Your Guide to

Emirates Cuisine
Service Training

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Contents

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Pronunciation Guide

Cooking Methods

Hors doeuvres

20

Soups

28

Salads

32

Main Meals

36

Vegetables

56

Pasta, Cereal and Grains

66

Sauces and Dressings

74

Desserts

84

Fruits, Nuts and Berries

94

Cheese

102

Bakery Items

116

Herbs and Spices

124

Condiments

132

Beverages

138

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Cooking provides us not only with sustenance. A meal can be a social

event; it is often a conversation piece in its own right; and it is perhaps
the most fascinating meeting of art and science. The artistic and scientific
value of cooking was a subject worthy of Socrates attention and has been
debated by countless great thinkers since, as we have learned more about
the nature of our foods, how they are transformed by cooking and when
and why our culinary habits have changed.
Most of us enjoy our food. A little knowledge of where it comes from,
how it is prepared and how it is presented to us enhances that enjoyment.
So, while this booklet cannot cover the subject exhaustively, it will give
you plenty of fundamental information you can share with our Emirates
customers, when appropriate, so that everyone gets more out of meal
times.
Understanding the food you serve will also give you extra confidence.
You'll be comfortable answering questions about every aspect of a meal,
from its name to its ingredients and its origins.
To make it easy to absorb this information, we've divided it into numerous
sections in a logical order. Each section presents a single element of
the culinary experience: an introduction gives you a broad view of the
subject and some anecdotal history where possible; and the bulk of
the section offers detailed examples.
The pronunciation guide at the start of this booklet will help you with
uncommon phrases throughout all sections.
We hope you learn and enjoy using this informative product guide to
enhance your service delivery skills to our customers!
Service Training

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Pronunciation Guide
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Pronunciation Guide
Basic sounds used for this glossary are:

Unusual terms featured in this culinary glossary are accompanied

by pronunciations enclosed in brackets [-].

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as in pan

ah

as in rather

air

as in bare

ay

as in mate

ch

as in church

ee

as in meat

eh

as in get

as in go

as in rice

ih

as in tip

as in jazz

as in kite

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Pronunciation Guide

as in rod

oh

as in coat

oo

as in mood

ow

as in how

sh

as in shirt

th

as in thick

uh

as in up

ur

as in pert

zh

as in seizure

Cooking Methods
7

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Cooking Methods

La King [alla king]

Served in a velout with green pepper.

Air-Dried Meats
Air-drying is a preservation method from the days before refrigeration where meat is
cooked dry in an oven until the moisture disappears.

Alla Primavera [pree-muh-vehr-uh]

This Italian phrase means spring style and refers to the use of fresh vegetables
(raw or blanched), as a garnish to various dishes. One of the most popular dishes
prepared in this manner is pasta primavera pasta tossed or topped with diced or
julienne vegetables.

Amandine [ah-mahn-deen]
Dishes garnished with toasted almonds, e.g. broccoli
amandine.

We can define cooking generally as the transfer of energy from

a heat source into food. But the definition hardly does justice
to the array of flavours, textures and colours we can produce
by combining foods, various methods of cooking and a
myriad of equipment and utensils from around the world.
This section introduces us to the key methods and equipment
used to prepare dishes that might appear on Emirates menus.

Arabic Style
With tomato, coriander and baharat spices.

Barbecue [bahr-buh-kyoo]
Method of slow grilling meats using indirect heat
or smoke, typically from charcoal.

Blanch [blahnch]
Cooking method by which food is briefly plunged into boiling water and then
immediately into cold water to stop the cooking process. Often used before freezing
vegetables.

Braise [brayz]
Cooking method for meat, fish or
vegetables, where the food is slowly
cooked in hot fat and liquid in a
covered dish.

Brochette [broh-sheht]
French for skewer. Cubes of meat or
fish and vegetables threaded onto a
skewer and then grilled or barbecued.

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Cooking Methods

Cooking Methods

Broil [br-oil]

Cure [k-ye-oh-r]

A method of cooking by intense, direct heat.

A method of preserving and flavouring food (such as meat, cheese or fish), by treating
it with salt and leaving it to hang for a period of time, or by exposing it to smoke.

Brunoise [broo-nwahz]
Small, diced vegetables used as a garnish.

Cutlet [k-uht-let]
a. Thin, tender cut of meat taken from the leg or rib section.

Cajun [kay-jun]
A style of cooking associated with the South America, especially Louisiana. Dishes are
typically coated with spices, onions and green pepper.

Caramelise [kar-uh-muh-lize]
To heat sugar until it liquifies and becomes a clear syrup ranging in colour from golden to
dark brown.

b. Finely chopped meat, fish, poultry or vegetables that is bound with a sauce or
egg mixture and formed into a cutlet shape. It is often dipped into beaten egg and
breadcrumbs before being fried.

Dauphinoise [doh-fee-noo-ahs]
French method for cooking thinly sliced potatoes in a gratin dish with cream, cheese
and garlic.

Chargrill [ch-ah-r-gr-ill]

Devilled [deh-vihld]

To grill food over charcoal.

Hotly-spiced, usually with hot mustard, black pepper or chilli.

Concass [con-cah-say]
The French term for chopping or pounding a
substance; either coarsely or finely. The term may
be applied to vegetables, herbs, meat, poultry,

Duchess [duch-his]
Pured potatoes, piped or formed into small, decorative shapes
and baked.

Dumpling [duhm-pling]

game and fish bones.

Small parcels of food. An outer casing of dough or pastry,

Cornets [kor-nay/kor-neht]
French for horn, meaning horn-shaped or cone-shaped.

typically stuffed with meat, seafood or vegetables.

mince [ay-mans]

Coulis [coo-lee]
a. A liquid pure of cooked and seasoned vegetables or shellfish used to enhance

French term for food chopped into small slices.

Emulsify [eh-muhl-sih-fi]

the flavour of a sauce, as an ingredient in soups, or as a sauce in itself.

b. Fruit coulis are sauces of cooked or raw fruits and served as an accompaniment

To combine fats, such as butter or oil, with

to hot or cold desserts.

vinegar or citric juices using an emulsifier

such as an egg yolk, which binds to each

Crole [kree-ohl]

set of ingredients to create a smooth and

A cooking style from Louisiana, USA. Usually

even blend. Hollandaise is a classic

flavoured and garnished with tomatoes and

emulsified sauce.

peppers.

Encrote [on-croot]

Croquette [kroh-keht]

Cooked in pastry.

Minced meat or vegetables combined with

Escalope [eh-skuhl-ohp]

a thick, white sauce and seasonings, then

dipped in beaten egg and breadcrumbs
and deep-fried until crisp and brown.

Thin slice of meat, fish or poultry, often

beaten thinner for quick cooking and usually pan fried. The classic method of preparing
veal escalope is to coat it with breadcrumbs.

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Cooking Methods

Cooking Methods

Farce/Forcemeat [fahrs]

Gratin/Gratinated [grah-tehn/grah-tee-nay-ted]

A seasoned mixture of raw or cooked ingredients, chopped or minced (ground). Used to

Dish topped with cheese or breadcrumbs and heated in the oven until brown and crispy.

stuff eggs, fish, poultry, game, meat, vegetables or pasta.

Fillet [fih-lay]

Grill [gri-ih-ll]
A method of cooking by intense, dry heat.

A boneless piece of meat or fish.

Gumbo [guhm-boh]

Florentine [flohr-ehn-teen]

A Creole speciality and cooking style found typically in the Gulf of Mexico in the USA.

a. In the style of Florence, Italy a term that indicates the use of spinach in a dish.

Gumbo is a thick, soupy stew of vegetables, fish or seafood and is spicy in flavour.

e.g. eggs florentine.

It is thickened with okra, as is typical for Cajun cooking, giving the dish its distinctive

b. Small biscuit of nuts and dried fruit covered with chocolate on one side.

texture.

Fondant potatoes [fon-do]

Hash

Cooked in the oven with stock.

Finely-chopped raw or cooked meat, poultry, fish or vegetables.

Fondue [fon-doo]

Julienne [joo-lee-ehn]

French for melt. Can refer to food cooked in a central

Foods that have been cut or shredded into thin, matchstick strips.

pot at the table or, in French cooking, finely-chopped

The julienne is cooked in butter in a covered pan until quite soft

vegetables that have been reduced to a pulp by

and then used as a garnish, especially for soups and consomms.

lengthy and slow cooking.

Raw vegetables can also be cut as a julienne and served as an

hors d'uvre.

Frite [friht]

Leonardo [lee-oh-nahr-doh]

French for fried.

Garnished with cream, mushrooms and vegetable julienne.

Fritter
Piece of food dipped in batter and deep-fried. It can be sweet or savoury.

Fumet [foo-may]
A concentrated stock made from fish, poultry
or game and used as a base for sauces.

Glc [glah-say]
French for glazed. Demi-glc means
half-glazed.

Glaze [glayz]
1. Smooth and shiny coating applied to food
as a thin liquid which then sets.
2. A syrupy substance obtained by reducing
meat, game or fish stock.

Lyonnaise [lee-oh-nayz]
Preparation method associated with the cuisine of Lyon, France, and characterised by
the use of chopped onions, which are sauted, glazed in butter until golden and often
finished off with the pan juices and sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Macdoine [mas-eh-dwahn]
A mixture of diced fruits or vegetables.
Served hot or cold, either cooked or raw.

Marinade
[ma- ree-nahd/ma-ree-nehd]
A seasoned liquid in which foods such
as meat, fish and vegetables are soaked
(marinated), in order to absorb flavour.
Most marinades contain an acid (lemon
juice, vinegar or wine), and herbs or
spices.

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Cooking Methods

Cooking Methods

Masala [muh-sah-lah]

Potted Shrimps, Lobster, etc.

An Indian spice blend or Indian gravy.

Potted refers to a traditional preservation method. Today the term often describes
small cups, filled with lobster and aspic.

Medallion [meh-dal-yon]
A small coin-shaped piece of meat, usually beef or veal.

Provenale [proh-vahn-sahl]
Term referring to dishes prepared in the style of Provene, a region in south-eastern

Meunire [muhn-yayr]
A method of cooking fish by lightly dusting in flour and frying in butter.

France, and seasoned with herbs such as sage, oregano, rosemary and thyme.

Pure [pyoo-ray]

Parisienne [puh-rih-sih-ehn]
Describes preparations typical of classic Parisian
restaurants.

Fruit or vegetable mashed to a smooth, thick, paste-like

consistency.

Quenelle [kuh-nehl]

Patty
Similar to a medallion, but a patty is ground or finely
chopped meat, fish or vegetables in a thin round

A small, round or oval dumpling made of seasoned fish,

game or veal, usually poached in stock.

Range [raynj]

shape.

A large stove with hotplates or burners and one or more

Paupiette [poh-pee-eht]
A thin slice of meat spread with a layer of forcemeat

ovens, heated by solid fuel, oil, gas or electricity.

Rillet [ree-leh]

and rolled up.

A traditional method of long, slow cooking, for preserving minced meats and fish.

Piemontaise [pee-a-mon-tayz]
A term to describe the cooking style of Piedmont, Italy. Gnocchi Piemontaise are small

Roulade [roo-lahd]

potato dumplings in tomato sauce, served with Parmesan cheese.

French term for a thin slice of meat, usually veal or beef, spread with a savoury stuffing
and rolled up.

Poach [pohch]
To cook food gently in liquid just below the boiling point.

Polonaise [po-lo-nayz]
Preparation method associated in French
cooking with the cuisine of Poland.

Saut [soh-tay]
To cook food quickly in a small
amount of oil in a pan over
direct heat.

Typically garnished with hard-boiled egg

Sear [see-ur]

yolk, parsley and breadcrumbs.

To brown meat quickly by subjecting

Portugaise [por-too-gayz]
A sauce made of garlic, tomatoes and
onions.

Pot-au-Feu [pot-oh-fuh]
French for pot on fire and used to

it to very high heat. The object of

searing is to seal in the meats juices.

Shashlik [shuhsh-lihk]
A Middle-Eastern term meaning
skewered meats.

describe a thick French soup of meat

and vegetables cooked together.

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Cooking Methods

Cooking Methods

Sichuan/Szechuan [sehch-wahn/sehch-oo-ahn]

Tandoori spices can also be added to yoghurt and used as a marinade. Tandoori ovens

Type of Chinese cooking known for its hot, spicy dishes.

are also used to bake traditional naan flatbread.

Simmer [simah]

Tikka [tih-kah]

To cook food slowly and steadily in a sauce or other liquid over a gentle heat, just below

Hindi term for marinated chunks of meat, chicken, cottage cheese (paneer) or

boiling point.

vegetables marinated in spices and cooked on skewers.

Smoke [sm-oh-k]

Timbale [tihm-bahl]

A curing process used to preserve fish, meat, poultry and seafood. Smoking produces

a. A high-sided, metal container with a slightly tapered bottom used as a mould

a salty flavour in foods by exposing them to smoke.

in baking.
b. Also the name given to a dish (usually custard-based)

Steak [s-tayk]
A slice of grilled or fried beef (or horsemeat in

baked in such a mould.

Turn

France).

a. To shape vegetables into a regular form using a paring

Stew [stoo]
A method of cooking over a long period of time,
where food is simmered slowly in a small amount
of liquid in a covered pot.

knife.
b. To rotate the position of a piece of roasting meat without
pricking it, so that it cooks evenly on all sides.

Viennoise [vee-ehn-oh-ahs]

Stock/Fond [stok]/[fon]
A flavoured liquid used as a base for making sauces, stews and braised dishes.

Tempura [tehm-poo-rah]
Japanese dish, cooked in a light batter and usually served with a light sauce.

Tagine/Tajine [tah-jeen]

A cooking style from Vienna, Austria, where meat

(usually veal) is breaded and pan-fried.

Wok
A round-bottomed cooking pan, popular in Oriental cuisine, used for stir-frying,
steaming, braising, stewing and deep-frying.

A deep, glazed earthenware dish with a conical lid that sits flush with the rim, used for
slow-cooking a variety of vegetable and meat dishes throughout North Africa. Also used
as the term for food prepared in these lidded dishes.

Zest
Small, grated strips of citrus peel, especially orange, lemon or lime rind, removed using
a grater, potato peeler or zester.

Tandoori/Tandouri [tahn-doo-ree]
A type of Indian cuisine, particularly
popular in Pakistan and the Punjab
region, where food is prepared in a tall,
cylindrical clay oven, known as a tandoor.
Chicken and meat cooked in a tandoor
are coated in a red-orange paste, which
includes a mixture of tandoori spices
ginger, cumin, coriander, paprika,
tumeric and cayenne mixed together
with oil, lemon juice and pured ginger
and garlic.

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Hors doeuvres
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Hors doeuvres

Al Rahib Salad [al ra-heeb]

Smoked aubergine salad.

Anago Gekkon [an-a-goh-geh-kon]

Quail eggs wrapped in eel.

Antipasto [an-tee-pas-toh]
Italian for starter, literally meaning before meal. The term for cold hors d'uvres.

Aspic [as-pihk]
A savoury jelly made from clarified meat, fish or vegetable stock or gelatine.

Baba Ganoush/Baba Ghannouj [bah-bah-gah-noosh]

A traditional Middle-Eastern aubergine pure, made with tahina
and olive oil. Possible seasonings include garlic and lemon.

Hors d'oeuvres are served to whet the appetite before the main
course of a meal. They may also appear with cocktails as a snack
to sustain guests as they wait for a meal to begin.
While canaps and crudits are typical hors duvres following the
French tradition, around the world different cultures use a variety
of snack foods. The Chinese, for example, often include dumplings
as hors duvres, and in Italy, where hors duvres are called
antipasto, one can expect to see cheeses and raw or marinated
vegetables, as well as cold cuts and cured meats such as prosciutto.

Ballottine [bal-loh-teen]
A type of pt or terrine made of minced meat or fish.
Ballot is French for bundle.

Bamia Bil Zeit [bah-mee-ah bihl zeht]

Okra with oil.

Blini [blee-nih]
Small Russian buckwheat pancakes, traditionally served with smoked salmon and caviar.

Bresaola [brehz-ah-oh-lah]
Italian, air-dried, salted beef fillet that has been aged about two months. Usually thinly
sliced, drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice and served as an antipasto.

Canap [kanipeh]
Small appetiser or mini foods that can
be eaten with the fingers. Usually
served as an accompaniment to drinks.

Carpaccio [kar-pah-choh]
An Italian first course consisting of very
thin slices of raw beef served cold with
a creamy vinaigrette sauce made with
olive oil.

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Hors doeuvres

Hors doeuvres

Dim sum [dihm-suhm]

Gravadlax/Gravlax [grav-laks]

These dishes include a wide selection of fried and steamed dumplings with various

A Swedish speciality where the freshest raw salmon is cured in a mixture of sugar, salt

fillings, as well as other sweet and savoury items. Served as starters or lunch at a

and fresh dill. True gravadlax should be left to marinate at a temperature of between

Chinese meal.

three and four degrees celcius for three to four days. It is often served with dill and

Dolmas/Dolmades [dohl-mahs/dohl-mah-dehs]
Mediterranean cuisine: any of a variety of fruits, vegetables or leaves stuffed with

Gyoza [gyoh-zah]

a savoury filling and baked (e.g. stuffed vine leaves/

Japanese dumplings.

squash/pepper).

Hommos/Hummus [Hoom-uhs]

Falafel [fah-lah-fehl]

Thick Middle-Eastern sauce made from mashed chickpeas seasoned

Middle-Eastern chickpea fritter, often served in warm

with lemon juice, garlic and olive or sesame oil. If sesame seed

pitta bread.

paste (tahina) is added, it becomes hummus bil tahina.

Fatayer [fah-ti-yuhr]
A triangular, stuffed pastry, usually served as an

Hummer Und Rucherlachsterrine

[hoo-muhr oond ro-eh-khuhr-lahks-tuh-ree-nuh]

appetiser.

Lobster and smoked salmon terrine.

