressing down into the dough with the heels of both hands, then pushing away from the body. The dough is folded in half and given a quarter turn, and the process is repeated.

Kobe beef: A very exclusive grade of beef from cattle raised in Kobe, Japan. These pampered cattle are massaged with sake and fed a special diet that includes plentiful amounts of beer. This special treatment makes the beef very tender and full- flavored. It also makes the beef very expensive.

Kofta: Minced meat or vegetable balls in batter, deep-fried, and then cooked in curry sauce.

Kokoda: Pronounced "Kokonda". A dish made from raw fish marinated in lime juice and lolo.

Kokum or cocum: A variety of plum, pitted and dried. Prune-like and very sour. Also known in Malayan as mangosteen. Korma: To most restaurants this just means a mild curry. Traditionally it is very rich. Meat, chicken or vegetables are cooked in cream, yogurt and nuts, and are fragrantly spiced with saffron and aromatic spices.

Kosher: (meat) Meat sold within 48 hours after being butchered in accordance to Hebrew religious laws. The style of Jewish dietary cooking.

Koya: Reducing milk to a thick sticky solid. Used for sweet making.

Kulcha, stuffed: Stuffed with mildly spiced mashed potato and baked in the tandoor.

Kulcha: Small leavened bread.

Kulfi: Indian ice cream. Traditionally it comes in vanilla, pistachio or mango flavors.

Kumquats: Small oval citrus fruit that is golden-orange in color.

Kus kus: See cuscus.

Lactose: this sugar occurs naturally in milk and is also called milk sugar. It's the least sweet of all the natural sugars and is used commercially in foods such as baby formulas and candies.

Ladyfinger: a light, delicate sponge cake roughly shaped like a rather large, fat finger. It's used as an accompaniment to ice cream, puddings and other desserts.

Lait: French word for milk.

Lal Mirch, hara irch: chilies. An entire page could be devoted to this subject. Chilies are classified on the shape, color and strength.

Langouste: French word for crawfish, sometimes called rock or spiny lobster. It has no large claws.

Lard: to thread strips of fat (lardons) through meat with a larding needle, a long large- eyed needle designed for that purpose.

Larding: Salt pork strips inserted into meat with a special needle. Used to add flavor and moisture to meat.

Lardons: Juienne of bacon. Strips of salt pork used for larding.

Lasan: Garlic. Latke: a pancake usually made from grated potatoes mixed with eggs, onions, matzo meal and seasonings. It's fried and served hot as a side dish.

Lavang, Laung: Cloves.

Leaven: an agent that introduces air or gas into batter or dough, causing it to rise.

Leek: Small onion like plant, used as an aromatic seasoning or vegetable.

Legume: a vegetable that grows in pods, such as peas, beans, lentils.

Lemon-vinegar water: Water to which lemon juice or vinegar has been added to prevent discoloration or darkening of foods, such as apples or artichokes. Add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar for each quart of water.

Lentil: A brown or yellow flat seed resembling a pea used for soups, garnishes, and as a vegetable.

Lhassi or lassi: A refreshing drink made from yogurt and crushed ice. The savory version is Lhassi namkeen and the sweet version is Lhassi meethi.

Liaison: A binding agent made up of egg yolks and cream, used for thickening soups and sauces.

Lie: to bind or thicken.

Lilva: A small oval-shaped bean, which grows in a pod like the European pea.

Limburger: a soft dessert cheese.

Limes: have light yellow skins when ripe, though they are often picked green because they go bad rapidly when ripe. When overripe, they turn yellow and are an excellent source of vitamin C. For this reason, the popularity of these citrus fruits grew with the realization by the British Navy that they cured scurvy. Now limes are one of the most important ingredients in sauces and marinades, and are used to perk up dishes from savory to sweet. Chicken and fish turn glorious with a mere squeeze of lime. And beverages, cakes and preserves wouldn't taste the same without it.

Line: To cover inside or bottom of a baking dish or pan with parchment or wax paper.

Liver pate: specially seasoned chicken liver or goose liver paste. Often glazed or baked in a crust, sliced and served cold or used as a spread. Lobster: Sometimes called crawfish, crayfish, rock lobster, or langouste, this crustacean has a very sharp spine-studded shell and long antennae but has no claws.

Loochees: A type of bread made in Bengal using white flour.

Lovage: Sea parsley, the leaves and stem of the lovage plant. These add an intense celery flavor to soups. Can also be used in stocks or even stews. Potato, pork and poultry dishes can also use this for good effect.

Lolo: Cream made from grated coconut meat, used for cooking, baking and sweets.

Lox: smoked Nova Scotia salmon.

Lyonnaise Potatoes: (French) Potatoes sliced and sautéed with onions.

Lyonnaise: cooked with onions in the Lyon's style.

Macaroon: a small cake made of egg white, sugar and ground almonds.

Macchi or macchli: Fish.

Mace: The outer shell of nutmeg (seasoning).

Mace: This and nutmeg come from the fruit of the same plant. This evergreen tree grows fruit with when dried gives both mace, which is the outer fruit and nutmeg which is the seed. Mace usually is bought dried and ground. Used in many dishes and milky drinks.

Macedoine: vegetables such as parsnips, carrots etc, that are cut into strips or fancy shapes.

Madras: There is no such recipe for Madras curry. This is another restaurant invention. South India inhabitants do like their hot curries; but the name is probably from some chef must who may have christened his hot curry madras and the name stuck.

Makhani: A traditional dish. Tandoori chicken is cooked in a ghee and tomato sauce.

Makke: Cornflour.

Malai: Cream. Malaya: The curries of Malaya are traditionally cooked with plenty of coconut, chili and ginger. In the Indian restaurant, however, they are usually mild and contain pineapple and other fruit.

Mamra: Puffed basmati rice.

