Glossary

Al dente

An Italian phrase meaning 'to the tooth'; used to describe the texture of pasta as tender or soft on the outside but with some resistance when bitten into

Antipasto

Italian for ‘before the meal’; these delicious plates of hot and cold starters including cheeses, smoked meats, salamis, olives, a selection of seafood, marinated vegetables and various breads with olive oil for dipping

Arborio Rice

Classic risotto rice; medium- to long-grain rice that can absorb a lot of cooking liquid yet still retain a good 'bite' when fully cooked.

Bake

To cook in an oven

Basmati Rice

Indian long grain rice used to accompany curries

Blanch

The process of plunging food into and out of boiling water for just a few seconds or minutes; frequently used with vegetables.

Braise

A method of browning meat in oil or other fat and then cooking slowly in liquid
 

Caramelise

The process of heating sugar to a point when it melts and resets as a hard glaze 

Casserole

To cook in a covered dish in the oven

Celcius

Pertaining to or noting a temperature scale (Celsius scale) in which 0° represents the ice point and 100° the steam point. The Celsius temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale.

Dice

To cut into even cubes

Dim Sum

A collective term for a mixture of little dishes eaten mainly by the Chinese and served in tea houses and restaurants all day long. Also known as yum cha.

Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736), the German physicist who proposed it in 1724.

In this scale, the freezing point of water is 32 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) and the boiling point 212 °F, placing the boiling and freezing points of water exactly 180 degrees apart.

Fold

To combine lightly using two motions: A downward cut through the mixture then sliding across bottom and up the side, turning the mix over; mostly used in baking

Ghee

A form of clarified butter used in Indian cookery

Gnocchi

Pasta for potato lovers;  small Italian dumplings usually made from potato, flour and egg

Grill

To cook under the heat of a griller

Hoisin Sauce

A thick, reddish-brown sweet and spicy sauce, widely used in Chinese cooking. It's a mixture of soya beans, vinegar, sugar, garlic, chilli peppers and various spices

Julienne

Vegetables cut into very fine shreds

Knead

To work and stretch dough

Lasagne

Rectangular sheets of Italian pasta baked in alternate layers of Bolognese sauce and lasagne sheets, topped with grated Parmesan cheese and baked in the oven until browned

Linguine

Flattened spaghetti-like pasta

Marinate

To soak fish, meat or vegetables in a sauce (the marinade) in order to tenderise and add flavour.

Noodles

A type of pasta made with flour and water and sometimes eggs, cut into thin strips.

Nori

Paper-thin toasted sheets of seaweed used in Japanese cooking

Paella

Spanish rice dish that usually includes chicken, seafood and tomatoes

Parboil

To boil vegetables until they’re just slightly cooked

Pare

To cut the skin from a food

Penne

Ridged pasta tubes shaped like quills and cut at a diagonal

Poach

To cook food in water or broth, at or just below the boiling point