Fatoush [fah-toosh]

Kebab [keh-bahb]

A type of Middle-Eastern green salad with tomatoes, sumac and toasted pita bread,

Small pieces of meat threaded on skewers and grilled or roasted.

usually served as an appetiser.

Kibbeh [kee-beh]

Foie Gras [foo-ah grah]

Middle-Eastern dish, which basically combines ground meat (usually lamb), bulgur

Considered a delicacy, foie gras is a rich pt made from duck or goose liver. The birds are

wheat, pine nuts, onions and various flavourings.

force-fed and fattened until the livers become enlarged. The livers are marinated in Armagnac
(brandy), Port or Madeira, stuffed with black truffle (type of edibile fungi), seasoned and
then pressed into a terrine. Foie Gras is extremely rich in flavour and has a silky, smooth
texture. Often served in thin slices at the start of a meal with sweet wine.

Forellenstrudel [fo-rehl-ehn-shtrood-l]
Smoked trout in strudel dough.

Futomaki [foo-toh mah-kee]

Thick sushi rolls.

Galantine [gal-ahn-teen]
A type of pt or terrine made from de-boned
poultry (mainly chicken or duck) stuffed with
minced meat.

Goose Liver Gateau [ga-toh]

The term gateau means cake, referring to
how the goose liver is moulded.

23

mustard dressing. It literally means salmon from the grave.

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Kofta [kohf-thah]
Hindi term for a fried and spicy minced meat, poultry or vegetable roll.

Kousa Mahshi [koo-sah mah-shee]

Stuffed baby marrows.

Loubieh Bil Zeit

[loo-bee-ah bihl zeht]
Arabic style bean salad.

Makdous [muhk-doos]
Pickled aubergine stuffed with almonds,
garlic and herbs.

Maki Sushi [mah-kee soo-shee]

A thin sushi roll. Vinegar-flavoured rice
wrapped in seaweed and filled with fish,
meat or vegetables.

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Hors doeuvres

Hors doeuvres

Manakish bil Zaatar [mah-nah-kihsh bihl zah-tahr]

Polpo Marinato [pol-poh mah-ree-nah-toh]

Pizza with a blend of spices and olive oil.

Marinated octopus.

Marinierter Lachs [mah-ree-nee-eh-tehr lahks]

Salmon Tartare [tahr-tuhr]

Marinated gravadlax (a type of salmon).

Raw minced salmon mixed with seasoning; eaten as a starter or on cold canaps.

Mashwi Kebab [mash-wee keh-bahb]

Samosa [suh-moh-sah]

Grilled lamb mixed with herbs and spices.

Fried, triangular pastries that may be filled with vegetables or meat or a combination
of both.

Mezze [meh-zeh]

Satay [sah-tay]

Greek for appetiser.

Pieces of meat or fish threaded onto skewers and

Moudardara [moo-dahr-dah-rah]
A cold dish made of lentils and rice, topped with
fried onion.

grilled over a flame. Several variations of these are seen

throughout south-east Asia. A spicy peanut sauce is
served with meat satay in Vietnam and Thailand.

Mousse [moos]

Souffl [soo-flay]

French for froth or foam, mousse is a rich,

airy dish that can be sweet, e.g. chocolate mousse
or savoury, e.g. salmon mousse.

A light, airy mixture that usually begins with a thick, egg

yolk-based sauce or pure that is lightened by stiffly beaten
egg whites. Souffls may be sweet or savoury, hot or cold.

Moutabel [moo-tah-buhl]
A dip made from sesame seed paste and roasted aubergine.

Pakora [puh-koh-rah]
Deep-fried fritter popular in India, often served as an appetiser or a snack. Can be made
with vegetables, fruit, rice, fish or meat.

Sushi [soo-shee]
A Japanese speciality based on boiled rice flavoured with sweetened rice vinegar.

Tabouleh [tah-boo-leh]
A Middle-Eastern dish made up of bulgur wheat (burghul), chopped tomatoes, onions,
parsley, mint, mixed with olive oil and lemon juice.

Pastrami [pah-strah-mee]
Highly-seasoned, dry-cured smoked
beef or turkey.

Pt/Terrine [pah-tay/teh-reen]
Classically, pt is minced meat baked in

Tahina [ta-heen-a]
Sesame paste.

Temaki [teh-mah-kee]
Hand-rolled sushi.

a pastry. Today, it is also cooked without

Thon Fum [to foo-may]

the pastry, which was traditionally called

French for smoked tuna.

a terrine. Both names are now used

interchangeably. Can also be used
to describe the dish itself.

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Hors doeuvres

Trio Di Pesce Affumicato [tree-oh dih peh-shay ah-foo-mee-kah-toh]

Trio of smoked fish.

Vine Leaves
Leaves of the grape vine.

Vitello Tonnato [vee-tehl-loh toh-nah-toh]

A popular Italian dish, which consists of cold, sliced,
roasted veal accompanied by a sauce of pured tuna,
anchovy fillets, capers, lemon juice and olive oil.

Wurst [voorst]
German for sausage.

Yakitori [yah-kee toh-ree]

A Japanese dish of skewered grilled chicken, which
is first marinated in teriyaki sauce a sweetened
version of soy sauce with the addition of sake,
honey and ginger.

Soups
27

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Soups

Bisque [bihsk]
A thick soup usually made of pured shellfish (lobster or mussels) and cream. Sometimes
poultry, meat or vegetables are used instead.

Bouillabaisse [boo-ya-bayz]
Thin stew made from a variety of fish, saffron and tomatoes. Traditionally associated
with the Provence region of France, especially Marseilles.

Bouillon [bool-yon]
Any broth (stock) made by cooking vegetables, poultry, meat or fish in water. The liquid
that is strained off after cooking is the bouillon. It is used as a base for soups and sauces.

Broth [bro-th]
Stock. See bouillon.

Chowder [chow-duhr]
A chunky seafood soup from North America, of which clam

Soup is made by combining ingredients such as meat, fish and

vegetables in simmering water or stock to extract their flavour.
There are two basic classes of soup: clear and thick. We can then
identify clear soups as either bouillon or consomm, while thick
soups fall into groups according to their thickening agent. Cream,
eggs and butter, bchamel sauce, flour and grains are common
thickening agents.

chowder is the best known type.

Consomm [kon-suh-may]
French for soup, also used to describe a clear, flavourful
broth, mainly made from meat. See potage.

Dashi [dah-shee]
Soup stock used extensively in Japanese cooking and made with dried bonito flakes
(tuna), kombu (dried kelp) and water.

Gazpacho [gahz-pah-choh]
A cold soup from Andalusia, southern Spain, made from minced tomatoes, peppers,
onion, celery, cucumber, breadcrumbs, garlic and olive oil.

Goulash [goo-lahsh]
Meat and vegetable stew traditionally made
from beef and flavoured with Hungarian
paprika.

Krbissuppe [koo-uhr-bihs-zoo-puh]
A creamy pumpkin soup.

Minestrone [mih-nihs-stroh-nee]
Italian for big soup and a traditional
Italian vegetable stew flavoured with herbs
and often containing pasta.

Miso/Misoshiru [mee-soh/mee-soh-shee-ruh]
A fermented soya bean base from Japan used for soups and flavourings.
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Soups

Mulligatawny [muh-lee-guh-tow-nee]
A traditional Indian soup flavoured with curry, cumin and coriander. The name is derived
from the Tamil milagu tannir meaning pepper water.

Osuimono [oh-soo-ee-moh-noh]
Japanese clear soup.

Pomodoro Zenzero [po-moh-do-roh zan-zeh-roh]

Fresh tomato soup, enhanced with ginger.

Potage [po-tahj]
French for soup and used to describe a pured soup that
can be thickened.

Royale
A type of custard, often used as a garnish for clear soups
in French cuisine.

Sauerampfersuppe [zow-uh-rahm-fuhr-zoo-puh]
German for cream of sorrel soup. Sorrel is a green vegetable similar to spinach with
a slightly sour flavour.

Soupe Loignon [soop ah lyo-nyo]

French for onion soup.

Spargelcremesuppe [sh-pahr-gehl-krehm-zoo-puh]
German for cream of asparagus soup.

Spinatcremesuppe [shih-naht krehm-zoo-puh]

German for cream of spinach soup.

Tomatencremesuppe [toh-mah-ten-krehm-zoo-puh]
German for cream of tomato soup.

Velout [veh-loo-tay]
A basic component of soups and sauces made by
thickening stock (fish, chicken or veal) with flour,
butter and egg yolks. Also known as blond sauce.

Vichyssoise [vee-shee-soo-ahz]
A French soup made from pured leeks or onions,
potatoes and cream. Served cold and garnished
with chopped chives.

Zuppa [zoo-pah]
Italian for soup.

31

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Salads
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Salads

Types of Salads:
Caesar Salad [see-zuhr]
A salad consisting of greens (classically Romaine lettuce hearts), tossed with a garlic
dressing, grated Parmesan cheese and croutons. Frequent additions include capers,
anchovies and egg. Reputedly created in 1924 by Italian chef, Caesar Cardini, in
Tijuana, Mexico.

Coleslaw [kol-slo]
A salad of grated carrot and shredded cabbage in mayonnaise. Nowadays yoghurt often
substitutes the mayonnaise, as it has a lower fat content.

Javanaise [jah-vah-nayz]
Orange and soured cream salad.

Nioise [nih-soo-ahs]
Originally from the Provenal city of Nice. Traditional

Salad is a mixture of fresh vegetables and fruits; it may also contain

other ingredients, including meat and fish. Wonderfully versatile,
salads can be served as a starter, a main course or a side dish or even
as dessert when their primary ingredient is fruit. Salads are usually
prepared or served with one of the many dressings and
accompaniments that have been developed around the world.

ingredients are local produce from this sun-kissed region of

France, such as tomatoes, capers and olives. Typical additions
include tuna, anchovies and egg.

Sakizuke [sah-kee-zoo-kee]
Japanese seaweed salad.

Waldorf [wol-dorf]
Created at New Yorks Waldorf Astoria Hotel, the original version of this salad contained
only apples, celery and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts later became an integral part of
the dish. Waldorf salad is usually served on a bed of lettuce.

Salad Greens:
Arugula [a-ruh-goo-lah]
An aromatic salad green also referred to
as rughetta, roquette, rucola, rugola and
rocket. Known for its distinctive, peppery
flavour and ragged-edged leaves.

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34

Salads

Fris [free-zay]
A green, yellow, curly salad leaf.

Mesclun [mehs-kluhn/fr. klahn]

Mix of young, small salad greens.

Radicchio [rah-dee-kee-oh]
Chicory with red leaves.

Rocket/Roquette/Rughetta
[ro-k-et]/[ru-g-et-a]
An aromatic salad green also referred to as arugula,
rucola and rugola. Known for its distinctive,
peppery flavour and ragged-edged leaves.

Rucola/Rugola [roo-koh-lah]
Italian names for this aromatic salad green also
referred to as rughetta, roquette, arugula and rocket. Known for its distinctive, peppery
flavour and ragged-edged leaves.

Salad Accompaniments:
Calamata/Kalamata Olive [kal-uh-mat-uh]
Almond-shaped Greek olive. Kalamatas are dark, purple/black in colour and rich in
flavour, making them ideal salad ingredients.

Palm Hearts [palm h-ah-rts]

Grown in tropical climates, the heart
is the much sought-after, inner portion
of the stem of the cabbage palm tree.
Palm hearts are ivory coloured and
considered a delicacy.

Main Meal
35

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Main Meal

Abalone [a-buh-loh-nee]
A type of shellfish widely used in Chinese and Japanese cooking. Considered
a delicacy.

Adobo [a-doh-boh]
Popularly regarded as the Filipino national dish and made of meat, poultry,
a combination of meat and poultry or seafood. It is seasoned with a dark,
tangy sauce (vinegar, soy sauce, pepper, bay leaf and garlic).

Alaska Crab Meat/Alaska King Crab

The meat of the giant crab from the colder waters of the
north Pacific.

Albacore Tuna [al-bah-kohr]

A high-fat tuna, the Albacore has the lightest flesh, white
with a hint of pink, and is the only tuna that can be called
white. Its mild flavour and prized white flesh make it the

The main course of a meal can vary widely and be prepared in

numerous ways. It is often made up of cuts of various meats or
poultry, seafood or vegetables. Since the main course is usually
the most significant sizeable important dish in a meal, the courses
that come before often serve as preparation for the main course,
and those that follow serve to cleanse the palate.

most expensive canned tuna.

Anchovy [an-choh-vee]
Salted fillets of tiny fish used for garnishing and for
flavouring (e.g. in sauces and dressings).

Bangus Fish/Milk Fish [bahng-oos]

The most popular fish in the Philippines. Cultivated in brackish fishponds,
this is a bony fish with a taste similar to white fish.

Barramundi
[bah-rah-moon-dee]
A seawater fish with moist white
flesh, large flakes, fine bones
and a mild flavour.

Bass [bas]
A firm, white fish, sea bass is
one of a large group of seawater
fish found in the north Atlantic
and Mediterranean. Freshwater,
silver and yellow bass are also
available.

RED: Served hot

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Vegetables

Fish

Meat
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Main Meal

Main Meal

Beef Mignon [beef mee-nyon]

Chan Ad [shuh-nahd]

A cut from the beef tenderloin.

A type of mackerel found in Bahrain.

Beef Pastrami [beef pah-strah-mee]

Chasseur [shah-sur]

Highly-seasoned, dry-cured, smoked beef.

French for hunter and used to describe a garnish, for meat or game, made from
a brown sauce with mushrooms.

Beef Tenderloin Wellington [beef tehn-duhr-lo-een well-in-ton]

A roasted fillet of beef covered with chopped mushrooms, shallots and herbs

Chateau potatoes [sha- toh]

(duxelles), wrapped in pastry and baked.

Potatoes trimmed into olive shapes and sauted in butter.

Biryani [bihr-yah-nee]

Cherrystone Clam [ch-er-ih-st-ohw-n klam]

Rice cooked with spices, meat, chicken, fish

A medium-sized clam of the hard-shell variety, usually

or vegetables. Originally from the Indian sub-

eaten raw but also used in soups.

continent.

Clam [klam]

Bolognese [boh-lohn-nee-eh-seh]

A mollusc. Eaten raw or cooked.

Minced beef in tomato sauce, often served with

Cod [kod]

pasta dishes.

A large, saltwater fish with an elongated body. Fresh cod

Bonito [boh-nee-toh]

has a white, flaky, delicate flesh. The eggs, known as roe,

A marine fish related to, but smaller than the tuna. Caught in Atlantic, Pacific and

are served freshly boiled or smoked.

Mediterranean waters, it has a firm flesh and mild flavour.

Congee [kon-jee]

Brisket [brihs-keht]

A watery Chinese rice porridge. The soup-like mixture can be served plain or with a

Cut of beef from the belly or breast, used for slow roasting, casseroles, stews

variety of salty, pickled or stir-fried dishes, such as chicken, fish or shrimp. To make

or mince.

congee, rice grains are boiled in lots of water or broth until swollen.

Butterfish

Conger Eel [kon-gur]

Found off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts,

Common to the English Channel

the small (average 250 g), high-fat

and Atlantic. The conger eel has

butterfish has a tender texture and

a long, smooth body and a

rich, sweet flavour. Also known as

brownish-grey skin.

dollarfish, Pacific pompano and

Cordon Bleu [kor-don-bluh]

pomfret, butterfish is usually sold

French for blue ribbon, an award

whole. Can be baked, grilled, broiled,

given to outstanding chefs. In

sauted or smoked.

culinary terms, it is a slice

Caldereta [kal-deh-reh-tah]

of veal or chicken stuffed with

Stew of beef or goats meat,

ham and cheese, breaded and

usually cooked in tomato sauce

fried in butter.

and thickened with liver paste.

RED: Served hot

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Poultry

Vegetables

Fish

Meat

RED: Served hot

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Vegetables

Fish

Meat
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Main Meal

Main Meal

Crab/Crabmeat [krab]/[krabm-ee-t]

Ebi-No-Almond-Agi [eh-bee-noh-ahl-ruh-mon-doh-ah-gee]

Crustacean characterised by a wide, flat body protected by a hard shell.

Fried almond tempura prawns.

Crabmeat has a fine and delicate flavour.

Eel [ee-l]

Crayfish [kray-fih-sh]

A long, slimy and snake-like fish.

A type of shellfish. Crustaceans that look like small lobsters.

Filet DAgneau [fih-lay dah-nyoh]

Cuttlefish [kuht-l-fih-sh]

French for fillet of lamb.

A mollusc with an oval body, internal bone

Filet Mignon [fih-lay mee-nyon]

(cuttlebone or quill) and tentacles. Cuttlefish

A slice from the smaller end of the beef

ink is used in sauces and for colouring pasta

tenderloin. It is very lean and tender.

and has a mild, sweet flavour.

Filetto Di Merluzzo Dorato

[fee-leh-toh dee mehr-loo-tzoh doh-rah-toh]

Daing Na Bangus
[dah-eeng-nah-bahng-oos]

Pan-fried fillet of cod, topped with sauted spinach

Milk fish marinated in vinegar, salt, pepper

and radicchio.

and garlic, normally served fried.

Fish Goujons [goo-jo]

Dauphine Potatoes
[doh-feen po-tay-tohz]

Fish cut into small finger-like shapes, usually breaded and deep-fried.

A French combination of potato pure and puff pastry, shaped into balls and

Flounder [flown-duhr]

deep-fried.

Member of a large species of flatfish prized for its fine texture and delicate flavour.

Devilled Chicken [deh-vihld]

Fricasse [frih-kah-see]

Chicken roasted or baked with hot mustard and browned with breadcrumbs.

A white stew made from poultry or other white meats. The meat is turned in fat but
not browned before being cooked in white sauce. A fricasse is usually cooked with

Domburi/Donburi [dohn-boo-ree]

cream and garnished with small glazed onions and lightly cooked mushrooms.

A Japanese rice dish topped with seafood, fish, meat, eggs and/or vegetables.