Mangoes: Actually a native of India, this fruit has come to be know as "the fruit of the tropics." Mangoes are used in a variety of ways. Green mangoes are used in hot sauces and condiments, while ripe mangoes appear in desserts and candies and in drinks. The best varieties of mango are the Bombay, East Indian, St. Julian and Hayden.

Manhattan Clam Chowder: Made with quahog clams, tomatoes, onions, celery, and potatoes.

Maraschino: An Italian cherry cordial. Also cherries.

Marbling: fat distributed throughout meat.

Marcela: Semi-dry, pale golden, Italian wine from Sicily.

Marinade: A seasoned liquid, usually containing an acid, such as vinegar, lemon juice, or wine, in which meat, poultry, or seafood soaks to enhance its flavor.

Marinade: any liquid made up for the purpose of soaking a food in a flavorful liquid to add flavor or to tenderize.

Marzipan: almond paste made from finely ground almonds, confectioner's sugar and egg white, often molded into decorative shapes.

Masala: A mixture of spices, which are cooked with a particular dish.

Mask: to disguise by covering completely with sauce or by flavoring to hide true taste. To cover completely, as with a sauce, aspic, mayonnaise, or cream

Masoor: Red lentil with green skin.

Mathanni: Wooden whisk.

Matka: Round earthenware pot used to freeze ice cream. It is filled with ice and salt.

Mattar: Green peas. Medallion: classical term applied to food that is cut or shaped in a flat and round or oval shape.

Medici sauce: béarnaise with a reduction of brown sauce and red wine.

Meethi: A sweet melon seeds

Melba toast: thin slices of bread that are dried and then browned slowly in an oven.

Melt: to convert a product from a solid to a liquid by heating.

Menthe: (French) Mint.

Meringue: Egg whites that have been beaten with sugar to form a thick, stiff foam. Egg white beaten until stiff with sugar added

Mignon: very small.

Mince: To cut or chop into very fine pieces.

Minced: Ground or chopped fine.

Minestrone: an Italian soup, un-thickened; full of vegetables and sometimes pasta.

Mirch: Pepper or chilli.

Mirch: Pepper, The “king of spices”. It grows on vines, which flower and produce clusters of berries, which are picked and dried and become the peppercorns. All peppercorns are green when picked and must be bottled or freeze-fried at once to retain the color. Black pepper is the dried berry. White pepper is obtained by soaking off the black skin of the berry. Peppercorns are a heat agent and can be used whole or ground.

Mirepoix: a combination of rough-cut vegetables and herbs used as a flavor builder for dark stocks, soups and sauces. A dark mirepoix includes carrot and tomato; a light mirepoix omits them.

Mix: to combine ingredients in such as way that the parts of each are evenly dispersed in the whole.

Moglai or moghlai: Cooking in the style of the Moghul’s.

Mollee: Fish dishes cooked in coconut and chili. Mollusks: shellfish that live inside a pair of shells, such as clams, oysters and scallops, or under a single shell such as abalone.

Mooli: Large white radish.

Moong: One of the more commonly used lentils. It has a green skin and can be used whole, split or polished to make various dhals.

Mornay sauce: a cheese sauce made by adding grated parmesan and Swiss cheese, butter, and egg yolks to a bechamel sauce.

Mother sauce: a basic sauce from which other sauces are made. Called the mother sauce, which are bechamel, veloutes, espagnole, fond lie, tomato sauce, hollandaise, and béarnaise.

Mousse: a dish made with a pureed major flavor ingredient mixed with gelatin and folded with whipped cream, often molded.

Mousseline sauce: Hollandaise folded with whipped cream.

Mozzarella: a mild un-ripened cheese, semi-soft to firm.

Mulligatawny: a lightly thickened curry-flavored meat-and-vegetable soup originating from British India.

Mulligatawny: A Tamil sauce, which has become well known as a British soup.

Munacca: Raisins.

Murgh Masala: A specialty dish of whole chicken, marinated in yogurt and spices for 24 hours then stuffed and roasted.

Murgh: Chicken.

Mustard Oil: Oil used in Bengal cooking. Very strong smelling and tasting, with a wonderful gold color. Heat very hot almost to the smoking point and allow to cool to reduce the smell of the oil before using.

Mustard seed: Colors of black, white mustard seeds perfectly round. Strong nutty, bitter flavor once cooked, but with very little taste or smell when raw.

Naan peshwari: Naan bread stuffed with almonds and or cashew and or raisins and baked in the tandoor. Naan, keema: Naan bread stuffed with a thin layer of minced meat curry then baked in the tandoor.

Nabemono: refers to a category of communal one-pot meals that are popular in Japan, particularly during cold weather. Ingredients are prepared in bite-size portions in advance, and then cooked at the table in broth or oil.

Namak: Salt.

Namkeen: Salty.

Nan or naan: Leavened bread baked in the tandoor. It is teardrop shaped and about 8-10 inches long. It must be served fresh and hot.

Nap: to coat food lightly with a sauce so that it completely covers the food with a thin, even layer.

Nargis kebab: Indian scotch egg spiced minced meat around a hard-boiled egg.

Naryal: Coconut.

Nasi goring: the Indonesian term for fried rice. The rice is cooked with various ingredients including shrimp or other shellfish, meat, chicken, eggs, onions, chiles, garlic, cucumber, peanuts and a wide array of seasonings.

Navarin: a stew made with lamb and vegetables.

Navarre: (French) Lamb stew with root vegetables, cut green beans, tomatoes, and peas.

Neat: 1) a term referring to liquor that is drunk undiluted by ice, water or mixes. 2) An old term used mainly in England for a member of the bovine family such as the ox or cow

Neem leaves or Kari Phulia: Curry leaves Small leaves a bit like bay leaves, used for flavoring.

Neem: Curry leaf.

New England Clam Chowder, Also Known as Boston Clam Chowder: Made with quahog clams, onions, celery, and potatoes. Newburg: a dish of chopped cooked shellfish (usually lobster, crab and shrimp) in a sauce composed of butter, cream, egg yolks, sherry and seasoning.