Frikadelle [frih-ka-dehl-uh]

Duchesse Potatoes
[doo-shehs po-tay-tohz]

German word for pan-fried minced

meat, shaped in to small loaves.

Pure of cooked potatoes seasoned

Frittata [frih-tah-tah]

with butter, egg yolk and nutmeg.

An Italian omelette with a variety

Duxelles [dook-sehl]

of fillings, e.g. potatoes,

A thick pt of chopped mushrooms

mushrooms, pumpkin, ham,

cooked with onion and thyme.

cheese. Unlike a French omelette,

Duxelles is used as a stuffing or

the ingredients are mixed with the

garnish and in the preparation

eggs rather than being folded

of various la duxelles dishes,

inside them. The frittata is cut into

including a traditional stuffing

wedges and normally eaten hot.

for Beef Wellington.

RED: Served hot

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Poultry

Vegetables

Similar to a Spanish omelette.

Fish

Meat

RED: Served hot

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Vegetables

Fish

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Main Meal

Main Meal

Fritter [frih-tur]

Gypsy [jihp-see]

Piece of raw or cooked meat, fish, fruit or vegetable coated in batter and deep-

A garnish for dishes (meat or game), usually with brown sauce, mushrooms

fried until crisp, golden and cooked throughout.

and peppers.

Ful Medames [fool med-dah-mihs]

Haddock [ha-dok]

Slow-cooked fava beans, flavoured with oil and lemon. Ful Medames is a standard

A seawater fish belonging to the cod family but generally smaller than the cod.

breakfast in Egypt.

Haddock has a delicate, white flesh.

Garoupa [guh-roo-pah]

Hhnchenbrust Im Krutermantel
[hehn-shehn-broost ihm krow-tuhr-mahn-tehl]

A type of white fish.

German for pan-fried chicken breast with a herb coating.

Geflgel und Pilzterrine

[geh-flew-gehl oond pihltz-tuh-ree-nuh]

Halibut [ha-lee-buht]

German baked chicken and mushroom terrine.

The largest of the flatfish varieties, halibut is found in the

northern waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and

Gefllte Hhnchenbrust
[geh-fewl-te hehn-shehn-broost]

in the Barents Sea.

Hammour [hah-moor]

German for stuffed chicken breast.

White fish, particular to the Gulf area.

Geflltes Kalbsschnitzel [geh-fewl-tehs kahlbs-shniht-zehl]

Hash Brown Potatoes/Hash Browns

[ha-sh br-ow-n-z]

German for stuffed fillet of veal.

Gindara No Miso Zuke [gihn-dah-rah noh mee-zoh zoo-keh]

Finely chopped or grated potatoes, cooked and deep-fried

Codfish marinated in miso paste.

until browned and crispy.

Goujon [goo-jo]

Herring [heh-rihng]

Small strip of fish or meat in breadcrumbs.

A small, oily, saltwater fish found in the Atlantic and Pacific. Herring has a

Goulash [goo-lahsh]

tapered, bluish-green body with a silver belly.

Meat and vegetable stew traditionally

Ikan Bilis [ee-kahn bee-lihs]

made from beef and flavoured with

Small, dried fish. Similar to

Hungarian paprika.

anchovy.

Grouper [groo-pur]

Jambalaya [jam-buh-li-yah]

The grouper is a large, marine fish

Creole cooked rice with tomatoes,

that can grow to a length of more than

onion, green peppers and meat,

a metre and weighs about 50 kg.

poultry or shellfish.

Jete Promenade Potatoes

[juh-tay pro-muh-nahd]
Sliced potatoes cooked in butter
with artichokes.

RED: Served hot

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Poultry

Vegetables

Fish

Meat

RED: Served hot

BLUE: Served cold

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Vegetables

Fish

Meat
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Main Meal

Main Meal

John Dory/Dory [jon do-rih]/[do-rih]

Lamb Rack [l-a-mb rak]

Found in European waters, this white-fleshed sea fish, also known as St Peter's

A portion of the rib section of a lamb. Rack of lamb can be cut into chops or

fish, is an odd-looking creature with an oval, flat body and a large, spiny head.

served in one piece.

The delicate flesh has a mild flavour and can be prepared in a number of ways,
including grilling, sauteing and poaching.

Lamb Shank [l-a-mb sh-a-nk]

Front leg of lamb, requires long, slow cooking methods such as braising.

Kalbsrckensteak
[kalbs-rook-ehn-stehk]

Langoustine [lan-goos-teen]
The French name for saltwater crayfish, also known as the Dublin Bay prawn,

German for pan-fried veal steak.

Norway lobster or scampi. Sold fresh and frozen, alive, cooked and both with

Kamaboko [kam-ah-boh-koh]

and without the shells.

Japanese fish cake. Fish is filleted and

Lasagne [luh-zahn-yuh]

pounded before being moulded into a variety

Thin sheets of pasta, layered with various fillings including

of shapes.

minced meat sauce and cooked vegetables. Topped with

Kani [ka-nee]

Parmesan cheese and baked in the oven.

Japanese for crab.

Lobster Thermidor [thuh-mih-do]

Katsuo Boshi [kaht-soo boh-shee]

Grilled or roasted lobster served in the shell with a

Dried bonito flakes.

Bchamel or Bercy sauce.

King Fish

Loin [lo-ihn]

An oily fish with a firm flesh and delicate flavour.

Cut of lamb, which is taken from the meat along the backbone between the
shoulders and legs. Sold as a roasting joint, with or without bones, as well as

Kippers [kihp-puhrs]

chops and steaks, which are good for grilling and barbecues.

One of the most common varieties of herring, kippers are usually sold whole

Longanisa [long-gah-nee-sah]

and smoked. Often eaten grilled for breakfast in England.

Philippine style breakfast sausage made of minced/ground meat seasoned with

Kofta [kohf-thah]

salt, vinegar, sugar, pepper and garlic.

Hindi term for a fried, spicy, minced meat, poultry or vegetable roll.

Lotte [lot]

Konbu Yaki [kon-boo-yah-kee]

A mild, sweet-flavoured, seawater

Grilled tuna with kelp.

fish. Other names include

Lahmeh Bil Bazenjan

[la-meh bihl bah-zehn-jah]

anglerfish, monkfish and sea devil.

Macaire Potatoes
[mah-kehr po-tay-toh-z]

Meat and aubergine dish cooked with

tomato, oil and garlic.

Mashed with butter and shaped

Lamb Makloubieh
[muhk-loo-bee-uh]

into patties.

Machbous [muhch-boos]

Marinated lamb cooked with rice,

Rice cooked in Arabic spices.

and enhanced with Arabic pices.

RED: Served hot

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Poultry

Vegetables

Fish

Topped with either chicken or lamb.

Meat

RED: Served hot

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Vegetables

Fish

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Main Meal

Main Meal

Mackerel [mak-uh-rehl]

Noisette [nwah-zeht]

The mackerel has a streamlined, greenish-blue body with black and blue bands

French for hazelnut. Also used to refer to a small, round slice of meat taken from

on the back and a silvery underside. An important food fish found throughout

the rib or loin.

the north Atlantic, Mediterranean and North Seas.

Octopus [ok-to-pu-s]

Magret De Canard [mah-greh duh kah-nahr]

A fairly large mollusc, the octopus has a head and eight equal-sized tentacles.

Duck breast, usually taken from the fattened ducks that produce foie gras.

Its flesh is fairly delicate in flavour but must be beaten for a long period and
blanched before eating.

Mollusc [mo-luhsk]
A soft-bodied animal, usually with a shell

Ossobuco [o-soh-boo-koh]

however squid, octopi and cuttlefish are

An Italian dish comprised of veal shank braised with

also molluscs and have no shell.

vegetables, olive oil, white wine and stock.

Monkfish [monk-fi-sh]

Otak Otak [oh-tahk]

A mild, sweet-flavoured, seawater fish. Other

A fish mousse paste (usually mackerel), wrapped

names include anglerfish and sea devil.

in a banana leaf and steamed.

Mushroom Duxelles
[m-uh-sh-r-oo-m dook-sehl]

Paella [pi-yehl-ah]

A thick pt of chopped mushrooms sauted with onion and thyme. Duxelles

often includes shrimps, lobster, chicken or chorizo, with artichoke and tomatoes.

A traditional Spanish dish of rice and saffron, which

is used as a stuffing or garnish and in the preparation of various la duxelles

Paupiette [poh-pee-yeht]

dishes, including a traditional stuffing for Beef Wellington.

A thin slice of meat, usually veal or beef, rolled around a savoury stuffing then

Mushroom Triangoli [m-uh-sh-r-oo-m trih-ahn-goh-lee]

fried, baked or braised. Also known as a roulade.

Triangular ravioli filled with wild mushrooms, served with a mushroom sauce

Perch [pe-r-ch]

and cheese topping.

A freshwater fish with a humped, greenish brown back marked with dark bands.

Nasi Goreng [nah-see goh-rehng]

Perlhuhnbrust [pairl-hoon-broost]

The Indonesian term for fried rice, of which there are hundreds of versions

German for grilled guinea fowl breast.

throughout Indonesia, Malaysia and the surrounding areas. The rice can be
cooked with a wide variety of ingredients,

Piccata [pee-kah-tah]

including meat, chicken, shrimp or other

Italian dish of thinly sliced pieces

shellfish. It can be seasoned with onions,

of chicken or veal, lightly fried in

chillies, garlic, cucumber and peanuts.

butter with lemon juice.

Where noodles are substituted for rice,

Pike [pik]

the dish is called Bahmi Goreng. Often

A freshwater fish, pike is readily

eaten for breakfast.

RED: Served hot

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available in the northern

Nasi Himpit [nah-see hihm-piht]

hemisphere and has a firm,

Rice cakes served with satay sauce.

white flesh and sweet flavour.

Poultry

Vegetables

Fish

Meat

RED: Served hot

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Vegetables

Fish

Meat
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Main Meal

Main Meal

Plaice [play-s]

Ratatouille [ra-tuh-too-ee]

A flat, orange-spotted, sea fish, plaice is found in the North Sea and North

A popular dish from the French region of Provence made from aubergine,

Atlantic. Available whole or in fillets, plaice can be grilled, fried or poached.

tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, courgettes, garlic and herbs all simmered in olive
oil. Served hot, cold or at room temperature.

Pojarski [poh-jahr-skee]
A Russian method of preparing veal chops by detaching the meat from the bone,

Ravioli Verdura [rav-ee-oh-lee vehr-doo-rah]

mixing and seasoning it with butter and bread soaked in milk, then replacing

Ravioli with vegetable filling.

it on the bone and frying in clarified butter. Also used as a term for a cutlet of

Red Mullet [muh-leht]

chicken or salmon, covered in flour or breadcrumbs and sauted in clarified

A marine fish (member of the goatfish family), with

butter.

a firm, white flesh and delicate flavour.

Poussin [poo-sahn]

Roe [roh]

Sometimes called a spring chicken, as the bird

Fish eggs.

is only four to six weeks old, its flavour has not

developed and there is not much flesh on its

Roulade [roo-lahd]

bones. One bird is perfect for a single serving.

French term for a thin slice of meat, usually veal or

beef, filled with a savoury stuffing and rolled up.

Prawn [pr-oh-n]
Indigenous to the Mediterranean, prawns can

Rump of Beef [r-uh-mp of b-ee-f]

now also be found in the Atlantic. There are

A lean, round cut from the top of the haunch.

several varieties of these small, clawless crustaceans. Also known as shrimps.

Salisbury Beef Steak [sols-buh-rih b-ee-f stayk]

Prime Rib of Beef [pr-i-m rib of b-ee-f]

Made from ground, seasoned beef.

A tender cut from the rib section of the beef towards the neck.

San Francisco Cioppino [san fran-si-sko choh-pee-noh]

Prosciutto [proh-shoh-toh]

San Franciscos Italian immigrants are credited with creating this delicious fish

The Italian word for ham, used in the names of raw hams such as prosciutto di

stew made with tomatoes and a variety of fish and shellfish.

Parma.

Sashimi [sah-shee-mee]
Quiche [keesh]

A Japanese dish of thin fillets

Originally from Lorraine the quiche

of raw fish.

has become a classic of French cuisine.

Saumon [soh-mo]

It is an open tart, filled with a mixture

French for salmon, a large pink-

of fresh cream, beaten eggs and a

fleshed fish found in cooler

variety of ingredients, such as

waters throughout the northern

mushrooms, seafood or poultry.

hemisphere and regarded as one

Ragot [ra-goo]

of the world's finest foods.

A thick, rich, well-seasoned stew of

meat, poultry, fish or vegetables.

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Vegetables

Fish

Meat

RED: Served hot

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Vegetables

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Main Meal

Main Meal

Sausage Meat [s-oh-s-ayj m-ee-t]

Sirloin of Beef [sur-lo-een of b-ee-f]

Finely or coarsely-seasoned minced meat used in sausages. Alternative names

A cut from the rib section (saddle), sold as roasting joints and fillet steaks.

include farce and forcemeat.

Sole [sohl]

Sawara Teriyaki [sah-wah-rah teh-ree-yah-kee]

An excellent, high-quality, seawater flatfish.

Mackerel grilled with teriyaki sauce.

Soubise [soo-beez]

Scallops [skol-uhps]

Bchamel sauce with onion pure and cream.

Mollusc with a fluted shell. There are many varieties of scallop.

Squid [skwihd]

Scampi [skam-pee]

A sea mollusc related to the cuttlefish, also known

A prawn-like crustacean with pincers and a

as calamari. Varies from mottled pink to grey when

firm, moist flesh. Also known as langoustine,

raw and turns white when cooked. Tender if not

Norway lobster or Dublin Bay prawn.

over-cooked, squid can be grilled or fried. Large

squid is added to stews or used for its ink.

Sea Urchin [ur-chihn]

Stroganoff/Stroganov [stro-gah-nof]

A spiny, marine shellfish.

Thinly sliced beef, coated with a cream-based sauce and garnished with onions

Seer Fish [see-ur fi-sh]

and mushrooms. This traditional dish of classic Russian cookery has been known

A seawater fish, native to the Indian Ocean,

in Europe in various forms since the 18th century.

often used in the Middle East.

Strudel [shtrood-l]

Sharks Fin [sh-ah-k-s fihn]

Pastry layers filled with fruits, such as apples, or savoury items like meat,

Part of the tail of the dogfish (a small shark), sold dried as yellowish-white

seafood, potatoes and mushrooms.

needles. Considered a rare delicacy.

Sturgeon [stur-juhn]

Shish Kebab [sheesh kuh-bahb]

A Middle-Eastern/Indian term meaning skewered meats, fish, fruit or vegetables.

A large fish that lives in the sea and migrates upriver to spawn. It is mainly fished
in the Black and Caspian Seas and the River Danube, essentially for its roe caviar.

Shish Taouk [sheesh-tah-ook]

Suprme [soo-prehm]

Chicken kebab.

A French sauce made by adding cream

Siam Perch [si-am pur-ch]

to a velout made from chicken stock.

A freshwater fish from Thailand.

Also a term used for boneless chicken

breast, duck and game birds.

Silverside of Beef
[silv-eh-r s-i-duh of b-ee-f]
A lean, oblong-shape cut from the

Suzuki No Teriyaki
[soo-zoo-kee no teh-ree-yah-kee]

haunch (loin, side, tenderloin), used

Sea bass coated with teriyaki sauce.

for boiling, stews, casseroles and mince.

Sweetbreads [sw-ee-tbr-eh-d-z]
The thymus gland of a calf or lamb.
A delicacy for gourmets.

RED: Served hot

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Vegetables

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Meat

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Vegetables

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Meat
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Main Meal

Main Meal

Tai No Teppan Yaki [ti noh teh-pahn yah-kee]

Turbot [tur-but]

Fillet of red snapper.

A flat, seawater fish highly prized for its delicate and tasty flesh. Available as
fillets, steaks or whole. Suits poaching or grilling.

Taraichmi Yaki [tah-rah-ihchee-mee yah-kee]

Unagi [oo-nah-gee]

Spicy cod grilled on a skewer.

Grilled eel coated with a sweet brown sauce.

Tenderloin [ten-duh-lo-een]

Veal [v-ee-al]

The most tender part of beef. Can be braised, roasted or pan fried.

Term generally used to describe a young calf from one

Tendon [tehn-duhn]

to three months old.

Deep fried shrimp.

Veal Saltimbocca [v-ee-al sahl-tihm-bo-kuh]

Threadfin [threhd-fihn]

Literally meaning hop in the mouth in Italian, it refers

A freshwater fish also known as Ikan Kurua.

to a Roman speciality made of finely sliced veal

Tikka [tih-kah]

sprinkled with sage and topped with a thin slice of

Hindi term for chunks of meat, chicken,

prosciutto. The veal is sauted in butter, and then

cottage cheese (paneer) or vegetables,

braised in white wine. The meat layers are often rolled

marinated in spices and cooked on skewers.

and secured with picks before being cooked.

Tournedos of Beef [toor-nay-doh of b-ee-f]

Venison [vehn-ih-suhn]

A cut from the middle of the beef tenderloin.

Commonly associated with deer meat, venison is actually an umbrella term which
includes meat from elk, moose, reindeer, caribou and antelope.

Tranche [trahnsh]

Vitello Alla Campagnola [vee-tehl-oh ah-lah kahm-pah-nyoh-lah]

French for slice. A slice of meat or fish.

Veal escalope topped with spinach and mozzarella cheese.

Tripe
The stomach of a cow or sheep

Waterzooi [vah-tuhr-zoo-ee]

prepared as food. It has a tender

A creamy, Belgian dish of

texture and delicate flavour.

freshwater fish or eel (sometimes

chicken is substituted), cooked in

Trout [trowt]

bouillon and herbs.

A carnivorous fish, with tasty flesh.

There are numerous varieties of trout

Wellington [well-in-ton]

found in mountain streams, lakes and

Usually a preparation applied to a

rivers. The sea trout lives in coastal

roasted beef tenderloin. The meat

rivers near the English Channel and

is coated with finely chopped

swims down to the sea, returning to

mushrooms, shallots and herbs

the rivers in autumn.

(duxelles), wrapped in puff pastry.

Whitebait [whit-bayt]

RED: Served hot

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Vegetables

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Main Meal

The name given to the fry (young), of herrings and sprats, which are very common
along coasts and in the estuaries where rivers meet the sea. These small fish are
usually fried and eaten whole.

Yabby [ya-bee]
An Australian species of the freshwater crayfish family. Its colour ranges from
brown to green to purple and it has a sweet flavour.

Yakitori [yak-i-tori]
A Japanese dish of chicken kebabs cooked
over charcoal embers. The meat is threaded
onto bamboo skewers, soaked in teriyaki
sauce and grilled for 4-5 minutes.

Yorkshire Pudding
[yok-shuhr p-uhd-in]
A British speciality made of batter, eggs, flour
and milk, traditionally baked in the fat of the
roast beef, which it typically accompanies.

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Vegetables

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Meat

Vegetables
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Vegetables

Acar Kuning [Ah-kahr-koo-nihng]

Indonesian mixed vegetables.

Agedashi Tofu [ageh- dah-shee-toh-foo]

Fried Tofu.

Artichoke [ah-tee-chohk]
Flower-bud of a large, thistle family plant. Artichoke heart is a portion of the fleshy
artichoke base including the attached tender, pale leaves.

Asparagus [uhs-pa-ruh-guhs]
A perennial plant with an underground stem that produces
edible shoots which are regarded as a delicacy.

Aubergine [oh-buh-jeen]
French for eggplant, also known as brinjal. An elongated
or rounded fruit with a smooth shiny purple skin covering
a light firm flesh. A white variety also exists.

Bamboo shoots

Refers to all plants or parts of plants that are eaten raw,

cooked or preserved.

A plant common throughout tropical Asia, whose young,

tender, and slightly crunchy shoots are served as a
vegetable. Bamboo shoots are ivory white in colour and conical in shape.

Bean Curd/Tofu
A basic food stuff of Far Eastern cookery, especially Japanese, prepared from Soya
beans, which are soaked, reduced to a puree, then boiled and sieved. The liquid
obtained is jellified by the addition of a coagulant (thickening agent).

Beet/Beetroot
Plant with a fleshy root. The red beet, with its fine dark red flesh, is used as a vegetable
and as a food colouring.

Bell Pepper
Another name for capsicum, pepper,
paprika or pimento.

Bhindi [bhihn-dee]
The Hindi term for Okra, A type of
vegetable with a green, tapered, oblong
shape. Also referred to Ladies fingers.

Broad Beans/Fava Bean

Flat green/white beans.

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Vegetables

Vegetables

Broccoli [bro-coh-lee]

Chrysanthemum Petals [krihz-an-thuh-muhm]

Originating in Italy the name is derived from the Italian broccolo, meaning cabbage

An ornamental plant whose petals are used in Japan, China, and Vietnam for preparing

sprout. It has fleshy green stalk ending in bunches of green or purple flower buds and

salads. Their taste is similar to that of cress.

surrounded with leaves. The stalks are sometimes eaten like asparagus and the flowers
and leaves are prepared like cauliflower.

Burdock [buhr-dok]
A large herbaceous plant which grows wild in Europe and is only eaten locally, but in
Japan it is cultivated as a vegetable. The roots, shoots and leaves are used in various
preparations.

Butternut Squash [but-ter-nut-pump-kin]

Butternut squash known in Australia Butternut
Pumpkin is an edible type of squash with a vase-like

Cornichon [kor-nih-shohn]
A small cucumber especially grown for pickling. Used as garnish
and accompaniment for cold cuts or starters.

Courgette [coor-jet]
Also known as zucchini. Type of vegetable shaped like a slightly
curved cylinder. The color can vary from dark to light green.

shape. It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to pumpkin

Crudits [kroo-dee-tay]

or sweet potato.

Served as an appetizer, crudits are raw seasonal vegetables,

frequently accompanied with a dipping sauce.

Caper [kay-puhr]
The flower bud of a shrub which is native to eastern

Cucumber [kew-kuhm-buh]

Asia. Capers are used as a condiment either pickled

The fruit of an annual climbing plant of the gourd family which may be eaten raw or

in vinegar or preserved in brine.

cooked.

Capsicum [kap-see-kum]

Daikon/Dai-co [da-ee-kon]

Another name for bell pepper, pepper, paprika or pimento.

A kind of radish, widely cultivated as a vegetable in the Far East, also called Japanese
radish or Satsuma radish.

Celeriac/Celeriac Salad [sell-ee-ree-ak]

A big round root from the celery family, used as a vegetable or for salads.

Celery [sehl-uh-ree]
Vegetable which grows in bunches that

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Eggplant
Aubergine, brinjal. An elongated or rounded fruit with a smooth shiny purple skin
covering a light firm flesh. A white variety also exists.

consist of leaved ribs surrounding a tender

Endive [on-deev]

heart. Before the 16th century, celery was

It is a small, cigar-shaped head of cream-

used exclusively as a medicinal herb.

coloured, tightly packed, slightly bitter

Chicory Lettuce/Endive
[chih-kuh-ree/on-deev]

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Chye Sim [chi-sihm]

Chinese green, leafy vegetable.

leaves. It is grown in complete darkness

to prevent it from turning green.

A winter vegetable with tightly bunched

Fava Beans [fah-vah]

white leaves that form a firm elongated

Flat bean similar to Lima beans

heart.

(broad beans).

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Vegetables

Vegetables

Fennel [fehn- uhl]

Kumara [koo-mah-rah]

A type of aromatic plant with pale green, celery like stems and bright green, feathery

Vegetable similar to sweet potato.

leaves. It has a broad, bulbous base that is treated like a vegetable and the leaves can be
used as a garnish.

Leek
Related to both the onion and garlic, its flavour and fragrance are milder and more

Flageolet Beans [fla-zhoh-lay]

subtle. It has a thick, white stalk that is cylindrical in shape and has a slightly bulbous

A small, pale, green bean.

root end.

Gherkin [gur-kihn]

Mange-tout [mahnj-too]

Young fruit of a variety of small, dark-green cucumbers especially grown to make pickles.

French for eat everything, refers to bean or pea, where

everything - pod to seed - is edible.

Hash
A preparation of finely chopped raw or cooked meat,

Marrow [ma-roh]

poultry, fish or vegetables.

Green, oval squash.

Haricot, Haricot vert [ah-ree-koh vehr]

Mimosa [mih-moh-sah]

Haricot is French for beans. Vert is French for

An ornamental species of acacia whose yellow flowers can

green. Green beans.

be made into fritters and used to garnish salads and prepare

home-made liqueurs. The name is also given to certain egg

Horseradish
Though it has spiky, green leaves that can be used for
salads, horseradish is grown mainly for its large, white,

dishes using sieved hard-boiled egg yolk which superficially

resembles mimosa flowers.

pungently, spicy roots. Bottled horseradish is available - white (preserved in vinegar)

Okra [oh-kruh]

and red (in beet juice).

Type of vegetable with a green, tapered, oblong shape. Also referred to as Ladies
fingers.

Jalapeno Chili [hah-luh-pee-noh]

Named after Jalapa, Mexico, these are smooth, dark green chilies which range from hot

Pak-Choy Leaves/Bok-Choy

to very hot.

Chinese white cabbage. It resembles a bunch of wide-stalked celery with long,

Jardiniere of Vegetable
French for vegetables of the garden.

Kaiware Sprouts/Mustard Sprouts

[kahy-wah-reh]

dark-green leaves.

Pepperonata Potatoes
Mixture of peppers and onions sauteed in olive oil.

Pimento [pih-men-toh]

Sprouted mustard seeds. Used as a salad or

A large, red, heart-shaped, sweet pepper.

a hors doeuvre.

Another name for capsicum, pepper,

Kelp
Large brown seawed rich in iodine and potash.

Kohlrabi [kohl-rah-bee]
A vegetable of the cabbage family whose fleshy
stalk swells like a turnip.

paprika or bell pepper.

Pot Herbs
Pot herbs traditionally include six
vegetables: orache, spinach, lettuce, sorrel
chard, and purslane. These are used not
only to flavor soups and stews but also
as vegetables, salad ingredients and as a
garnish.

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Vegetables

Vegetables

Pumpkin

Shallot [shal-uht; shuh-lot]

A vegetable of the marrow (squash) family, which is round with a flattened top and base.

A member of the onion family.

The orange or yellow pulp is surrounded by a green, yellow or orange ribbed rind.

Radish [ra-dihsh]

Sorrel [soh-rehl]
A green vegetable.

A plant of the cabbage family, cultivated for its edible root, which is generally eaten raw,
as n hors doeuvre or in salads.

Squash [skwosh]
An edible gourd that is cooked and served as vegetable.

Ratatouille [rat-ah-too-yee]
A vegetable ragout (stew) typical of Provenal
cookery, originally from Nice. It is made from

Sugar Snap Peas/Snow Peas

A variety of pea which is entirely edible - pod and all.

onions, courgettes, aubergines, sweet peppers

Swiss Chard

and tomatoes simmered in olive oil with herbs.

Belongs to the beet family, but only the stalks and leaves
are used.

Rhubarb [roo-bahrb]
A hardy perennial plant, originally from northern

Taro [ta-roh]

Asia, whose fleshy stalks are used as a pie filling

A potato-like, root vegetable.

or to make jams or compotes.

Tiger Lily Bud

Roesti potatoes [roh-stee]

Preserved flower buds commonly used in Chinese cooking as a vegetable or a garnish

A large potato cake made from layers of sliced potatoes, fried until golden. A Swiss

in various stir-fried dishes.

specialty, originally from Berne, it may be flavored with bacon strips or sliced onion.

Turnip [tuhr-nihp]

Salsify [sal-sih-fee]

A fleshy root vegetable, yellow or white in colour and often tinged with purple near

A root vegetable (can be easily mistaken for white asparagus).

the leaf bases.

Savoy Cabbage [sa-voy]

Wakame [wah-kah-meh]

This mellow-flavored cabbage is considered by many to be one of the best for cooking.

Japanese seaweed often used as an appetizer garnish, but also in main courses

It has loose, full head of crinkled leaves varying from dark to pale green.

and soups.

Scallion/Spring Onion
[ska-lee-uhn]

Wasabi/Wasabe [wah-sah-bee]

Green onion. A variety of onion that

(often referred to as Japanese mustard)

produces small white mild-flavored bulbs

of green color with a pungent flavor.

with a long neck of stiff leaves. They

are usually eaten raw and thinly sliced in
sliced in salads.

Sea Weed

Japanese horseradish, a root vegetable

Zucchini [zoo-kee-nee]
Type of vegetable shaped like a slightly
curved cylinder. The color can vary
from dark to light green.

Sprouted mustard seeds. Used as a salad

or a hors doeuvre.

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Pasta, Cereal and

Grains
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Pasta, Cereal and Grains

Basmati [bahs-mah-tee]
A fragrant long-grain rice with a fine texture, grown in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Black Soybeans [blak b-ee-n]

Chinese speciality consisting of small black soybeans that have been preserved in salt.
They have an extremely rich, salty flavour and must be soaked in water for approximately
30 minutes before use. Fermented black beans are usually finely chopped before being
added to fish or meat dishes as flavouring.

Buckwheat [buhk-weet]
A type of grain used extensively in eastern European cooking. Buckwheat flour is
traditionally used to make blinis small pancakes eaten with caviar.

Bulgur/Bulghur/Bulgar [buhl-gur]

Pasta
Dough made from durum wheat semolina and water, which is
kneaded and cut into a wide variety of shapes. Eaten with sauces,
stuffed or added to soups for bulk, pasta is sold dried or fresh and
used in a wide variety of cuisines from Italy to China.
Rice
The starchy seed of an annual cereal grass, occurring in
south-eastern Asia and widely cultivated in warm climates.
Cereal
Any of several grasses cultivated widely for their seeds (grains).

Crushed wheat kernels which have been parboiled, dried and then
had the bran removed.

Cannelloni [kan-nehl-loh-nee]
Pasta tubes, stuffed with minced meat, seafood or vegetables.

Couscous [koos- koos]

Using the same flour that goes into pasta, couscous is made by
rolling and coating durum or hard wheat semolina grains in fine wheat flour. Couscous
is a staple ingredient in north Africa, and it is also the name of a dish in which the
grains are steamed together with a spiced stew of vegetables and/or meat or chicken.

Dough [doh]
A mixture of flour and other ingredients used in baking. Dough is often stiff enough to cut
into shapes, it has a low moisture content and gluten forms the continuous medium into
which other ingredients are embedded. Dough is less liquid than batter and generally has
a lower fat and sugar content.

Fajita [fah-hee-tah]
A Mexican-American dish consisting
of strips of steak meat, chicken, fish
or shrimp, marinated in lime juice, oil
and garlic and then grilled. The meat
is wrapped in a flat, flour tortilla and
garnished with items such as grilled
onions and red peppers. Usually served
with refried beans, salsa, guacamole and
sour cream.

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Pasta, Cereal and Grains

Pasta, Cereal and Grains

Farfalle [fahr-fah-leh]

Linguine [lihn-gwee-nee]

Pasta in the shape of a bow or butterfly.

Very long, narrow ribbons of pasta.

Fettuccine [feht-oo-chee-neh]

Machbous [muhch-boos]

Flat, narrow strips of pasta.

Rice cooked in Arabic spices.

Fusilli [foh-see-lee]

Morokomi Hoso Udon [moh-roh-koh-mee ho-so oo-don]

Spiral-shaped pasta.

Green tea soba noodles.

Genmai Flakes [jen-ma-eh]

Mung Bean [moong]

Japanese breakfast cereal similar to cornflakes. Manufactured by Kelloggs.

Bean plant originating in the Far East, which produces small, green, yellow or brown
seeds. Widely cultivated for its shoots -commonly known as bean sprouts -which are

Glass Noodle [gl-ah-s]

Thin, translucent threads made from the starch of
mung beans. Typically used in Oriental cuisine.

eaten raw or blanched.

Noodle [n-oo-d-el]
A flat type of pasta, made from flour, water and eggs,

Gluten
A protein in flour which, when mixed with water,

cut into long strips and cooked in soup or boiling water.

Pappardelle [pah-pahr-dehl-leh]

gives dough elasticity and strength.

Flat ribbons of pasta shaped to form a nest.

Gnocchi [nyo-kee]
Small, Italian dumplings made of flour, semolina,

Penne [pehn-neh]

potato or choux pastry, usually served as a hot starter.

Smooth tubes of pasta, cut on the diagonal.

Gnocchi can be poached and then cooked au gratin (with grated cheese), in the oven.

Hokkien Noodles [hok-keen]

Pilaf/Pilau [pih-low]
A method of preparing rice originally created in the East.

Yellow egg noodles.

Polenta [poh-lehn-tah]

Hor Fun Noodles [hor-fahn]

A cornmeal porridge that is the traditional basic dish of northern Italy. Polenta can be

Chinese term for flat rice sticks popular in south-east Asia.

eaten fresh or after it has set; it may be served both hot or cold. Can also be grilled or fried.

Kway Teow [kway-tee-ow]

Pumpernickel [puhm-puhr-nihk-ehl]

Type of flat, white, Chinese rice noodle.

German rye bread.

Lasagne [luh-zahn-yuh]

Puy [poo-ee]

Thin sheets of pasta, layered with various

Small, grey, whole lentils, grown in France and

fillings, including minced meat sauce and

Italy, which keep their shape during cooking.

cooked vegetables, topped with Parmesan

cheese and baked in the oven.

Lentil [l-eh-n-tihl]
Small, round, flat seed of the legume plant.
These seeds are born two per pod.

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Pasta, Cereal and Grains

Pasta, Cereal and Grains

Quinoa [kwihn-o-ah]

Sourdough

Dating back to the Incas, this grain is still grown in Bolivia and Peru. Regarded as a

Fermented dough.

superfood, quinoa is rich in complete protein and a useful source for vegetarians.
The small, round grains are similar to millet, but pale brown in colour, with a slightly
chewy texture. When cooked, the grains absorb liquid and become translucent, ringed

Strozzapreti [stroh-tzah-preh-tee]
Short, uneven pasta strands, which resemble rolled towels.

with white. Quinoa has a mild flavour and requires a lot of seasoning. Sometimes served

Sushi [soo-shee]

hot as a porridge with cream, dried fruit and brown sugar.

A Japanese speciality based on boiled rice flavoured with sweetened rice vinegar.

Ravioli [rav-ee-oh-lee]

Tagliatelle [tah-lee-yah-tehl-eh]

An Italian speciality, ravioli are small pillows of pasta,

Italian egg pasta in the form of flat ribbons, golden or green colour. Green tagliatelle

which can be filled with a variety of cheese, meat or

contains spinach.

vegetable stuffings. Often served with tomato sauce

and grated cheese.

Tortellini [tohr-teh-lee-nee]
Small, stuffed parcels of pasta used with a wide variety of

Risotto [rih-zo-toh]

fillings. Unlike ravioli, which are flat pillows, tortellini look

Creamy Italian rice dish used with a wide variety of

like small hats.

vegetables or meat. The rice is first fried with onions

until golden brown and then cooked in stock.

Rye [ri]
A cereal native to western Asia. Rye flour is usually mixed with wheat flour and made
into a bread with a dense, brown texture and slightly sour taste. Some spirits, such as
vodka and whisky, are made from a rye base.

Semolina [sehm-oh-lee-nah]
Coarsely ground cereal, generally durum wheat. However, white semolina is made from
ground rice.

Udon [oo-don]
Thick wheat noodles used in Japanese cooking.

Vermicelli [vur-mih-cheh-lee]
Meaning little worms in Italian, vermicelli are very thin
strands
of pasta, often used in soups.

Won Ton Wrapper [won ton rap-per]

Very thin sheets of dough made from flour, eggs and salt used
as a wrapper for dumplings known as pot stickers, as well as for

Senbei [sehn-beh]

won ton. The wrappers are filled with vegetables or meat and can vary in thickness.

Japanese rice crackers.