Niboshi: dried sardines, most often used in Japanese cuisine for creating a strong- flavored soup stock.

Niçoise, à la: French "as prepared in Nice". A cooking style that is identified with hot and cold dishes, which can include ingredients garlic, tomatoes, olives, and anchovies.

Nigella: See Kalonji. Similar to wild onion seeds, but not related to onions.

Nimboo: Lime.

Nodules: (French) Noodles.

Noir: (French) Black.

Noisette: 1) the French word for hazelnut. 2) A small, tender, round slice of meat (usually lamb, beef or veal) taken from the rib or loin

Nutmeg: This and mace come from the fruit of the same plant. This evergreen tree grows fruit with when dried gives both mace, which is the outer fruit and nutmeg which is the seed. Mace usually is bought dried and ground. While nutmeg is best when purchased whole. Shake the nut and listen for the rattle, purchase these, as they are the freshest. Used to enhance many dishes from rice and meats to desserts.

O'Brien: With diced pimiento and green pepper

Oeuf: the French word for egg.

Okara: residue that is left after the liquid is drained off when making soybean curd (tofu). Japanese use this in cooking and add this to soups and vegetable dishes.

Okashi: Japanese for confections, pastries and sweets.

Okra: A vegetable pod used mainly in gumbos, but also other soups, and served as a vegetable. Bindi. A pulpy vegetable also known as ladies fingers

Olivada: an Italian olive spread, which is generally a simple combination of pureed Italian black olives, olive oil and black pepper.

Omelet: Seasoned eggs that are beaten and fried. The eggs will puff up at which time; they are rolled or folded over. Open-faced: a sandwich consisting of one slice of bread topped with various ingredients such as sliced meat, cheese, pickles, etc. For the most part, open-faced sandwiches are cold, but there are also hot ones, which usually consist of bread topped with meat slices and gravy.

Orange roughy: a New Zealand fish that's low in fat, has firm white flesh and a mild flavor. It can be poached, baked, broiled or fried.

Orzo: a tiny, rice-shaped pasta that is ideal for soups and when served as a substitute for rice.

Osso buco: an Italian dish made of veal shanks braised with olive oil, white wine, stock, tomatoes, onions, garlic, anchovies, celery, carrots, and lemon peel.

Otaheiti Apple: Yet another fruit introduced from the Pacific by Captain Bligh, the pear-shaped otaheiti apple ranges from pink to ruby red in color. This fruit is usually eaten fresh, though it can be packed in red wine or turned into a refreshing cold drink.

Oyster sauce: a dark-brown sauce consisting of oysters, brine and soy sauce cooked until thick and concentrated. A popular Asian seasoning used to prepare many dishes (particularly stir fries) and as a table condiment. Oyster sauce imparts a richness to dishes without overpowering their natural flavor

Pakoras: To all intents and purposes the same as the Bhajia.

Palak or sag: Spinach.

Palm Hearts: Hearts of young palm trees.

Pan Broiling: To cook in an uncovered skillet where the fat is poured off during cooking.

Pan or Paan: Betel leaf folded around a stuffing lime paste or various spices and eaten after a meal as a digestive.

Pan-broil: To cook, uncovered, in an ungreased or lightly greased frying pan, pouring off fat as it accumulates.

Panch phoran: Five seeds. A mixture of five spices used in Bengali vegetable cooking, comprising equal amounts of cumin, fennel, fenugreek, custard and wild onion seeds.

Paneer: Cheese made from bottled milk, which can be fried and curried. Pan-fry: To cook in a frying pan in a small amount of fat.

Papadam, Papadom: Thin lentil flour wafers. When cooked (deep fried or baked) they expand to about 8 inches. They must be crackling crisp and warm when served. They come plain or spiced with lentils, pepper, garlic or chili.

Papaya: This native of South America is still called ""pawpaw"" by some. The papaya has an orange color when ripe, and it's bland flavor resembles that of a summer squash, making it a nice complement to the shaper flavors of other fruits. Green papaya is often used as an ingredient in chutney or relishes and makes a nice main dish when stuffed. When ripe, it is eaten as a melon, or served in fruit salad. Papaya juice makes a nice drink when sweetened with condensed milk or sugar.

Papillote: (French) Cooked in foil or parchment paper to seal in flavor, then served and cut open at table.

Paprika: Mild red pepper made from capsicums. It originally came from Hungary and only reached India this century. Its main use is to give red color to a dish. This is the ground dried fruit of various ripe pepper plants.

Paratha: A deep-fried bread.

Parboil: to simmer in liquid or fat until approximately 40 percent done.

Parboiling: To cook partially by boiling for a short period of time.

Pare: To peel To cut away outer skin using a small knife or vegetable peeler.

Parfait: a smooth textured iced dessert having a single flavor or a combination of flavors prepared from eggs, cream, sugar, flavors, etc. and placed in a mould or tall narrow glass.

Parisienne: small round cuts made with a small ball cutter; usually applied to potatoes.

Parmesan: a hard ripe sharp-flavored cheese, popular as a flavoring. Usually served by grating and sprinkled over pasta dishes.

Pasanda: Meat, usually lamb, beaten and cooked in one piece.

Passion Fruit, Maracudja, Granadilla: Oval-shaped fruit that has a tough shell and a color range from yellow-purple to eggplant to deep chocolate. The golden-yellow pulp is sweet and tropically exotic, and must be strained to remove the seeds. Used primarily in juices, desserts, drinks and sauces.

Pasta: a paste made from hard flour, salt, water, and frequently eggs. The dough is made into many shapes before being cooked in a liquid. For example macaroni, spaghetti, penne, ravioli.

Pastry bag: a flexible canvas or plastic funnel used to force a soft mass of food into decorative shapes through a pastry tube, or tip.

Pastry: sweet baked food made with a flour-shortening-liquid dough

Paté a choux: puff pastry.

Paté de foie gras: a cold appetizer made with goose liver combined with fat and seasoning and blended into a smooth paste and then baked.