Also known as won ton skins or pot sticker wrappers.

Siumai [shoh-mi]
Chinese dumpling.

Soba Noodles [soh-bah]

Japanese flour noodle made from buckwheat,
which gives it a dark, brownish-grey colour.

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Sauces and Dressings

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Sauces and Dressings

Arrabiata [ahr-rah-beh-yah-tah]
A spicy pasta sauce made of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, onions, salt, pepper, fresh or
powdered chilli and basil.

Barnaise Sauce [ber- nayz]

A tarragon-flavoured, butter sauce.

Bchamel [beh-shah-mehl]
A white sauce made by adding milk to roux (a cooked mixture of equal amounts of flour
and butter, used to thicken many sauces).

Berbere [behr-beh-reh]
An Ethiopian spice blend containing garlic, red pepper,
cardamom, coriander, fenugreek and various other spices.
It's often used in stews and soups.

Beurre Maini [buhr may-nee]

An essential element in all of the worlds cuisines, a sauce is a liquid

that enhances the flavour and appearance of a dish. There are so
many varieties from the French classics that characterised their
cuisine to Asian blends and beyond that one could spend years
studying sauces alone. This section of the guide will give you a
broad view of the most important sauces we use.

A thickening agent made from flour and softened butter.

Charmoula/Chermoulla [sher-moh-lah]
A sauce and marinade used in Middle Eastern cooking,
made of stewed onions flavoured with vinegar, honey and a complex spice mixture
called rasel hanout, which contains cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, cumin and
sometimes paprika and coriander. Chermoulla is used on meat and fish and can even
be adjusted to make a unique vinaigrette.

Chinese Ankake sauce [ahn-kah-kee]

Starchy Chinese sauce.

Choron Sauce [shoh-ron]

Tomato flavoured, smooth, rich, creamy
sauce, made from egg yolks and butter.

Cocktail Sauce
A combination of ketchup or chilli sauce
with prepared horseradish, lemon juice
and Tabasco sauce (or other hot red
pepper seasoning). It is used with seafood
and as a condiment for hors doeuvres, etc.

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Sauces and Dressings

Sauces and Dressings

Cumberland Sauce [kuhm-bhur-land]

Makhanwalla Sauce [muhk-khuhn-wah-lah]

Redcurrant jelly.

Hindi for butter.

Dijon Mustard Sauce [dee-zhon]

Maple Syrup [may-puhl]

A sauce made with mustard from Dijon region in France.

Sap collected from the trunk of the maple tree. It is rich in sugar and has an aromatic
flavour.

Gravy
A sauce made from meat juices, usually combined with a liquid such as chicken or

Marengo [muh-rehng-goh]

beef stock, wine or milk -and thickened with flour, corn flour or some other thickening

A French sauce made with tomatoes, olives and garlic, often

agent. Gravy may also be the simple juices left in the

used to garnish chicken or veal.

pan after meat, poultry or fish has been cooked.

Marinade [ma- ree-nehd/ma-ree-nahd]

Guacamole [gwa-kah mow-lee]

A seasoned liquid in which foods such as meat, fish and

A Mexican dish of mashed avocado mixed with

vegetables are soaked (marinated) in order to absorb flavour.

lemon or lime juice and various seasonings (usually

Most marinades contain an acid (lemon juice, vinegar or wine)

chilli powder and red pepper). Sometimes finely

and herbs or spices.

chopped tomato, onion and coriander are added.

Guacamole can be used as a dip, sauce, topping
or side dish. If making in advance, cover well as
guacamole will discolour.

Mornay Sauce/Sauce Mornay [mohr-nay]

A bchamel sauce enriched with egg yolks and flavoured with grated gruyre cheese.
It is used to coat dishes that are to be glazed under the grill or browned in the oven,
including poached eggs, fish, shellfish and vegetables.

Hoi-Sin Sauce [hoy-sihn]

A Chinese sauce thick, sweet, spicy, reddish-brown made from beans, garlic and
spices.

Nam Pla/Fish Sauce [nam plah]

This sauce is fundamental to Thai food. It is made with the liquid that comes from
fermented anchovies and is very pungent.

Hollandaise Sauce [ho-lehn-dayz]

Hollandaise sauce is an emulsion of egg yolks,
a vinegar reduction and hot melted butter. It is

Nantua Sauce [nan-too-ah]

A crayfish sauce (lobster sauce).

the basic sauce from which other sauces, such

Pesto [pehs-toh]

as Barnaise and mousseline are made.

A green Italian sauce for pasta, typically

Jus [zhoo]
French for juice, which can refer to fruit and
vegetable juices, and the natural juices exuded
from meat.

made from pine nuts blended with fresh

basil, parmesan cheese, garlic and olive
oil. The sauce can be stirred into freshly
cooked pasta, spooned on to thick soups,
toasted on bread or added to mayonnaise

Lyonnaise Sauce [e-yo-nayz]

and salad dressings. Red pesto contains

Lyonnaise is a classic French sauce made with

grilled red pepper or pimiento.

onions and white wine, then strained and

served with meat or poultry.

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Sauces and Dressings

Sauces and Dressings

Piquant Sauce [pee-kahnt]

Sauce Diplomate/Diplomat Sauce

Brown sauce for western dishes, made from chopped gherkins, sometimes with herbs.

Also called riche sauce, it is made with lobster butter, truffles and lobster flesh and
accompanies delicate fish, such as John Dory, sole and turbot.

Pistou Herb [pihs-too]

A blend of chopped basil, garlic and olive oil. It is the French version of Italy's pesto.

Shoyu [shoh-yoo]
Soy sauce.

Pure [pyoo-ray]
Fruit or vegetable mashed to a smooth, thick, paste-like consistency.

Soy/Soya Sauce
This extremely important ingredient in Asian cooking is a dark, salty sauce made by

Ragot [ra-goo]
A thick, rich, well-seasoned stew of meat, poultry,
fish or vegetables.

fermenting boiled soybeans and roasted wheat or barley. It forms a basic ingredient in
both Japanese and Chinese cooking.

Tabasco Sauce [tabas-koh]

Red Pesto
A sauce or dressing made with red peppers, chillies,
garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and parmesan cheese.

Rmoulade [ray-moo-lahd]
A mayonnaise-based sauce made from finelychopped capers, gherkins, anchovies and herbs.

A hot, thin, spicy sauce made from vinegar and red chilli peppers.
It can be used to season meat or sauces or added to cocktails for
an extra kick.

Tapenade [tah-peh-nad]
Tapenade is a paste made of black olives, capers, anchovies,
mustard, basil and parsley. It can be used on crostini or

Rouille [roo-yuh/roo-ee]

bruschetta; with pasta and in sauces; as a marinade for meat

Garlic and saffron mayonnaise.

and also for adding to casseroles and stews.

Russian Sauce/Dressing

Tartar Sauce [tahr-tahr]

A mayonnaise-based sauce flavoured with tomato ketchup.

Mixture of minced capers (the flower bud of a bush found in the Mediterranean region

Salsa [sahl-sah]
The Mexican and Spanish word for sauce.
Traditionally, a Mexican cold sauce made from

and parts of Asia, generally pickled in vinegar brine), dill pickles, onions or shallots,
olives, lemon juice or vinegar and seasonings. It is traditionally served with fried fish,
but can also be used with vegetables.

tomatoes flavoured with coriander, chillies and

Tartare [tahr-tahre]

onions. Generally, a cold chunky mixture of

1. Sauce made from mayonnaise, gherkins

fresh herbs, spices, fruits and/or vegetables

and capers.

used as a sauce or dip.

2. Steak tartare is made with minced beef,

Satay [sah-tay]
A spicy sauce based on soy sauce. It contains

served raw with egg yolk and

seasoning.

sugar, oil, chilli, onion, garlic and shrimp.

It may also contain peanuts.

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Sauces and Dressings

Sauces and Dressings

Teriyaki [teh-ree-yah-kee]

French Dressing

A Japanese dish consisting of food, such as beef or chicken, which has been marinated

Also known as vinaigrette; made from a mixture of olive oil, wine vinegar, pepper and

in a mixture of soy sauce, sake, sugar, ginger and seasonings before being grilled, broiled

salt, to which various flavourings can be added.

or fried. The sugar in the marinade gives the cooked food a slight glaze. Teriyaki sauce is
made with the above ingredients.

Italian Dressing
A salad dressing consisting of olive oil and white wine vinegar or lemon juice, seasoned

Vinaigrette [vee-neh-greht]

with various ingredients including garlic, oregano, basil, dill and fennel.

A sauce commonly used to dress salads, comprising

oil and vinegar. Emulsified vinaigrettes use egg
and/or mustard to stabilise the dressing. Alternative

Marie Rose Dressing

Pink mayonnaise sauce with tomato pure.

combinations using acids other than vinegar, such

Mayonnaise [may-uh-nayz]

as wine or citrus juice, are also called vinaigrettes.

Thick, creamy dressing that is a cold emulsion of vegetable oil,

egg yolks, lemon juice or vinegar, mustard and seasonings.

Velout [veh-loo-tay]
A basic term used for soups and sauces. Butter, flour,

Mousseline Dressing [moos-leen]

stock and usually cream and egg yolks are cooked

Mayonnaise with whipped cream.

together to make velout.

Russian Sauce

White Sauce [wa-i-t]

A mayonnaise-based sauce flavoured with tomato ketchup.

The basis of many other sauces, made from flour, butter and milk. It has a smooth,
slightly thick consistency and is basically tasteless.

Spicy Thai Dressing

Spicy Thai fish sauce with lime, chopped chillies and coriander.

Salad Dressings:

Thousand Island Dressing

Aoli [ah-ee-oh-lee]

A mayonnaise-based salad dressing made with tomato sauce and finely chopped

A Provenal mayonnaise sauce with olive oil and garlic.

ingredients such as stuffed green olives, green peppers, pickles, onions and

Balsamic/Balsamico [bal-sah-meek-oh]

hard-boiled eggs.

A dressing made with special mild-tasting

Vinaigrette [vih-nee-greht]

Italian vinegar.

Basic salad dressing made from a

Basil Vinaigrette [ba-zihl-vih-nee-greht]

combination of oil and vinegar to

which various seasonings can be added,

A dressing made with oil, vinegar and basil.

including mustard and garlic. Vinaigrette

Caesar [see-zuhr]

is widely used as a dressing for salad

Garlic vinaigrette dressing made with

greens, as well as various meat, fish and

Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice.

vegetable dishes. A wide variety of oils

can be used (such as olive, sunflower
and walnut). Lemon juice is frequently
used as a substitute for vinegar.

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Desserts
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Desserts

Apfel und Dattelkuchen [ap-fehl oond dah-tehl-koo-khuhn]

German for apple and date cake.

Baba/Savarin [bah-bah/sav-uh-rihn]
A yeast cake soaked in syrup, often flavoured with rum. In a ring shape, it is named
Savarin.

Baklava [bahk-lah-vah]
This popular Greek and Turkish pastry is made from layers of filo pastry, nuts and
honey. After it is baked, spiced lemon-honey syrup is poured over
the pastry after it is baked and left to soak into the layers.

Barquette [bahr-keht]
A small boat-shaped tart made of basic pie dough or puff pastry,
baked and then filled with various sweet or savoury ingredients.
Sometimes it is filled before it is baked.

From an old French word meaning to clear the table, dessert refers
to sweet foods served after the main part of a meal. Desserts are a
relatively recent addition to the standard meal plan in the Western
world. Before the rise of the middle class in the nineteenth century,
sweets were a rare treat, or even the sole preserve of the
aristocracy. Some cultures prefer to mix sweet and savoury dishes
throughout a meal rather than having a separate sweet course.

Bavarois [bah-vah-rwah]
A French name for Bavarian cream, which is custard mixed with
whipped cream, various flavourings and gelatine.

Black Forest Torte

The famous Schwarzwlder Kirschtorte hails from Swabia in Germany's Black Forest
region. This exquisite dessert is created by layering kirsch-scented chocolate cake,
sour cherries and kirsch-laced whipped cream. A generous coating of whipped cream
garnished with chocolate curls and cherries completes the cake.

Bonbon
A sweet made of or dipped into fondant.

Budino Al Cioccolato [boo-dee-noh al chee-oh-ko-lah-toh]

Baked chocolate pudding.

Butterscotch [buh-tuh-skoch]
The flavour of butterscotch is a blend of butter,
brown sugar, cream and vanilla.

Caramel [ka-ruh-mehl]
Melted sugar that has been browned
by heating.

Cassata [kuh-sah-tah]
Italian dessert made with ice cream and
candied fruit. The name means little case,
due to its brick shape, although triangular
cassatas can be found.
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Desserts

Desserts

Chantilly [shahn-tee-lee/shahn-tee-yee]

Crme Fraiche [krehm frehsh]

A French term for a whipped cream flavoured with sugar, vanilla and brandy.

A matured, thickened cream with a slightly tangy, nutty flavour and velvety rich texture.

Charlotte [shahr-lot]

Crpe [krehp]

A classical dessert made from mousse with whipped cream or fruit and layers of sponge

The French word for pancake.

cake as the outer cover.

Crumble [kruhm-buhl]

Charlotte Fret Noir [shahr-lot fo-rehn-oo-ahr]

Black Forest cake.

A British dessert of raw fruit topped with a crumbly pastry mixture and baked.

Custard [kuhs-tuhd]

Cheesecake

A sweet sauce, usually quite thick, made from milk, egg yolks, sugar and cornflour.

A cake made of sweetened cottage cheese or cream

Often used to accompany sweet dishes, the custard may be flavoured or may be chilled

cheese, eggs, milk, sugar and flavourings.

and served semi-solid.

Choux Pastry [shoo]

Demerara Sugar [dehm-uh-reh-rah]

Cream puff pastry dough made from water or milk cooked

A pale-coloured and mild-tasting raw cane sugar named

with butter, flour and eggs.

after its place of origin in Guyana.

Clafoutis [klah-foo-tee]

Double Cream

A dessert from the Limousin region of France, consisting of black cherries arranged in

Double cream is 48 per cent fat and is the most versatile

a buttered dish and covered with a fairly thick pancake batter. It is served lukewarm,

cream as it withstands boiling, whips and freezes well.

dusted with sugar. There are numerous variations using red cherries or other fruits.

In the USA it is known as heavy cream.

Clotted Cream

clair [eh-klehr]

Thick, baked cream, traditionally from Devon and Cornwall in England. Served with

A small, log-shaped bun of choux pastry, filled with cream and coated with a chocolate

scones or desserts or made into ice cream.

fondant icing.

Compote [kom-poht]

Falooda [fah-loo-dah]

Chilled dish of fresh or dried fruit that has been slowly cooked in sugar syrup.

Vermicelli flavoured with sugar and rosewater.

Coulis [koo-lee]

Flan

Smooth, thick fruit or vegetable sauce, e.g. apricot, raspberry, red pepper. It may be

A round tart with a sweet filling and fruits. A flan can also be made with a savoury filling

used to enhance the flavour of a sauce or as the sauce itself.

of vegetables or meat.

Crme Anglaise [krehm ahn-glayz]

Fondant [fon-do]

The French term for a rich custard sauce that

A simple mixture of sugar, water and cream of

can be served hot or cold over cake, fruit or

tartar mixture a fine white powder derived

other desserts.

from a crystalline acid deposited on the inside

Crme Brle [krehm broo-lay]

A type of custard, browned on top with burnt

of wine barrels boiled until it reaches a soft

ball stage.

sugar. Sugar is sprinkled on top and heated to

form a crust.

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Desserts

Desserts

Frangipane [fran-jee-paneh]

Meringue [muh-rang]

A pastry cream used in the preparation of various desserts, sweets, cakes and pancakes.

A mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites and granulated sugar.

It is made with milk, sugar, flour, eggs and butter, mixed with either crushed macaroons
or ground almonds.

Mocha [moh-kah]
A variety of Arabian coffee bean grown on the borders of the Red Sea. Named after the

Fudge [fuhj]

Yemeni port from which it was traditionally exported. Mocha is a strong coffee with a

A very soft caramel that melts in the mouth and is

distinctive aroma and a musky flavour; however, some people find it bitter. It is used

not sticky.

as a flavouring for cakes, biscuits, ice creams and confectionery.

Ganache [gah-nahsh]

Mousse [moo-se]

A rich icing/filling made of semi-sweet chocolate

A name describing a light and creamy dish, which may be sweet or savoury.

and whipping cream.

Sweet versions are made with beaten egg whites, savoury mousses use gelatine.

Gateau/Gateaux (pl.) [gah-toh]

Nougat [noo-gah]

French for cake.

Sweet made of sugar or honey, roasted nuts and sometimes

chopped, candied fruit. Can be chewy or brittle.

Gelato [jeh-lah-toh]

Omm Ali [oum-ali]

Italian for ice-cream.

A traditional Middle-Eastern dish made from puff pastry,

Gnoise [jeh-noo-ahs]

raisins and pastachios, mixed with cream and rose water.

Very light sponge cake.

Oreo Cookie Cheese Cake [o-rih-yoh]

Halva/Halvah [hahl-vah]
An Eastern sweetmeat based on roasted sesame seeds, which are ground into a smooth
paste known as tahini, then mixed with boiled sugar.

Kirschstrudel [keersh- shtrood-l]

A German sweet for homemade cherry strudel.

Latte Macchiato Cake [lah-tay mah-kee-ah-toh]

Cake made with milk and coffee.

Cheese cake wherein the crust is made of Oreo cookies

(sandwich cookies squeezing a delicious white sugar
paste in between two thin black biscuits).

Panettone [pan-neh-toh-neh]
A large, round Italian cake that is a speciality of the city of Milan. It is traditionally eaten
at Christmas. It can be served as dessert, accompanied by a sweet wine.

Panna Cotta
Lebkuchen [leb-koo-khuhn]

The name for this cold dessert from Italy

A thick, cake-like cookie from Germany. It is

means cooked cream, although not all

sweetened with honey, full of spices, citron

recipes call for the cream to be cooked.

and almonds. Similar to gingerbread.

To make panna cotta, cream is added

Macaroon [mak-uh-roon]
Small cookie made of almond paste, ground
almonds or both, mixed with sugar and egg whites.

Marquise [mahr-kees]

to gelatine and then flavoured with a

wide variety of ingredients, such as
vanilla or cinnamon. The mixture is then
cooled until it sets and is served with a
sweet sauce.

Various delicate desserts.

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Desserts

Desserts

Parfait [pahr-fay]

Sponge Cake [sponj]

1. French for perfect a term used for an ice-cream dessert.

A cake that is usually lightened with baking powder or whisked egg whites.

2. Nowadays, also used for a type of pt served as a starter.

Strudel [shtrood-l]

Ptisserie [pah-tee-suh-ree]

It is a type of German pastry made up of many layers of very thin dough spread with

Sweet or savoury pastries and cakes, generally baked in the oven.

a filling, then rolled and baked until crisp and golden brown. The most famous is the
Apfelstrudel (apple strudel).

Pavlova [pahv-loh-vah]

Tarte Tatin [tahrt tah-tehn]

Meringue, usually with fruit and cream.

The name given to an apple tart that is cooked under a lid of pastry, but served with

Petit four [peh-tee fohr]

Bite-size, iced and elaborately decorated cakes or small,

the pastry underneath and the fruit on top.

Tartlette [tahrt-leht]

fancy cookies.

Pastry crust with shallow sides, a filling and no top crust.

Praline [prah-leen/pray-leen]
1. An easily breakable candy made of almonds and

The filling can be sweet or savoury.

caramel. It may be eaten as candy, ground and used

Tiramisu [tee-ruh-mee-soo]

as a filling or dessert ingredient or sprinkled on top

A light, Italian dessert composition of sponge cake soaked with

of desserts as a garnish.

strong coffee, marsala wine and mascarpone cheese. Today,

2. A special patty-shaped candy from Louisiana made

with pecans and brown sugar.

chefs make many variations with different flavours.

Torte [toort]

Profiterole [proh-fiht-uh-rohl]

A rich, dense cake typically made with many eggs and relatively little flour (as opposed

A small bun made with choux pastry, often filled with cream and dipped in melted

to a sponge cake or gteau).

chocolate. It is also possible to make a savoury profiterole, usually with a creamy fish
or shellfish filling.

Tourte [toort]
A round pie or tart, which can be savoury or sweet.

Sachertorte [zah-khahr-tor-teh]
A famous Viennese gateau, created by Franz Sacher. It is a sort of chocolate Savoy cake,
filled or spread with apricot jam and covered with chocolate glaze. It is traditionally
served with whipped cream and a cup of coffee.

Sorbet/Sherbet [sor-bay]
French for sherbet, this is usually made of
frozen, sweetened fruit juice and water.

Souffl [soo-flay]

Tourte Carotte Miel

[toort kah-rot miel]
Baked carrot pie or tart.

Zwetschgendatschi
[zweht-zgehn-dat-chee]
A traditional recipe for baked plum
crumble cake, originating from Bavaria,
Germany.

1. An airy, fluffy, baked mixture (made from

eggs and seafood, meats, fruits, etc.), which
rises above the rim of the baking dish.
2. The term is also used for an ice-cream
dessert, which is not baked. Instead, the ice
cream rises above the rim of the dish.

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Fruits, Nuts and

Berries
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Fruits, Nuts and Berries

Fruits:
Ananas [a-na-nuhs]
Arabic for pineapple.

Avocado [a-voh-kah-doh]
A pear-shaped tropical fruit with a leathery green skin and greenish-yellow flesh.

Crab Apple [krab-apuhl]

A small, tart, red apple, pickled with spice.

Currant [kur-ruhnt]
Dried grapes. These may be dried naturally, or artificially

Fruits
Parts of a tree or bush that contain seeds and are often eaten for
their usually sweet flesh. Many fruits can be eaten raw or cooked.
They are often used to make marmalades and preserves, and their
juice goes into both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Nuts and Seeds
Dry fruit with a kernel and a hard shell. Nuts and seeds are very
versatile in cooking: they can be eaten raw, sprouted and roasted;
and can be pressed for oil. Their high oil content makes them a
good source of energy.
Berries
Berries are small, soft fruit with seeds. They are often brightly
coloured and come in bunches. Like other fruits, berries can be
used in hot or cold sauces, desserts, drinks and preserves.

by hot air.

Kiwi Fruit [kee-wee]

An edible fruit with fuzzy brown skin and green flesh.
Formerly known as a Chinese gooseberry.

Kumquat [kuhm-kwot]
Small citrus fruit, which looks like a tiny oval or round orange, originating in central
China but now cultivated in the Far East, Australia and America. Kumquats can be eaten
whole including the skin or used for pickling and preserves. They are particularly
good in stuffing for poultry.

Longan [long-guhn]
Literally means dragon-eye, which is an apt description after the skin has been removed.
Skin is similar to lychee but the longan is smaller, smoother and yellow tan in colour.
The flesh is white to off-white or pinkish in colour and surrounds a red-brown or brown
to black seed. It has a milder flavour and less acidity than lychee. It originated in China.

Lychee [lee-chee]
A fruit that originated in China and is now
grown in the Far East and the West Indies.
It is about the size of a small plum and has
a thin, hard, red, rough shell that is easily
removed. The white, juicy flesh surrounds
a large dark-brown stone. In Europe, fresh
lychees are available from November to
January, but they are probably most often
sold tinned, preserved in sugar syrup.

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Fruits, Nuts and Berries

Fruits, Nuts and Berries

Mango

Passion Fruit

An egg-shaped fruit of a tropical Asian tree, with a juicy, peach-like flesh that contains

The edible fruit of the passionflower, a climbing plant, also known as granadilla,

numerous fibres radiating from the husk of a single, large kidney-shaped seed. It has

originating in tropical America. The fruit is the size of a hens egg with yellowish-green

leathery skin which is waxy smooth.

or brownish-red, leathery skin, which is smooth and shiny when unripe and wrinkled
when mature. The orange-yellow flesh, which is slightly acid and very fragrant, contains

Mangosteen [mang-oh-steen]
A tropical fruit from south-east Asia, the mangosteen is the size of a small peach with
a leathery skin which, when peeled away, reveals five sweetly scented white segments.

small, edible black seeds.

Pear [pehr]
The fruit of the pear tree. It has a yellow, brown, red or green skin,

Melon
The roundish fruit of several varieties of climbing plant. Melons have a hard rind and

a fine, white, slightly granular flesh and a central core.

a juicy, sweet flesh that is usually eaten fresh at the

Peach [peech]

beginning of a meal, as an hors doeuvre, or at the end,

The fruit of the peach tree. It has a velvety skin, sweet and juicy

as a fruit. It can also be used to make jams and pickles.

flesh which can be white or yellow in colour, and a single stone.

Morello Cherry [moh-rehl-oh]

Pomegranate [pom-uh-gran-eht]

A sour cherry with dark-red skin and flesh which is

A shrub of Asiatic origin, cultivated for its large edible fruit. The fruit has a tough reddish-

used in a variety of processed products.

yellow or green skin enclosing many seeds surrounded by sweet, pinkish, juicy pulp.

Nectarine [nehk-tuh-reen]

Pomelo [poh-mehl-oh]

A variety of peach with a smooth reddish skin, tinged

The largest of the citrus fruits, sometimes known as shaddock. The pomelo is pear-

with yellow. It has firm, sweet, juicy flesh. Nectarines

shaped with a thick skin and a bitter, coarse flesh similar in flavour to the grapefruit.

can be eaten plain and can be used instead of peaches in desserts.

Olive

Prune [proon]
A dried red or purple plum, which is kept for a long time.

Small, oval fruit of the olive tree, widely cultivated in Mediterranean regions. Olives are
harvested and preserved in oil or brine at various stages of development. The early olives
are green, while the later, more mature olives are black. They taste very different, and
black olives tend to have a more intense flavour. The fleshy pulp of the fruit is the
source of olive oil. The whole fruit is available in a variety of guises: flavoured; stuffed
or with stones, in oil or in brine; sliced or whole. It is used in cookery as a flavouring
or garnish, as an ingredient or as an hors d'oeuvre.

Papaya/Papaw/Pawpaw [puh-puh-yuh]
A large, tropical fruit with a smooth, yellowish

Quince [kwihns]
The yellow fruit of a tree native to Asia. It belongs to the apple family and is round
or pear-shaped. When ripe, the quince has a fine down and a wonderful perfume.
Quince should not be eaten raw because it is very hard and bitter but it makes
excellent preserves, especially marmalade.

Raisins [ray-zihns]
Dried red grapes. They may be dried
naturally, or artificially by hot air.

skin, its orange-coloured flesh has a central

Rambutan [ram-boo-tan]

cavity filled with black seeds. Originating

The somewhat hair-like covering is

in Malaysia, it has a low calorific value and

responsible for the common name of the

can be eaten ripe or cooked as a vegetable

fruit, which is based on the Malay word

when unripe.

rambut, meaning hair. The flesh is thick,

white or tinted rose, translucent, juicy and
sweet attached to an oblong, somewhat
flattened seed.

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Fruits, Nuts and Berries

Star Fruit

Pine Kernel/Pine Nut

Also known as carambola, this yellow fruit becomes a five-pointed star when sliced

The small edible seed of the stone pine, which grows in the Mediterranean region. Pine

widthways. Star fruits have a slightly sweet and sour taste, so are often used more

nuts are rich in protein and oily so they tend to go rancid quite quickly. They are

for decoration in fruit salads.

used in many savoury dishes, especially vegetarian ones.

Sultanas [sool-tah-nahs]

Pistachio [pihs-tah-shee-oh]

Dried green grapes. They may be dried naturally, or artificially by hot air.

Nut with a green kernel, about the size of a peanut.

Tamarind [tam-uh-rihnd]

Sunflower

Comes from the Arabic and literally means date of

An annual plant cultivated both for ornament and for its

India. The fruit of an evergreen tree. The brown

seeds, from which oil is extracted.

pods contain a bittersweet pulp, dotted with a few

hard seeds. Tamarinds are mostly used for preparing
jams, sorbets, chutneys, drinks and condiments.

Walnut [wol-nuht]
The fruit of the walnut tree, consisting of a hard-shelled nut
surrounded by a green, fleshy husk. The delicious kernel

Tangerine [tan-juh-reen]

is shaped like the two halves of a brain. Walnuts are used

A citrus fruit resembling a small, slightly flattened

in sweet and savoury cooking and are good pickled, and

orange. It originated in China and is also called

served with cheese. They can also be used finely chopped with sweet dishes, or roughly

a mandarin.

chopped with salads and stir fries. Best stored whole with shell on.

Nuts and Seeds:

Berries:

Ginkgo [gihnk-goh]

Blueberry

A type of sweet nut.

A very small, blackish, edible fruit that grows on a North American shrub.

Hazelnut [hay-zuhl-nuht]

Cape Gooseberry

A hard-shelled nut of the hazel tree, with an oval or round kernel.

The fruit of the gooseberry bush, a large

berry with a slightly hairy skin, usually

Linseed

green or amber-green in colour.

Seed of the flax plant.

Macadamia [mak-uh-day-myah]
A relatively expensive nut that is native
to Australia. Its white kernel has a taste
reminiscent of coconut. In Asia it is used

Blue-black berries used for flavouring

sauces and game dishes. Famous for being
utilised in gin-making.

Redcurrant [kuh-ruhnt]

it is used as flavouring for ices and cakes.

Small, red, acid-tasting berries, which

French for chestnuts. Used as garnish

or pure for main courses and desserts.

Pecan [pee-kuhn]
Olive-shaped, finely-flavoured nut.

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Juniper Berries [joo-nihp-uh]

in curries and stews; in the United States

Marron

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Fruits, Nuts and Berries

grow in clusters.

Zerach [zer-ach]
A tiny, dark red berry about the size of
pomegranate seed, with a tart, acidic taste. Also called as barberries, they are used
in Afghan rice dishes and can also replace a type of dried plum in North Indian dishes.
In Western cooking they can be added to fruit pies.

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Cheese

Appenzeller [a-pehn-tzelluh]
A superb Swiss cheese made from cows milk, with a delicate, somewhat fruity flavour.
It has small holes.

Babybel
A semi-soft, creamy, French cheese made from cows milk.

Bel Paese [behl-pah-ay-zay]

Italian for beautiful country. A semi-soft cheese with a mild
buttery taste.

Belle Crme [behl-creem]

A young, soft, Canadian cheese made from cows milk.

Bocconcini [boh-kohn-chee-nih]
Small rounds of fresh baby mozzarella. It is a delicate, semi-soft,
white cheese traditionally made in Italy from buffaloes milk.

Cheese is a soft or firm, solid food, most often made from cows
milk. There are hundreds of types of cheese around the world,
with a variety of textures and flavours produced by different
characteristics of milk and by contrasting processing methods.
Cheese is used in the preparation of cooked dishes and eaten with
various accompaniments, such as grapes, nuts and crackers,
or as a course in itself.

Bonne Mre [bon-mayr]

A soft cheese made from cows milk. It is produced in Denmark.

Bougon Mlusine [boo-gon mehl-oo-sihn]

A pasteurised goats milk cheese from the Loire Valley. It is matured for between two to
four weeks. The paste pulls away from the rind and has a spicy flavour, which develops
with age.

Caciocavallo [kah-choh-kah-vah-loh]
An Italian cheese made from cows milk and often smoked. It is compact and strawcoloured with a pale, fine and oily crust.

Caciotta [ka-choht-tah]
A ripened, yellow, Italian cheese made from
cows milk. It is not too strong in taste.

California Sonoma Jack

A Californian, Cheddar-type cheese made
from cows milk. It has a mild flavour.

Camembert [kam-ehm-behr]
A very traditional French cheese with
an edible, white, downy rind (like Brie).
Today, Camembert is produced in many
countries, e.g. Australia (King Island
Camembert) and France (Cur de Lion).

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Cheese

Christian (IX) [kris-tee-an]

Fourme d'Ambert comes from the Loire, Puy-de-Dome and the district of Saint-Flour;

A Danish cheese made from cows milk. It has a semi-soft texture and is flavoured with

it comprises a firm paste flavoured with parsley and a dry, dark-grey crust, mottled

caraway seeds.

with yellow and red. It has a strong flavour and is shaped into tall cylinders. It is usually
served cut horizontally.

Cur De Dame [kuhr-de-dahm]

Fromage Blanc [froh-mahzh blahn]

A semi-soft cheese from France.

French for white cheese. An extremely soft, fresh cream cheese that has the consistency

Comt [kom-tay]
A cheese made with cows' milk, which is cooked and pressed. It is ivory-coloured or

of sour cream.

pale yellow and has a natural brushed rind, varying from golden-yellow to brown.

Fromage Frais/Quark/Ricotta/Cottage [froh-mahj fray/kwahk/rih-koh-tah]

The cheese comes from the Franche-Comt region

Fresh cheeses, the curdled substance of milk with the water drained off. These are from

of France and is also known as Comt Gruyre.

different countries and have slightly different production processes.

Traditionally, it should have small holes, not much

smell, a fruity flavour and a strong bouquet.

Gloucester [gloss-tuhr]
Also called double Gloucester, this dense, satiny, golden yellow

Derby/Sage Derby [dahr-bee]

cheese is one of England's finest. It was once made only with the

A semi-hard, English cheese made from cows milk,

milk from Gloucester cows (now almost extinct) and until the

sometimes with sage leaves.

end of World War II single (smaller) Gloucester rounds were also

available. The mellow, full-flavoured double Gloucester comes in

Double Gloucester [gloss-tuhr]

An English cheese, fine, full-flavoured with a semihard texture and orange colour, made from cows milk.

large, flat rounds or tall cylinders both with a natural rind. It's a
fine, multipurpose cheese, equally as good with a meal or after it.

Gorgonzola [gor-gon-zoh-lah]

Edam [ee-duhm]
A mild and buttery Dutch cheese made from cows milk.

Emmental [ehm-ehn-tahl]
A premium Swiss cheese made from cow's milk. It has a distinctive, nutty-sweet,
mellow flavour and big holes.

An Italian cows milk cheese, pale in colour and streaked with blue. It has a distinct
smell and can be mild, strong or sharp in flavour depending on its maturity.

Gouda [goo-dah]
An excellent, mild, Dutch cheese made from cows milk. It has a soft texture and is
sometimes flavoured with pepper.

Feta [feht-uh]
A classic Greek cheese made from ewes' milk or
sometimes from goats' milk. It is used in sauces,
soups and salads. In Greek cooking, feta is
used mostly for gratins and pastries. It is a soft,

Gruviera [groo-vee-yeh-rah]
This Italian version of the Swiss Gruyre
has a sweet, nutty flavour that is just
like the original.

crumbly, white cheese. Greek, Romanian and

Gruyre [groo-yehr/gree-yehr]

Bulgarian feta are best for serving as appetisers

A superior, Swiss cheese made from cows

or in salads. Firmer feta is usually less expensive

milk. It has a rich, sweet and nutty flavour.

and is suitable for cooking purposes.

Halloumi [hahl-loo-mee]

Fourme d'Ambert [form dahm-behr]

A mild, salty cheese from cyprus with

Fourme is any of various cows' milk cheeses

a chewy texture made from goat's milk.

from central France that usually contain parsley

and are used in the same way as blue cheese.

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Cheese

Havati [ha-vah-tee]

Monterey Jack [mon-teh-ray]

A creamy, semi-soft Danish cheese with a mild taste.

A Californian cheddar-type cheese with a mild flavour. Made from cows milk.

Hereford Hop

Morbier [moh-bee-ayr]

Made in Gloucester since 1988. A full fat, hard cheese matured in locally produced hops.

A French cheese made from cows milk. It has a creamy texture with a fairly strong

A mild, buttery flavour enhanced by the strong aroma and contrasting taste of the hop.

flavour. It is a firm cheese with a natural light-grey or slightly orange crust and a firm
creamy paste with a dark horizontal line running through the middle of it.