Paté: a dish of ground meat, poultry, or fish that is wrapped and baked in bacon, pork fat, or pastry. It is well seasoned and served cold.

Patia: Restaurant seafood curry with thick, dark brown, sweet and sour sauce.

Patna: A long grain rice.

Peche: (French) Peach.

Peel: To strip, cut off, or pull away skin or rind.

Petit: (French) Small.

Petits fours: 1) tiny fancy iced cakes. 2) Small rich cookies in decorative shapes

Phal or phall: A very hot curry (the hottest) invented by restaurants.

Piaz, peeaz or pyaz: Onion.

Pickles: Pungent, hot pickled vegetables or meat essential to an Indian meal. Most common are lime, mango and chilli.

Pilaf: a method of cooking rice, covered, with sautéed onion and just enough stock to be completely absorbed. Pimento: Just to keep things interesting, Jamaicans call what the world knows as allspice "Pimento"--a word that elsewhere refers o bell peppers or chiles. The more global name refers to the allspice berry, which has the taste of nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper and clove its embrace.

Pipe: to force a mass of food through a pastry tube to make special decorations or shapes.

Piquant: sharp-flavored, spicy.

Pista magaz: Pistachio nut, a fleshy, tasty nut, which can be used fresh (the greener the better) or salted. It is expensive ad goes well in savory or sweet dishes such as biriani or pista kulfi (ice cream).

Pit: To remove the seed from whole fruits such as apricots, avocados, and cherries.

Planked: served on a board.

Plantain: Technically a banana-family fruit, but generally regarded as a vegetable. Inedible raw, cooked plantains are served as appetizers or starchy side dishes. The unripe (green), ripe (yellow) and very ripe (dark) plantains are used in cooking. They become

Plum sauce: a dipping sauce consisting of plums preserved in vinegar, sweetened with sugar and flavored with chilies and spices.

Poach: to cook submerged in liquid at temperatures of approximately 160 degrees to 180 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees to 82 degrees Celsius).

Podina: Mint leaves or powder.

Poha: Pounded rice.

Poisson: French term for fish.

Poivrade: with pepper; peppery.

Polonaise: served with bread crumbs, chopped egg, chopped parsley and brown butter.

Pommes frites: French fries. Poppy seeds: Khus Khus, a spice from the seeds of the poppy plant. Very distinct nutty flavor that enhances breads, naan, pastry. Also used in ground meat dishes, such as kabobs.

Pot au feu: a French method of preparing a clear soup, beef, and vegetables in one pot.

Pot roast: a large cut of meat braised whole in a pot and sliced for service.

Potage: 1) a soup naturally thickened by a puree of its major ingredients. 2) In French, any of several different kinds of soup. 3) The soup course on a menu

Poultry: edible birds raised domestically for human consumption.

Prawn puri: Prawns in a hot sauce served on puri bread.

Prime rib: a 7-rib cut of beet from the forequarter.

Prime: to polish a cooking surface at high heat with salt and fat or oil to overcome its porous ness.

Processed cheese: an emulsified, homogenized blend of grated natural cheeses.

Produce: fresh fruits and vegetables as they come from the market.

Profiterole: served with a garniture of pate a choux.

Provencale: in the style of Provence, usually with garlic and tomato.

Pullao rice: The restaurant name for rice fried with spices and colored yellow.

Pullao: Rice and meat or vegetables cooked together in a pan until tender. In many restaurants the ingredients are mixed after cooking to save time.

Pulses: Types of lentils.

Punch down: To expel air from a risen yeast dough by pushing it down with fists or a mixing with a dough hook.

Puree: to mash a cooked product into a fine pulp, usually by forcing it through a sieve or blender. To rub food through a strainer, or to whirl food in a blender or a food processor, to a smooth mixture Puri: A deep fried unleavened bread about 4 inches in diameter. It puffs up when cooked and should be served at once.

Quadrettini: small flat squares of pasta.

Quahaug: Atlantic Coast clam. Used in Clam Chowder. See Quahog.

Quahog: the American Indian name for the East Coast hard-shell clam. The term "quahog" is also sometimes used to describe the largest of these hard-shell clams. See Quahaug.

Quas chawal or kesar chaval: Rice fried in ghee, flavored and colored with saffron.

Quatre épices: a French phrase meaning "four spices," referring to any of several finely ground spice mixtures. Though there's no standard mixture for quatre épices, the blend is usually mixed from the following selection: pepper (usually white), nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon or cloves. Quatre épices is used to flavor soups, stews and vegetables.

Quenelle: a light, delicate dumpling made of seasoned, minced or ground fish, meat or vegetables bound with eggs. This mixture is formed into small ovals and gently poached in stock. Quenelles are usually served with a rich sauce and can be used as a first course, main course or garnish. A poached dumpling (oval) usually made of veal or chicken.

Quiche: consists of a pastry shell filled with a savory custard made of eggs, cream, seasonings and various other ingredients such as onions, mushrooms, ham, shellfish or herbs. The most notable of these savory pies is the quiche Lorraine, which has crisp bacon bits (and sometimes gruyere cheese) added to the custard filling.

Quick-chill: to lower the temperature of a just-cooked product to below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius) within two minutes.

Ragout: a flavorful stew made of meat fish or poultry, poached or braised with or without vegetables.

Rai: Mustard seed.

Raita: A cooling chutney of yogurt and vegetable, cucumber for instance, which accompanies the main meal.

Rajama: Red kidney beans. Ramekin: Small earthenware shallow baking dish. The foods cooked in these are also served in them.

Rancidity: chemical deterioration of fats or oils characterized by stale, unpleasant taste and smell.

Ras Amrit: Coconut milk with jaggery.

Rasgulla: Walnut-sized balls of semolina and cream cheese cooked in syrup (literal meaning juicy balls). They are white or pale gold in color and served cold or

Rasher: Thin slice of bacon or a portion consisting of 3 slices of bacon.

Rashmi kebab: Kebab minced meat inside a net-like omelet casing.

Rasin, Raisin: Dried grape.

Rasmalai: Rasgullas cooked in cream and served cold. A very rich sweet.

Ratin jot: Alkanet root. Beetroot colored, dried, wafer-thin bark of the root. It is used as a deep red dye to make-up, clothing and food. Traditionally the Northerners obtained their red tandoori and rhogan josh gosht coloring from it.

Recipe: an abbreviated set of directions for making a product, including a list of ingredients and instructions for combining them.

Reduce: to boil or simmer a liquid until it reaches a smaller volume through evaporation. A reduced liquid will have a greater concentration of flavor. If it contains starch, it will become thicker.

Reduction: a product reduced in volume by boiling or simmering. A mixture of highly flavored ingredients, which are reduced by 70 to 80 percent and added to a sauce to provide its major flavor.

Refrigerator: cooled storage area kept at temperatures of 35 degrees to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7 degrees to 4.4 degrees Celsius).

Relishes: 1) sticks or cuts of raw vegetables, pickles and olives served as appetizers. 2) bottled condiment mixtures such as pickle relish or chutney

Render: to heat pieces of animal fat to separate the fat from connective tissue. Requisition: an in-house form used to order supplies from a storeroom or purchasing department.

Rest: to let stand. e.g. a roast is rested to allow the juices to settle into the flesh.

Rhogan josh gosht: Literally means red juice lamb. It can be spelt dozens of ways. It is a traditional Northern Indian dish. Lamb is marinated in yogurt then cooked with ghee and spices and tomato. It should be creamy and spicy but not too hot.

Rissole: browned.

Roast: to cook by heated air, usually in an enclosed space such as an oven or barbecue bit, but also on a revolving spit before an open fires. Roasting usually refers to meats.

Roaster: 1) a roasting pan. 2) Poultry: a young bird tender enough to roast but less tender than a fryer. A roaster chicken is usually 3-5 months old; a roaster duckling or fryer-roaster turkey is usually under 15 weeks old

Roe: fish eggs.

Roll: to pass a product through a powdery substance; to dredge.

Roquefort: a ripened, crumbly, sharp flavored semi-soft cheese with blue veins of mold, imported from Roquefort, France; used in salads and dressings, canapé toppings, and also as a dessert cheese.

Rosewater: Ruh gulab. A clear essence extracted from rose petals to give fragrance to sweets.

Roti: the Hindi word for bread, a flat bread similar to tortilla.

Roti: the French word for roasted.

Roulade: French word for a roll. A thin piece of veal, beef, or pork flattened, spread with a filling, rolled and secured before being cooked.

Roux: a thickening agent of fat and flour in a 1 to 1 ratio by weight, made by blending and cooking over low heat. A white roux is one that is cooked until thick and foamy; a blond roux is one cooked until its color is blond; a brown roux is cooked until it looks brown and tastes nutty. Ruh gulab: Rosewater.

Sabayon: A sauce resembling custard, mainly used for puddings or vanilla ice cream. Sabayon is made of wine, sugar, and egg yolks. You must heat the sauce over a double boiler, watch the heat or you will make scrambled eggs.

Sabzi: A generic term for vegetables.

Saccharin: A product made from coal tar, used as a substitute for sugar. Saccharin has no food value.

Sachet bag: Cloth bag filled with select herbs used to season soups or stocks. Usually added to the cooking pot for a stock, soup, sauce or stew, and removed before finishing the dish or serving.

Saffron: The pistil of the crocus plant, used for flavoring or coloring of food.

Sag or saag: Spinach.

Saibhaji: Lentils (channa dhal) and cooked spinach with dill.

Salad oil: Oil made from vegetables or seeds, such as corn or sunflower.

Salad: a dish made up of cut-up raw or cooked foods, usually accompanied by a flavorful dressing, served cold as an appetizer, main course, side dish, or separate salad course following the main course.

Salamander: A small broiler used to brown or gratin foods. The broiler can achieve very high temperature to seal in the flavor.

Saltfish: Saltfish is any fried, salted fish, but most often cod. With the increasing availability of fresh fish from all over the world, cooks are moving away from this preserved fish.

Sambal oelek: is a paste made from ground chilies and salt. It can be used as an ingredient or an accompaniment.

Sambals: A Malayan term describing the side dishes accompanying the meal.

Sambar: A south Indian vegetable curry made largely from lentils.

Samosa: The celebrated triangular deep fried meat or vegetable patties served as starters or snacks. Sanuf: Aniseed

Sarson ka sag: Mustard leaves

Sauce verte: a cold sauce made by adding parsley and spinach juices to mayonnaise.

Sauce: a thickened, seasoned liquid used to enhance a dish. A basic sauce is an unseasoned sauce used for making finished sauces. A finished sauce is a completed sauce ready for service.

Saunf or souf: Aniseed or fennel.

Sausage: highly spiced ground-meat mixture. Breakfast sausage is usually made with raw fresh pork, often put in casings. Cold-meat mixtures such as bologna and salami are also examples of sausages.

Sauté: to cook quickly in a small amount of fat moving the pan to toss the food.

Scald: To heat milk to just below the boiling point (when tiny bubbles appear around edge of pan).

Scallion: young onion, also called green onion or spring onion.

Scaloppini: very thin slices of tender meat, often flattened by pounding, usually pan- fried. Sometime served a veal scaloppini.

Score: To cut shallow grooves or slits through surface or outer layer of food to speed cooking, to prevent edge fat of meat from curling, or to make decorative pattern.

Sear: to expose the surface of meat to extreme heat in a hot pan or oven for the purpose of browning before cooking at a lower temperature; a partial-cooking process.

Season: 1) to heighten a food's own flavor by adding seasonings. 2) To prime a cooking surface.

Seasonings: substances that heighten the taste of a food without altering that taste or adding their own flavors. Substances that do this when properly used include salt, pepper, and fresh lemon juice.