Kasar [kah-sahr]
A traditional, ripe, Turkish cheese made from sheep's milk.

Kernheim [kairn-him]
An excellent Dutch cheese made from cows milk. It has a
semi-soft texture, creamy, white colour and a strong flavour.

Kras

Mozzarella
[moh-tzah-rehl-ah]
An Italian fresh or unripened cheese made from the milk of the water buffalo and sold
swimming in whey. Fans often prefer its soft sponge-like texture and mild creamy
flavour to the alternative cows milk mozzarella, which can be more rubbery and
less flavoursome. It is used widely for cooking and in salads.

A traditional, young, Turkish cheese made from cows milk.

Munster [moon-ster/muhn-stuhr]

Leicester Cheese/Red Leicester [lehs-tuhr]

An originally French cheese of distinctive flavour. Today,

A mature English cheese made from cows milk. It has

Munster is also made in other countries.

a semi-hard texture and an orange-red colour with a

creamy flavour and a nutty undertone.

Neufchatel [noo-shuh-tell]
A mild-flavoured, French cheese made from cows milk.

Limburg [lihm-buhrg]

It has a soft creamy texture.

Soft cheese from Belgium or Germany with a strong flavour and odour.

Manchego [mahn-chay-goh]

Oka
A young, smooth, Canadian cheese made from cows milk.

A Spanish cheese made from ewe/sheeps milk. A rather fatty cheese with a creamy
colour and firm to the touch.

Paneer [puh-neer]
A basic curd cheese used in Indian cooking.

Maredsous [mahr-doo]
A Belgian cheese made from cows milk. It has a soft texture and a strong aroma.

Parmesan [pahr-muh-zahn]/ Parmigiano Reggiano

[pahr-mee-jee-ah-noh rehj-ee-ah-noh]

Mascarpone [mas-kahr-poh-neh]

A hard, grainy cheese extensively used in Italian cuisine. Parmesan is often grated over

A fresh, Italian cream cheese, often used in desserts like tiramisu.

dishes, e.g. spaghetti Bolognese, and is made from skimmed or partially-skimmed cows

Mimolette [mee-moh-leht]
A cows' milk cheese characterised by its orange
colour, and shaped like a flattened ball. It is
a compressed cheese with a dry, hard, grey
or brown rind. Depending on its maturity,
the cheese may be supple, dry, or hard and
flaky; the nutty flavour of the young cheese
gradually becomes more piquant. The word

milk. There are Parmesan cheeses made

in Argentina, Australia and the USA,
but the most famous is Italys ParmigianoReggiano, which is the true parmesan
cheese, manufactured from 15th April to
11th November in the province of Parma
and also in Bologna and Mantua. Parmesan
is always best grated just before use.

mimolette comes from the French molle

meaning fairly soft.

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Passendale [pa-sehn-dayl]

Samso

A young (ripened for 6 weeks) mild, creamy cheese made from cows milk from Belgian.

A semi-hard, Danish cheese with many variations. Related cheeses are Danbo, Elbo, Fynbo,

It has a light colour, semi-soft texture and holes.

Molbo, Maribo, Tybo, etc.

Pecorino [peh-koh-ree-noh]

Scarmorza [skah-mohr-tzah]

A hard, Italian cheese made from sheep's milk.

A hard, cheese from the south of Italy, with a rather sharp taste.

Peppered Cheese

Shanklish

A young cheese made from cows milk. It has a soft texture, mild flavour and a crushed

A type of goats cheese from the Middle East.

pepper crust.

Smoked Cheese

Pont L'Evque [pon-lay-vehk]

Various types of cheese can be found with the term smoked.

A soft, classical, French cheese with a fairly strong

Carbon-flavoured liquid is used to give the cheese a smoky taste.

taste and aroma.

It does not undergo a smoking process like fish or meat.

Port Salut [por suh-loo]

Somerset Camembert [suhm-uh-seht kam-ehm-behr]

A semi-soft, smooth, buttery cheese made after an

Made by the Lubborn Creamery in Somerset, England. It is made

ancient Trappist monk's recipe, which reaches back

using pasteurised milk and vegetarian rennet. Coated with a white,

to the French Revolution.

bloomy rind. It has a smooth, creamy and buttery flavour.

Provolone [proh-voh-loh-neh]

Taleggio [tah-leh-jee-oh]

An Italian cheese made from cows milk. It has a firm texture and a smoky flavour.

A semi-soft, Italian cheese made from cows milk. Its flavour ranges from mild to
pungent, depending on the age of the cheese.

Reblochon [reh-bluh-shohn]
A cows' milk cheese made in Savoy, with a pressed uncooked curd and a washed rind,

Tilsit [tihl-ziht]

yellow, pink, or orange in colour. It is very creamy and fine-textured, with a sweet, nutty

A cheese said to have originated in Tilsit, East Prussia (now part of Russia and Poland)

taste. Its name comes from the French verb reblocher, meaning 'to milk a second time',

when Dutch immigrants accidentally created it while attempting to make Gouda.

because the cheese used to be made in the Alpine meadows from the last milk to be

A cheese made of cows milk, it is pressed, uncooked, pliable and golden-yellow,

drawn from the cow, which is very rich in fat.

with small regular holes and a polished, yellow-brown rind. Its flavour is mild but
becomes more pungent with age. A very strong version is called Farmhouse Tilsit.

Red Windsor
A semi-hard, English cheese, made from cows milk and flavoured with elderberry wine.

Ricotta [ree-ko-tah]

Tomato & Basil Cheese

unripened, is creamy, soft and smooth. It can be

A smooth, very creamy cheese made from

eaten fresh with fruit or flavoured with sugar and

cows milk, with tomato and basil bits

cinnamon as it has a rather bland flavour. It is used

(Camembert type).

ravioli or in pastries.

Rubens [roo-buhns]
A young (ripened for 6 weeks), mild, creamy cheese
made from cows milk from Belgian. It has a light
colour and semi-soft texture but no holes.
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A firm-textured Swiss cheese made from cows milk. It has a tangy taste.

An Italian ewes milk curd cheese that, when

in many Italian dishes, especially as a stuffing for

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Tilsiter [tihl-siht-uh]

Tomme [tom]
A classical, French cheese with a semi-soft
texture.

Valhalla [vahl-hah-lah]
A Danish cheese made from cows milk.
It has a firm texture and strong flavour.
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Cheese

Walnut Cheese

German/Bavarian Blue Cheese [buh-vair-ree-uhn]

A processed cheese with walnut halves as garnish or chopped walnuts inside. Processed

Soft-textured with a mildly-sour flavour, made from cows milk.

cheese is made from different types of cheese that are melted and blended.

Gorgonzola [gor-gohn-tzoh-lah]

Wensleydale

One of the premier blue cheeses. Pleasantly sharp in flavour, soft-textured, made from

A hard, salted, English cheese with a buttermilk flavour.

cow's milk.

Varieties of cheese:

Heritage Blue [huhr-ih-tayj]

Blue-veined cheese is a general term for blue cheese. Mould-treated

cheese, mottled with blue veins comes in
many varieties, ranging from firm, crumbly
and strong flavoured, to mild, creamy and
brie-like.

Heritage is an Australian dairy brand.

Jersey Blue [juhr-zee]

A blue cheese made from cows milk. It has a semi-soft texture.

Maytag Blue Cheese [may-tag]

Maytag is a dairy brand name from Iowa, USA.

Rahm Blue Cheese [rahm]

Blue Simonsberg [see-mohns-bairg]

An Austrian cheese made from cows milk, matured for about

A South African blue cheese.

three months, with blue veins and a white mould coating.

Bresse Bleu [brez-bluh]

Roquefort [rok-for]

Original French name Bleu de Bresse. Creamy-

One of the premier blue cheeses. A French ewes' milk cheese. The cheese is blue-

textured, rich-tasting cheese made from cows milk.

veined, smooth and creamy, with a naturally formed rind. It has a strong smell and a

Cambozola/Camenzola [kam-boh-zoh-lah/kam-ehn-zoh-lah]

pronounced flavour.

A triple cream, German cheese made from cows milk. It has a soft texture and a pale,

Stilton [stihl-tuhn]

white colour. It is made like Camembert and Roquefort.

One of the premier blue cheeses. This famous English blue cheese is made from cows
milk. It has a crumbly texture and is rich in flavour.

Cashel Blue
Blue-veined cheese from Ireland. It is made with pasteurised cows milk and vegetarian

True Blue

rennet. It has a crusty rind with a firm, moist interior and a fresh, slightly tangy flavour.

A creamy cheese made from cows milk. It

Chteau D'Arville [sha-toh-dahr-veel]

A premium blue cheese made from cows milk.

Danish Blue [day-nihsh]

A soft-textured cheese, fairly strong in taste,
made from cows milk.

has a rich taste and a creamy colour with blue

markings.

White Stilton
Young Stilton withdrawn from the ripening
process, before it turns blue in colour.

Dolcelatte [dol-chee-laht-tee]
Italian for sweet milk. A soft, mild,
blue-veined cheese from Italy.

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Cheese

Boursin, a soft, triple cream cheese from France with a good

flavour, made from enriched pasteurised cows milk, aromatised
with herbs.

Cheddar, England's most famous cheese is made from cows milk

and is semi-hard in consistency. Today Cheddar is produced all
over the world, e.g. Australia, Canada and USA.

Boursin Legre [boor-sahn lay-zhayr]

Aged Cheddar

The low-fat version of regular boursin.

Aged Cheddar has a sharp flavour.

Boursin with Herbs

Apple Smoked Cheddar

Boursin seasoned with fine herbs.

Old British Cheddar flavoured with an apple scent.

Boursin with Pepper

Colby [kohl-bee]

Coated with crushed peppercorns.

An American Cheddar cheese from Colby, Wisconsin.

Brie is ripened, soft cheese made from

cows milk with an edible, white, furry
skin (like Camembert).

Coon

Herb Brie

A Cheddar specialty from the Devon countryside.

Brie made from cows milk with mixed herbs.

King Island Double Brie

A special method of preparing Cheddar.

Curworthy Cheddar [kuhr-wuhr-thee]

Diamond Black Cheddar
An American product.

An Australian product from King Island Dairies Pty Ltd. King Island is off the northern
coast of Tasmania.

King Island Cheddar

An Australian product.

Mini Caprice [ka-prees]

Cheshire [chesh-ur]

Brie produced in France.

Hailing from Cheshire, England, this rich cows milk cheese has a semi-firm texture and

Pepper Brie
Brie made from cow's milk and pepper.

Saga Brie with Pepper

Danish Brie. Saga is a brand name.

a mild, tangy and Cheddar-like flavour.

Goats milk cheese is pure white

in colour with a refreshing
flavour and a soft texture.

Somerset/English Brie
Brie made in England.

Swiss Brie
Brie made in Switzerland.

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Chevin [shuh-vahn]
A goats milk cheese from South Africa.
It has a soft texture and strong aroma.

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Cheese

Chvre [shayvr]
The French word for 'goat' has come to be used to refer to goats cheese. Chvres can
vary in maturity and strength of flavour, and range in texture from moist and creamy
to dry and semi-firm. They come in a variety of shapes, including cylinders, discs,
cones and pyramids, and are often coated in edible ash or leaves, herbs or pepper.

Saint Maure [sehn mohr]

Long, round-shaped cheese made from goats milk
San Maune - France. It has a semi-soft texture and
piquant flavour.

Wisconsin Goats Milk Cheese

Made in Wisconsin, USA.

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Bakery Items

Bagel [bay-guhl]
A doughnut-shaped yeast roll, originating from Jewish culinary traditions.

Baguette [bag-eht]
A French bread that has been formed into a long, narrow, cylindrical loaf with a crisp,
brown crust and a light, chewy interior.

Barquette [bahr-keht]
Boat-shaped pastry shell that can contain a sweet or savoury filling.

Bi-ajeen [bee-ah-jeen]
In a pastry.

Biscotti [bihs-kot-tee]
Twice-baked Italian biscuit.

Bouche [boo-shay]
French for mouthful. Small puff pastry shell filled with creamed

Bread is made from a flour and water dough, usually with a raising
agent such as yeast. There are many different styles of bread often
regional specialties which may contain additional ingredients such
as fruit, vegetables, spices, nuts and seeds that set them apart.
Bread can be baked, fried or steamed, but always tastes best
when it is fresh.

vegetables, meats, fish, etc.

Brioche [bree-yohsh]
A fine yeast dough, rich in butter and eggs, baked as bread.

Bruschetta [broo-sheht-tah]
Italian bread, sliced and grilled or toasted then brushed with garlic and olive oil.
Served as a starter or snack with a variety of toppings. A French baguette would make
a good alternative.

Bun [buhn]
A sweet or plain small bread or a round roll, designed to be cut in half and filled with
ingredients. To be made into a sandwich or consumed as is.

Calzone [kal-zoh-neh]
A pizza that is folded in half and closed with
a scalloped edge so that the food inside is
steamed and the flavours sealed in. It can be
stuffed with vegetables, cheese, meat, etc.
and is swollen in appearance. A calzone is
usually made as a single serving.

Choux [shoo]
A very light, double-cooked pastry, usually
used for sweets such as cakes and buns.
Also known as cream-puff pastry.

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Ciabatta [Chuh-bah-tah]

Galette [gah-leht]

Italian for slipper, describing a long, wide, moist, aerated loaf of bread made with olive

Round, rather flat cake made of flaky pastry dough from France. The term also applies

oil. It has a soft interior and a crisp, thin crust.

to a variety of tarts, both savoury and sweet.

Cocotte Potatoes [koh-kot]

Gateau [gah-toh]

Small, barrel-shaped potatoes, roasted in oil.

French for cake.

Cornes De Gazelle [korn duh guh-zehl]

Jalousie [jah-loo-see]

French for gazelles horn. An oriental, crescent-

French for Venetian blind. A small, rectangular pastry consisting of a strip of puff

shaped pastry.

pastry spread with vanilla-flavoured marzipan (almond paste), or a fruit preserve, and
topped with a slatted pastry lid resembling a Venetian blind.

Crispelle [kris-pel-leh]
An Italian fritter served around Christmas time. Yeast

Kaiser Roll

dough with black pepper in it, which is picked up

A kind of bread roll popular in the USA; typically a crusty, round

and dropped in olive oil without shaping.

roll, often with poppy or sesame seeds. It is made by folding

corners of a square inward so that their points meet. It is often

Crostini [kros-tee-nee]
Traditionally a festive Italian appetiser. Baguette-style

used as a bun for sandwiches, including hamburgers.

bread is thinly sliced and lightly toasted and then

Kraft Korn Bread

topped, usually with a moist spreadable pt made from a variety of ingredients such

Brand of dark bread with cereals and seeds.

as mushrooms, chicken livers, capers, garlic and ham. In addition to bread, fried squares
of polenta can be used.

Macaroon [mak-uh-roon]
Small cookie made of almond paste, ground almonds, or both, mixed with sugar and

Crouton [kroo-ton]

egg whites.

Small cube of bread that has been browned. Croutons are used to garnish soups, salads
and other dishes. They are available packaged, either plain or seasoned with herbs,
cheese, garlic, etc.

Feuillet [fuh-yuh-tay]
A piece of puff pastry cut into the shape of a
finger or triangle and filled or garnished with
cheese, ham, seafood, etc. For example:
Feuillet aux Pommes puff pastry with apples.

Melba Toast
This toast is very thin and dry. It is used to accompany caviar, soups and salads.

Mille-Feuille [meel-fuh-yee]
a. French for thousand leaves and used to describe sweet and savoury dishes made
from thin layers of puff pastry.
b. A French dessert made from rectangular
layers of puff pastry separated by layers
of cream, fruit ganache. Savoury dishes

Filo/Philo [fee-loh]

are prepared in a similar way with a

Tissue-thin layers of pastry dough used in

filling of fish or shellfish.

various sweet and savoury preparations.

It comes from the Greek word phyllo
meaning leaf.

Naan
A round flat bread made of flour. Naans
are a staple accompaniment to hot savoury

Focaccia [foh-kah-chee-ah]

meals in central and south Asia, including

Typical, flat Italian bread.

the Punjab and Rajasthan in northwest India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran,

Uzbekistan and the surrounding region.

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Naans are made using yeast; milk or yoghurt may also be used to give greater volume

Pumpernickel [puhm-puhr-nihk-uhl]

and make them thicker. Typically the naan will be served hot and brushed with ghee or

A German coarse, dark bread with a slightly sour taste, usually made of a high

butter. It can be used to scoop other foods, or served stuffed with a filling.

proportion of rye flour and a small amount of wheat flour.

Pandesal [pahn-deh-sal]

Puri [poo-ree]

A crusty, salty bread roll from the Philippines.

An Indian bread made from a dough of whole durum wheat flour, water and salt by
rolling it out into discs of approximately 12 cm diametre and deep frying in ghee or

Papillote [pah-pee-yoht]
Envelope of pastry. The term en papilotte is used to
describe a dish cooked in a parcel that protects the

Quiche [keesh]

food from the high heat of the oven and keeps in

Originally from Lorraine, the quiche has become a classic of

the aroma and flavour. The dish is usually served in

French cuisine. It is an open tart, filled with a mixture of fresh

the parcel so that each diner can unwrap their own.

cream, beaten eggs and a variety of mixed ingredients, such

Greaseproof paper is the best wrapping to use,

as mushrooms, seafood or ham.

as foil does not puff up as well.

Roti Bread [roh-tee]

Paris Brest

It is flat, fluffy on the inside but crispy and flaky on the outside.

A ring of pastry, filled with cream and sprinkled with almonds.

The entire mixture is kneaded thoroughly, flattened, oiled and

folded repeatedly. It is then allowed to prove and rise and the

Pie [pi]
Sweet or savoury filling, baked in pastry.

Pita/Pitta Bread
A round, flat, wheat bread made with yeast. Typically pitta breads can be opened up to
form a pocket, which can be stuffed with a variety of fillings. Throughout the Middle
East, pittas are served with meals or cut into wedges and used to dip in dishes such as

process is repeated. The final round of preparation consists of flattening the dough ball,
coating it with oil and then cooking on a flat iron skillet with a lot of oil.