Seeng: Drumstick. A bean-like variety of marrow, which looks exactly like a drumstick. Seenl: Allspice. Related to the clove family, the seed resembles small dried peas. Called allspice because its aroma seems to combine those of clove, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and pepper. This spice is used much more in European cooking than Indian.

Sesame Oil: Very light and colorless oil. This can be purchased in Indian stores, but is not the same product as Chinese sesame oil, which is roasted first, which makes it dark and aromatic.

Shallot: the bulb of a plant of the onion family, similar in flavor to onions but mild and rather delicate.

Shami kebab: Round minced meat rissoles.

Shashlik: Cubes of skewered meat.

Sheek or seekh kebab: Spiced minced meat shaped on a skewer and grilled or barbecued.

Shellfish: fish having shells, as opposed to finfish.

Shish kebab: small pieces of meat roasted or broiled on skewers, often with vegetables or even fruit, such as pineapple.

Shortening (solid): A solid fat made from refined vegetable oil that has been partially hydrogenated and whipped.

Shred: to cut into very fine strips or pieces or grate into thin, irregular strips

Shuck: To remove an outer covering, such as the husks and silk of corn or the shells of oysters.

Shuck: to remove the outer covering, such as shells from oysters or husks from corn.

Sift: To lighten or remove lumps from dry ingredients, such as flour or powdered sugar, by passing them through a fine strainer or sifter.

Sil batta: A pair of grinding stones: Sil, large stone, batta, or a small pounder.

Simmer: to cook submerged in liquid just below a boil, at temperatures upwards of 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius). A simmering liquid has bubbles floating up slowly from the bottom, and the surface is fairly quiet. Skewer: a spear on which foods are cooked or presented.

Skim: To remove fat or scum from the surface of a liquid with a spoon.

Slice: a cross cut 1/8 to 3/8 inch thick. To slice: to cut into even slices, usually across the grain

Slurry: a flour-water mixture (equal parts by volume) used as a thickener for sauces; sometimes called a whitewash.

Small sauce: a sauce deriving from a mother sauce made by adding flavoring and seasonings; also called a secondary sauce.

Smoke point: the temperature at which a fat smokes, indicating that its chemical structure is breaking down and is no longer suitable for cooking.

Smorgasbord: a buffet of Swedish-type foods - hors d'oeuvres, seafood and fish, cold meats, salads, hot casseroles.

Smother: to mask.

Sommelier: an individual who is expected to have extensive knowledge of wines and their suitability with various dishes.

Sonf or Soonf: Fennel seed.

Sont or sonth: Dry ginger.

Sorbet: fruit flavored water ice. If egg white is added to give it a foamy texture, it may be called sherbet.

Sorportel: A Goan pork dish with heart, liver and meat.

Soufflé: a common name given to a light and fluffy baked food, which contains stiffly, beaten egg whites. Egg whites cause the soufflé to rise, producing the light fluffy consistency.

Soursop: Elongated, spike-covered fruit, slightly tart and delicately flavored. It is used mainly in drinks, punches, sherbets and ice cream.

Spaetzle: a soft pasta made by putting a batter of flour, milk, eggs, and salt through a colander into boiling liquid; used as a noodle, but usually a dumpling with braised meats and stews. Can be placed on top of foods or as a base. Spice: a plant product, usually dried, having a distinctive flavor and aroma that is used in small quantities to flavor foods.

Spit: a revolving skewer used for roasting meats before an open fire or radiant-heat l.

Squab: a tender young pigeon about four weeks old, usually weighing less than 1 pound.

Star Anise: Anasphal, fruit of a tree in the magnolia family. Dried or ground. Same intense flavor of aniseed but even more so. Dark brown in color. Used by the Chinese with chicken dishes. The Indians use this spice with rice dishes and meat curries.

Star Apple: The star apple is a succulent round fruit about the size of an orange.

Steak: 1) fish: a crosscut section of the body of a large pan-dressed fish. 2) Meat: a tender cut from the rib, loin, sirloin, tenderloin, round or chuck

Steam table: a holding device for keeping a number of different hot foods hot while awaiting service; pans are heated by steam from below.

Steam: to cook with steam, usually in a cabinet-type cooker under pressure or on a rack over boiling water. Steam cooking under pressure is hotter and faster than cooking in liquid. To cook in water vapors, on a rack or in a steam basket, in a covered pan above boiling water

Steep: to leave immersed in a liquid over a period of time in order to convey flavor to the liquid, as tea leaves are steeped in boiling water to make tea.

Stew: a dish composed of meat, poultry or fish simmered or braised together with other ingredients at low temperatures and served with the cooking liquid, which is usually thickened to make a sauce.

Stir: Using a spoon or whisk in a broad, circular motion, to mix ingredients without beating in air, or to prevent them from sticking.

Stir-fry: To cook small food pieces of food quickly in a small amount of fat over high heat in a wide pan or wok, stirring constantly.

Stock: a flavored liquid used in making soups, sauces, and sauce-based entrees.

Strain: to remove lumps or particles from a liquid by passing it through a fine mesh of clothe or metal. Stuffing: a flavorful product stuffed into a cavity of a bird, fish, meat or vegetable.

Subja seeds: grown from a variety of the basil plant, grows wild. Appear as black tiny tear shaped seeds. They lack taste or smell, but have a very strange texture that is furry and yet crunchy. Usually made into chilled drinks such as falooda.

Succotash: corn and lima beans cooked separately and mixed together.

Supari: Mixture of seeds and sweeteners for chewing after a meal. Usually includes aniseed or fennel, shredded betel nut, sugar balls, marrow seeds etc.

Supremes: skinless, boned chicken, turkey, or game bird breasts usually with one wing bone attached. Also can mean boneless, skinless fillets of fish.

Sweat: to soften over low heat to permit juices to come out.

Sweetbreads: certain glands of an animal, often considered a great delicacy.

Sweetsop: An interesting challenge to eat, the flesh of the sweetsop is actually a collection of black seeds surrounded by sweet white pulp. The sweetsop is native to the tropical Americas.

Swiss cheese: a mild, firm ripened cheese known by its holes; used in sandwiches, on the buffet and in cooking.

Tabasco: Hot red pepper sauce. This is a brand name of the red pepper sauce.

Table d'hote: a full course meal at a set price, usually a limited choice for each course. tahini paste: made from crushed sesame seeds.

Taipal or jaiphal: Nutmeg.

Tamarind sauce: made from the acid-tasting fruit of the tamarind tree. If unavailable, soak 30 grams dried tamarind in a cup of water, let stand 10 minutes, squeeze the pulp dry and use the flavored water.

Tamarind: This decorative tree produces brown pods containing a sweet and tangy pulp that's used for flavoring everything from beverages to curries and sauces-- including Angostura bitters. Tandoori: A style of charcoal cooking originating in northwest India. This was originally it was confined to chicken and lamb and naan bread. More recently it is applied to seafood. The meat is marinated in a reddened yogurt sauce and placed in the tandoor.

Tapioca: a starch made from cassava plant, used as a thickener.

Taraazu: Weighing scales.

Tarbooj ke beej: Watermelon seeds.

Tarka dhal: Lentils fried and garnished with spices.

Tarka: Garnish of spices/onions.

Tart: A shallow open-face savory or sweet pie, or similarly shaped dessert.

Tartar sauce: a cold sauce made with mayonnaise, chopped onions, chopped capers, chopped dill pickle, lightly flavored with mustard; served with fish.

Tava or tawa: Heavy steel shallow frying pan. Used to cook the roti.

Tej patia: This well known (Bay Leaf) is used fresh or dried in certain Indian recipes.

Tej patta: Bay leaf

Tender-crisp: A test for doneness of vegetables where they are cooked through but are still slightly crunchy.

Tenderloin: boneless cut of muscle from the loin section of an animal.

Tent: To cover meat or poultry loosely with a piece of foil.

Terrine: a pate, usually encase in fat and baked in a special earthenware dish.

Texture: the quality of a product or dish perceivable by the sense of feel: its consistency, thick/thin, smooth/coarse, tender/tough, and crisp/soft qualities.

Thaali: A tray, which holds the complete meal, served in individual bowls (katori)..

Thickening agent: a substance that increases the viscosity of a liquid, and makes it harder to pour. Common thickening agents are starches and gelatin. Tikka: Skewered meat, chicken or seafood, marinated then barbecued or tandoori baked.

Til: Sesame seed.

Timbale: 1) a small mold. 2) A dish cooked, served, or molded tomato sauce, a red sauce made from brown stock thickened with tomato puree and roux. An unseasoned tomato sauce may function as a mother sauce; a seasoned tomato sauce is a finished sauce.

Tinda: A vegetable of the cucumber family.

Tindaloo: See vindaloo.

Toor or toovar: Type of lentil.

Toss: To mix lightly but rapidly by lifting and turning ingredients with two forks or spoons. To mix with a rising and falling action

Tossed garden salad: a combination of all garden vegetables in season.

Tournedos: a steak cut from the center section of a filet of beef about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick - sautéed, grilled or broiled.

Tourner: to turn; to shape with a knife by rotating knife and product in opposite direction.

Tranche: slice of bacon or other meat, or of fish or bread.

Tripe: The edible lining of stomach (beef).

Truffle: a flavorful black fungus that grows underground and is harvested by pigs. The pigs are used because of their exceptional ability to find these truffles. The truffle is a popular, though expensive ingredient in classical garnitures

Truss: to tie meat or poultry to be roasted into a compact shape, such as tying the legs and wings of a bird close to the body for even cooking

Tukmeria or tulsi: Black seeds of a basil family plant. Look like poppy seeds. Used in drinks. Turmeric: Root of the turmeric plant. When ground is a bright yellow spice often used in curry. Turmeric has a more bitter taste than saffron. Turmeric is used mainly in Indian and southeast Asian cooking.

Tusci: Basil.

Udo: a Japanese vegetable that belongs to the ginseng family. Its tender stalks resemble asparagus but have a light fennel flavor. Udo is used raw in salads or lightly cooked in soups and other dishes.

Udon: a thick Japanese noodle similar to spaghetti. It can be round or squared and can be made from wheat or corn flour.

Udrak: Ginger.

Umeboshi: pickled Japanese plums that are picked before they're ripe, then soaked in brine and red shiso leaves, the latter of which adds flavor and a pink coloring. This Japanese condiment is very salty and tart and is a popular adjunct to most Japanese meals, including breakfast.

Unleavened: baked goods (breads, cakes, etc.) that contain no leavener, such as baking powder, baking soda or yeast.

Unsaturated fat: A kind of fat that is in liquid form at room temperature.

Urid: A type of lentil. Its husk is black and it comes whole, split or polished. It is available as a dhal dish in some restaurants.

Urn: a large coffeemaker.

Vanaspati: Starch.

Vark or varak: Edible silver or gold foil.

Veloute: (French) A sauce made with veal stock, cream, and tightened with a white roux.

Veloute: a sauce made from a light stock and roux.

Venison: flesh of deer.

Vert: (French) Green. Viande: (French) Meat.

Vichy: boiled and served with butter and parsley, usually applied to carrots.

Vichyssoise: a cold soup made with leeks, potatoes, chicken stock, milk, and cream.

Viennoise: Vienna style; with capers, lemon, hard cooked eggs, parsley, olives, and anchovies.

Vilayati saunf: See aniseed.

Vinaigrette: French for a cold sauce based on vinegar, wine vinegar is best, oil, and seasonings often called French dressing.

Vindaloo: A fiery hot dish from Goa. Traditionally it was pork marinated in vinegar with potato (aloo). In the restaurant it has now come to mean just a very hot dish. Also sometimes called Bindaloo or Tindaloo.