Scone [skon]
A small baked bread, which originated in Scotland. Scones are often eaten as an
accompaniment to tea.

baba ganoush and hummus. It is traditional in many Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean

Shortbread

cuisines and is believed to have originated in Ancient Greece.

Crisp, dry, crumbly cake made with flour, butter and sugar.

Pithiviers [pee-tee-vee-ay]

Sourdough Bread

A round French pastry, usually filled with

Made by using a small amount of so-called

frangipane (almond filling). A speciality

starter dough, which has the yeast culture,

of the town of Pithiviers in the Loire

mixed in with new flour and water. This

region of France. Can also be savoury.

bread has a very distinctive taste.

Pizzette [peet-tse-te]

Strudel [shtrood-l]

Mini pizzas.

Pastry layers filled with fruits or savoury

Puff Pastry [p-uh-f]

A very light pastry made in layers that expand
when cooked, leaving large air pockets inside.
Used for sweet or savoury dishes.

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vegetable oil.

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items like meat, seafood, potatoes or

mushrooms. Apple strudel is a traditional
dessert in Germany and Austria.

Tartlette [tahrt-leht]

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Pastry crust with shallow sides, a filling and no top crust. The filling can be sweet or
savoury.

Tourte [toort]
A round pie or tart, which can be savoury or sweet.

Vol-Au-Vent [vol-oh-vahn]
A round case of puff pastry, with a pastry lid, which
is filled after baking and served as a hot starter or
hors d'uvre. The filling is made of meat, seafood
or vegetables in a sauce.

Waffle [wo-fuhl]
A thin, light batter cooked on the stove between
the two buttered and heated plates of a waffle iron.
Waffle batter is made of flour, butter, sugar, eggs
and water or milk, with flavouring.

Wholemeal
Whole-wheat or other cereal.

Yeast
A microscopic living fungus that multiplies
rapidly in suitable conditions and is used in
bread-making to make the dough rise.

Herbs and Spices

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Herbs and Spices

Herbs
Anise [ah-nees]
An aromatic plant, which originated in India and Egypt.

Basil [ba-zihl]
Herb belonging to the mint family. It has a strong, sweet smell.

Burdock [buhr-dok]
A large herbaceous plant, which grows wild in Europe and is
only eaten locally, but in Japan is cultivated as a vegetable.
The roots, shoots and leaves are used in various preparations.

Cayenne [cay-enne]

Herbs
Herbs are typically small, green, leafy plants grown to improve the
taste of food. Small amounts of leaf are used to add flavour to a dish
rather than substance. Many herbs have come to be associated with
certain cuisines. Basil, for example, is perhaps best known as the
base of the Italian pesto sauce.
Spices
Spices are among the many aromatic substances derived from the
dried bark, fruit, root or seed of plants that have fragrant or sharp
flavour. They are used sparingly to season food. Spices have
historically been valuable items of trade and were prized discoveries
for explorers in the ancient and medieval world.

Cayenne pepper is a hot red pepper used to flavour dishes.

Chervil [chuhr-vuhl]
A mild-flavoured member of the parsley family, this aromatic herb has curly, dark leaves.

Chive [chiv]
Fragrant herb, related to the onion and leek, with slender, vivid green, hollow stems.
It has a mild onion flavour.

Cilantro [sih-lahn-troh]
Type of herb. It is also known as coriander and Chinese parsley.

Coriander [ko-ree-an-duhr]
Coriander is the world's most commonly used herb. It is also known as cilantro and
Chinese parsley in spite of the fact that the name comes from the Greek, koris,
meaning a bug. Native to southern Europe and the Middle East, the plant is now
available worldwide. Both the fresh
leaves and seeds are used. The herb
has a fresh taste and is an important
ingredient in curry.

Dill
Herb with green, spiky leaves used for
fish, meats, chicken, salads and garnishes.

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Herbs and Spices

Herbs and Spices

Fennel [fehn-ehl]

Tarragon [ta-ruh-gon/ta-ruh-guhn]

Also known as nigella. Aromatic plant of Mediterranean origin, which is now widely

An aromatic perennial herb, often used in French cooking. Its narrow, dark green,

cultivated. The feathery leaves and seeds have a slight aniseed flavour and both are

pointed leaves have a distinctive aniseed flavour and can be used to flavour oils and

used in a variety of recipes. The leaves are also used as a garnish. The fennel bulb

vinegar. Tarragon is particularly good with chicken.

can be used raw in salads, or it can be cooked.

Is a spice commonly used in curries and other South Asian cuisine. Turmeric is also used

A tall, sharp-edged grass that tastes and smells like

to give a yellow colour to prepared food.

lemon. The white part of each stem is chopped

and used in Asian cooking.

Thyme [tim]
A type of herb, belonging to the mint family.

Mint
A very fragrant aromatic plant used in infusions,
to flavour liqueurs, sweets, syrups, and as a
culinary herb.

Zaatar [zah-tahr]
a. An aromatic herb with soft, dark green leaves, native to the
Middle East.
b. A popular, Middle-Eastern spice blend composed of toasted

Oregano [o-rehg-ah-noh]

sesame seeds, drie thyme.

Wild marjoram. It has a pungent flavour that is

popular in Mediterranean dishes such as pasta, pizza sauces and tomato dishes.

Spices
Anise [ah-nees]

Parsley/Persil [pahrs-lee/puhr-sihl]
A herb originating in southern Europe and cultivated mainly for its aromatic leaves,

A plant with aromatic seeds. Aniseed is the seed of anise.

which are used to flavour or garnish many dishes. Available as curly or flat-leafed

Baharat [bah-hah-raht]

varieties.

Arabic word for spices. It is a combination of cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, cassia
bark, nutmeg, coriander and pepper. Paprika is added for colour.

Rosemary
An aromatic European shrub, widely cultivated for its grey-green leaves. Herb often
used in Mediterranean cooking for lamb, beef and chicken dishes.

Sage [sayj]
A rather pungent herb often used in
Mediterranean cooking.

Sorrel [soh-rehl]
A leafy herb with a slightly sour taste.
Used in soups, sauces, purees and garnishes.

127

Turmeric [tur-mer-ic]

Lemon Grass

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Cajun Spices/Cajun Style

[kay-juhn]
A spice mixture including garlic, chilli
and onions. Used in Cajun cooking
from south-eastern USA.

Caraway Seed [ka-ruh-way]

Aromatic seeds used in European and
Indian cooking.

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Herbs and Spices

Herbs and Spices

Cardamom [kahr-duh-muhm]

Saffron [saf-ruhn]

Cardamom seeds are contained in small pods about the size of a cranberry. The

The most expensive spice in the world fortunately goes a long way. It is derived from

spice has a pungent aroma and a warm, spicy-sweet flavour and is widely used in

the dried, yellow-orange stigmas of the saffron crocus flower; it takes over 14,000 of

Scandinavian and East Indian cooking. Cardamom can be bought in the pod or ground

these tiny stigmas to produce each ounce of saffron; it can be used either whole or in

but, as the ground seeds soon lose their flavour, it is preferable to use the pods, either

powdered form, giving a distinctive flavour and yellow colour to Spanish paella and

removing the seeds and grinding them or grinding the whole pod quickly with a pestle

Italian risotto. It is also a classic ingredient in the French fish soup bouillabaisse.

and mortar.

Sansho Pepper [sahn-shoh]

Cinnamon [sih-nuh-muhn]

A Japanese seasoning made from the dried berries of the ash

Type of spice. It is the inner bark of a tropical evergreen tree.

tree. Known as pepper in Chinese cooking.

Cumin [koo-mihn]

Sichuan/Szechwan Pepper
[sehch-wahn/sehch-oo-ahn]

A spicy-smelling seed of a Mediterranean herb.

Sichuan or anise pepper is actually not pepper but the

Five-Spice Powder
Popular ancient spices used in Chinese cuisine for
a variety of savoury dishes, e.g. stir-fried meats or
red-cooked dishes. It is a blend of spices consisting
of ground star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds

The berries are roasted and ground to make a very pungent

and aromatic seasoning used in Chinese cuisine. Sichuan
pepper is also one of the spices in Chinese five-spice powder.

and Szechwan peppercorns. Like curry powder,

Star Anis [ah-nees]

the combination of spices can vary according to

The fruit of a shrub native to the Far East, star anise is shaped like an eight-pointed

the manufacturer; however, star anise is usually the

star and contains seeds with an aniseed flavour. It is used widely in Chinese cooking.

flavour that stands out.

Sumac [soo-muhk]

Gumbo Spices [guhm-boh]

Ranging from brick-coloured to dark-purple-red, this berry which is sold ground or in

A spice and herb mixture used in Creole cooking.

its dried-berry form. It has a fruity, sour taste.

Masala [muh-sah-lah]

Vanilla [vuh-nihl-lah]

An Indian spice blend or Indian gravy.

A climbing plant native to Mexico.

Paprika [pah-prih-kah]
Milder than cayenne, paprika is the ground
red powder of mild and hot peppers and
is an important ingredient in Hungarian
goulash and in Spanish sausages and salamis.

129

very hot and peppery dried red berries of a type of ash tree.

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The pods are harvested when barely ripe,

then plunged into boiling water and dried,
or exposed to the sun until they are dark
brown. The pod becomes frosted with
vanillin crystals, which gives them their
characteristic smell and flavour.

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130

Condiments
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Condiments

Achar [a-char]
Relish from East India that are pickled, salted and seasoned. Taste ranging from sweet to
hot and very hot.

Balsamic Vinegar
Dark brown vinegar from Modena, Italy, made from reduced grape juice aged in
wooden casks. The best quality product can be over 100 years old but is more
commonly sold at three to four years of age.

Capers [kay-puhrs]
The flower bud of a shrub. Capers are used as a condiment, either
pickled in vinegar or preserved in brine. When pickled, they are
sour but full of flavour.

Chutney [chuht-nee]
From the East Indian word chatni, this spicy relish contains fruit
or vegetables, vinegar, sugar and spices. It can range in texture

Beverages
are simply
They are
water.
Food substances
useddrinks.
to heighten
the almost
naturalalways
flavourlargely
of foods
to
Since
we
have
a
greater
need
for
water
than
food,
beverages
are
stimulate the appetite, to aid digestion or else to preserve certain
an important
consumption,
at meal
times and
products.
The part
termofis our
useddaily
today
to include spices,
seasonings,
otherwise.
In
many
cultures,
taking
certain
beverages
involves
sauces, fruit and various cooked or uncooked preparations.
considerable etiquette or ceremony.

from chunky to smooth and in degrees of spiciness from mild to

hot. Chutney is a delicious accompaniment to curried dishes. The sweeter chutneys also
make interesting bread spreads and are delicious served with cheese.

Compote [kom-poht]
Chilled dish of fresh or dried fruit that has been slowly cooked in sugar syrup.

Concass [kon-ka-say]
A mixture that is coarsely chopped or ground, such as a tomato concass.

Confit [kon-fee]
French term for preparing foods in
particular ways in order to preserve them,
either by cooking them slowly in their
own fat (confits of goose and duck),
by coating them with sugar syrup
(confectionery and candied fruit),
or by bottling them in alcohol (cherries
and fruit), in vinegar (capers, gherkins
and pickles), or in sweet-and-sour
preparations (chutneys).

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134

Condiments

Condiments

Gari [ga-ree]

Whole seeds are used for pickling and for flavouring cooked meats and vegetables.

Japanese pickled ginger. Ginger slices that have been pickled in salt and sweet vinegar.

Powdered mustards and freshly ground seeds are used in sauces, as a seasoning in

Gari has a delicate pink colour and should be eaten between bites of sushi to freshen

main dishes and as an ingredient in salad dressings. Different blends of made-up

the palate.

mustard include Dijon, English and French. It is often eaten with meats and can
be used to add flavour and thickness to sauces.

Harissa [hah-ree-sah]
Pure made from small peppers, cayenne, oil, garlic

Peperonata [peh-peh-roh-nah-tah]

and coriander, pounded with cumin and dried mint

An Italian style mixture of sweet peppers, onions and garlic cooked in olive oil. It is

or the leaves of a verbena (an ornamental flowering

served hot, as a condiment with meats or is cold, as an antipasto (before a meal).

plant) leaves.

Raita [ri-thah]

Hijiki [hee-jee-ki]

Yoghurt salads popular in India. Raitas are a combination of thick,

Dried seaweed for sprinkling.

whole-milk yoghurt and various chopped vegetables (such as

cucumbers, aubergines, potatoes or spinach, or fruits (such as

Horseradish
Though it has spiky, green leaves that can be used
for salads, horseradish is grown mainly for its large,
white, pungent, spicy roots. Bottled horseradish may
be white (preserved in vinegar) or red (in beet juice).

bananas or tomatoes). They are seasoned with black mustard

seeds, garam masala (ground mixed spices) and herbs. Raitas
are usually served as an accompaniment to the main course.

Relish
A condiment, originating in India, which resembles chutney but is

Kono Mono [koh-noh moh-noh]

more highly spiced. It is a sweet and sour pure made from sour

Japanese pickles.

fruits and vegetables, with the addition of small pickled onions, gherkins and spices,

Lunu Miris [loo-noo mih-rihs]

(mainly ginger, chilli peppers, cinnamon, white pepper, cloves and nutmeg),

Spicy chutney made with dried fish.

which are simmered with soft brown sugar and vinegar.

Meaux Mustard [moh]

Sambal [sahm-bahl]

Capital of Brie region in France. Tiny mustard grains partially crushed and blended with

An Indonesian condiment made with red chilli peppers, grated onion, lime, oil and

light vinegar and aromatic herbs.

vinegar. The name is also used to describe the dish that it accompanies.

Mustard [muhs-tuhd]

Shibazuke [shee-bah-zoo-keh]

A herbaceous plant whose seeds are used to

Japanese pickled cucumber.

prepare the condiment of the same name.

There are three varieties: black mustard spicy
and piquant; brown mustard less piquant;
and white or yellow mustard much less
piquant but more pungent. Mustard seeds are
sold whole, ground into powder or processed
into prepared mustard. Mustard seeds can be

Tapenade [tah-peh-nahd]
A thick paste made of capers, anchovies,
ripe olives, olive oil, lemon juice,
seasonings and sometimes small pieces
of tuna. It is used as a condiment and
served with crudits, fish, meat, etc.

stored for up to a year in a dry, dark place

and powdered mustard for about six months.

135

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136

Condiments

Taramasalata [tah-rah-mah-sah-lah-tah]
This Greek speciality is a thick, creamy mixture made with tarama (pale-orange carp
roe), lemon juice, milk-soaked breadcrumbs, olive oil and seasonings. Served as a dip.

Tsukemono [soo-keh-moh-noh]
The general name for Japanese-style, pickled vegetables, which are served with
practically every Japanese meal, breakfast included.

Ume-boshi [oo-meh bo-shee]

Pickled plum eaten as a condiment.

Worcestershire Sauce
[woos-tuhr-shuhr/woos-tuhr-sheer]
A thin, spicy, dark brown condiment developed in
England from flavours discovered in India. It is used
as a sauce, a seasoning, a condiment and in drinks.
It is made of a very odd assortment of ingredients
including anchovies, tamarind, vinegar, molasses
(a dark sugar) and cloves.

Beverages
137

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Beverages

Coffee:
The coffee tree, native to Sudan and Ethiopia but now widely
cultivated, bears small red berries that contain the seeds
(coffee beans).
Arabic Coffee
On Emirates, Arabic coffee is prepared using ground coffee beans, cardamom, saffron
and rosewater.

Brewed Coffee
There are two basic methods of brewing coffee:
a. The Turkish method consists of pouring coffee into boiling
water, together with an almost equal quantity of sugar. The
mixture is then heated until it is on the point of boiling. This
operation is repeated three times. A special small, conical pan
with a wide base is used for the process. Before serving, a few

Beverages are simply drinks. They are almost always largely water.
Since we have a greater need for water than food, beverages are
an important part of our daily consumption, at meal times and
otherwise. In many cultures, taking certain beverages involves
considerable etiquette or ceremony.

drops of cold water are poured into the saucepan to settle the
grounds. The piping hot coffee is served either in cups or in small glasses.
b. The French method is to pour boiling water onto ground coffee, held between two
perforated discs that act as a filter. French coffee must never be boiled and
certainly not reheated.

Cappuccino [kap-poo-chee-noh]
The Italians have produced cappuccino coffee, so called because of its pale brown
colour, reminiscent of the robes of the Capuchin monks. This consists of strong coffee
to which frothy cream or milk is added. It is sometimes served with a pinch of powdered
chocolate on the top.

Decaffeinated
[dee-ka-fee-nay-tehd]
Caffeine (a stimulant found in coffee
and tea) is removed from the coffee
by a special process.

Espresso
Black, Italian-style coffee. It is made in a
special pressurised apparatus, by forcing
steam from boiling water through the
ground coffee.

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Beverages

Tea:
The most universally consumed beverage, made by infusing the dried
leaves of an Asiatic evergreen shrub.
Ceylon Tea
These are quite strong infusions with a natural, simple
taste and can be drunk at any time.

Camomile/Chamomile
[kam-uh-meel/kam-uh-mil]
Resembling a daisy, this aromatic flower is dried
and used to flavour Chamomile tea. Reputed to
be a soothing drink.

Earl Grey Tea

A variety of black tea flavoured with oil of bergamot,
a type of citrus.

Jasmine Green Tea

A speciality of China and Japan, prepared by subjecting the leaves to fierce heat.
It is highly favoured by the Chinese and also Muslims, who are forbidden to drink
fermented tea.

Suleimani Tea [Soo-lay-mah-nee]

Light black tea. Very sweet and usually drunk
with a lump of sugar kept under the tongue.

Beverage Equipment:
Chawan [chah-wahn]
Japanese teapot.

Kyuso [kyoo-soh]
Japanese teapot.

Yunomi [yoo-noh-mee]
Japanese teacup.

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 2014. Emirates. All rights reserved. March 2014

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