Vol au vent: a round or oval case made of puff pastry, which can be filled with different hot food items and served as an entree.

Waffle: a breakfast bread or cake made from a leavened flour-liquid-egg-oil batter and cooked in a waffle iron.

Waldorf Salad: A salad made with apples, celery, nuts, whip cream, and mayonnaise on a bed of lettuce.

Warsaw sauce: cream sauce with horseradish and orange juice.

Well done, meat: fully cooked; having a hot moist center with no pink color remaining.

West Indian Pumpkin: A member of the gourd, squash and melon family, this squash is also known as calabaza. Possessing a sweet flavor similar to that of butternut squash, this firm-textured vegetable is commonly found in soups, stews, breads and sweetened puddings. Though hardly the same, the best substitutes for calabaza are Hubbard, butternut and acorn squash.

Western: chopped ham, onion, and green pepper in an egg mixture fried as a toasted sandwich filling or as an omelet.

Whetstone: a special stone used for sharpening knives; often called the stone. Whey: the watery liquid remaining after milk protein (curd) has coagulated.

Whip: To beat rapidly with a whisk, or electric mixer, incorporating air to lighten a mixture and increase its volume.

Whip: to beat with a rapid lifting motion to incorporate air into a product.

Whisk: To beat with a whisk; a tool with a multiple thin-wire base.

White sauce: a sauce made by thickening a light stock or milk with roux.

White wine sauce: fish veloute with cream and a reduction of fish stock, white wine, mushrooms and peppercorns.

Whitewash: see slurry.

Xacutti: A Goan dish that uses chicken and coconut.

Xanthan gum: produced from the fermentation of corn sugar, xanthan gum is used as a thickener, emulsifier and stabilizer in foods such as dairy products and salad dressings.

Ximenia: A small plant found in hot climates in which there fruits are known as mountain plums or wild limes.

Yakimono: the Japanese term for foods (usually meat) that are grilled, broiled or pan- fried. The ingredients are generally either marinated in sauce or salted. They're then skewered so they retain their shape and grilled over a hot fire so the skin (if any) is very crisp while the meat stays tender and juicy.

Yakitori: a Japanese term meaning, "grilled" (yaki) "fowl" (tori), usually refers to small pieces of marinated chicken that are skewered and grilled. Refers to a type of food preparation rather than consisting of only fowl. Can include meat, fish, shrimp and even a type of Japanese meatball.

Yam: Similar in size and color to the potato, but nuttier in flavor, it is not be confused with the Southern sweet yam or sweet potato. Caribbean yams are served boiled, mashed or baked.

Yams: Sweet potato. Yarrow: any of several very pungent, aromatic herbs found in Europe and North America. Known as milfoil in Europe, yarrow has a very strong aroma and flavor and is therefore used sparingly to flavor salads, soups and occasionally egg dishes.

Yautía: A member of the taro root family, the yautía is the size of a potato, but more pear-shaped. It has a brown fuzzy outer skin. The flesh is white and slimy and is custard-like when cooked. It is one of the most natural thickeners, used to thicken soups, stews, and bean dishes. There is also a purple yautía, which is also called mora.

Yeast: A microscopic, single-cell organism that converts its food into alcohol and carbon dioxide through a process known as fermentation.

Yellow sauce: butter sauce, made by emulsifying liquid butter and egg yolks.

Yield: 1) the quantity of finished product a given recipe will produce, often expressed in number of servings of a specified size. 2) The edible portion of a raw product, usually expressed as a percentage

Yorkshire pudding: made with a batter of eggs, milk and flour, baked in beef drippings until puffy, crisp and golden brown. It may be prepared in a shallow baking dish, muffin tins or other small containers, or in the same pan as the roast. Like a hot soufflé, Yorkshire pudding will deflate shortly after it's removed from the oven.

Yosenabe: a type of one-pot meal consisting of chicken, seafood and vegetables all combined in a single pot of seasoned broth.

Yucca: Root vegetable similar in length and shape to a turnip, with scaly yam-like skin. Universally made into flour for breads and cakes, and used as a base for tapioca.

Yuzu: a sour Japanese citrus fruit, which is used almost exclusively for its aromatic rind. The rind of the yuzu (which is about the size of a tangerine) has an aroma that's distinct from lemons and limes or any other Western citrus fruit. Yuzu rind is used as a garnish or small slivers are added to various dishes to enhance their flavor.

Zabaglione: an ethereal dessert made by whisking together egg yolks, wine (traditionally marsala) and sugar. This beating is done over simmering water so that the egg yolks cook as they thicken into a light, foamy custard. Traditional zabaglione must be made just before serving. In France it's called sabayon or sabayon sauce. Zahtar: a spice blend comprised of sesame seeds mixed with powdered sumac and dried thyme. It's sprinkled over meats and vegetables, or mixed with oil as a spread for bread. Zahtar can be found in Middle Eastern markets.

Zakuska: a Russian hors d'oeuvres, which could include any of a variety of foods such as anchovies, blinis, caviar, cheeses, fish, oysters and fish- or meat-filled pastries.

Zedoary: root of a plant with a thin brown skin, orange interior. Blended taste of ginger, turmeric and mango. Used mainly as a pickle or in soups and chutneys. Stains.

Zest: Citrus rind, The colored outer portion of a citrus fruit, contains flavorful oils. Only the colored portion of the skin (and not the white pith) is considered the zest.

Zingara, à la: this French phrase translates to "gypsy style" and refers to a garnish consisting of chopped ham, tongue, mushrooms and truffles combined with tomato sauce, tarragon and sometimes madeira. This garnish is served with meat, poultry and sometimes eggs.

Ziti: long, thin tubes of macaroni.

Zucchini: Green Italian squash.

Zwieback: refers to bread that is baked, cut into slices and then returned to the oven until very crisp and dry. Zwieback, which has a hint of sweetness to it, is popular for its digestibility and is often served to younger children or to people who have digestive problems.