Thursday, 11th March 2010
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Acidulated water is water with added lemon juice. When preparing some fruit (apples and pears) and vegetables (artichokes and potatoes) they will oxidise - turn brown - when cut and left exposed to the air. Popping them into the acidulated water after peeling prevents the discolouration. Don’t leave the fruit or vegetable sitting in the water for more than a few minutes otherwise it will absorb too much water.
Typical ingredients include fish sauce, chillies, shrimp paste and tamarind. It can be bought in jars from good food stores that stock Asian products. You can also make your own. Allan Campion and Michele Curtis, in their book Chilli Jam, recommend checking labels before buying, to make sure you are getting a real hit of flavours and not just chillies and sugar.
The French term for gherkin. They are sold in jars and available from some supermarkets and most food stores. Many delis sell them loose, by weight.
See Microplane
To cut into pieces, generally around 1cm or less.
To fold ingredients together is to gently cut through a mixture to the bottom, using a spatula or large spoon, and with a rotation of the wrist bring the bottom mixture up and over to the top. The aim is to gently fold the mixture over on itself in order to blend whilst maintaining volume. An example would be to fold a mixture into beaten egg whites.
Jamon: is Spanish. It refers to the cured hind leg of a pig.
Jamon Serrano: this makes up the bulk of jamon made in Spain. It is made from crossbred pink pigs.
Jamon Iberico: makes up 10% of ham production in Spain and is considered a superb product. It is made from native Iberian pigs and the curing process is long. It is very expensive to buy but most recipes only require small amounts.
There are some Australian made Spanish cured hams that are worth trying. Enquire at your deli.
Prosciutto, cured Italian pork, can be substituted if jamon is not available.
This is a cutting technique for vegetables like carrots, ginger and green onions. Imagine matchsticks and you have the right shape and approximate length. Thickness may vary.
Pronounced ‘ketchap’ in Indonesian. This soy sauce, served as a condiment, is made from soya beans and palm sugar, flavoured with star anise and other herbs and spices. It shouldn’t be used as a substitute for Chinese or Japanese soy sauce. According to Alan Davidson in The Oxford Companion to Food, the word ‘kecap’ passed into the English language as catchup or catsup and then as ketchup, which evolved into a very different sauce.
A kugelhopf refers to a cake tin which is used to make kugelhopf, a delicate yeast cake common in Germany. It has a deep ring shape with a central funnel. The base of the tin is moulded with overlapping swirls. When the cake is baked and inverted it has a very pretty pattern which looks great simply dusted with icing sugar. It is a favourite cake tin of mine for baking butter cakes and the like.
Preserved lemons are lemons preserved in salt and lemon juice and stored for many weeks before using. Only the rind is used in cooking. Wash the preserved lemon well, cut off the rind and then slice or chop it as required.
Preserved lemons are also available in most supermarkets and food stores. Check the label for ingredients: lemons, salt, lemon juice and spices, such as coriander seeds or cinnamon, are all that are required.
Middle eastern cooking uses preserved lemons in tagines, braises and stews.
Lemongrass is used as an aromatic in Asian cuisines. Peel away the sharp, spiky outer leaves from a stem of lemongrass and there is an almost white, firm, lower stem that is cut finely, crosswise, or crushed, and used for cooking. It has a tangy lemon flavour. Avoid buying lemongrass that is dry or wrinkled. Wrap in plastic to store in refrigerator.
These are brand names for super sharp graters and zesters now on the market. Each has many versions, depending on the task. Zest can be as fine as speckles, for an icing for example or ribbons of chocolate for decorating a cake. There are graters for parmesan cheese, nutmeg, chocolate…I have two; a fine zester for things like citrus fruit, parmesan and chocolate and a medium ribbon one for soft cheese, chocolate and onions. They are available from good kitchen shops.
Reference: The Flavours of Olive Oil by Deborah Krasner
Pomegranate molasses is made from the juice of sour pomegranates that have been boiled down to a thick syrup. It should have a sweet-sour taste, erring on the sour side. Claudia Rodin suggests adding some lemon juice or wine vinegar if you think the taste is too sweet. It is drizzled over savoury dishes or added to dressings in many Middle Eastern dishes. It is available from delicatessens and specialty food stores.
This gadget looks like an oversized garlic press. You place well cooked potato into it and press out fine strands of potato that are very easy to work with and have no lumps. Some chefs swear this is the secret to their ‘lighter than air’ gnocchi, others, their super smooth mash potato. They are available from kitchen shops.
Reference: Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison
Similar to Cream of Tartar. You can use either. It is a mildly acidic substance used as an ingredient of baking powder and to give a sour taste to soft drinks. It can be found in most supermarkets in the section with baking powder and the like.
Torte is German for what we know loosely as a layer cake. The French call it gateau. They are fairly elaborate ‘celebration’ cakes using layers of cake or pastry, cream, nuts and the like.
Turmeric is an aromatic rhizome (as are ginger and galangal). It is often called ‘poor man’s saffron’ because it produces a bright yellow powder when dried. It’s a major ingredient in curry powders. Turmeric stains badly so be careful when handling both fresh and dried versions. In tropical and sub tropical climates the rhizome can be planted to grow your own turmeric - the white flower it produces in late summer is divine.
This is the outer most layer of citrus fruit. It does not include the white pith underneath. Recipes are usually specific about what sort of zest is required. For example; fine zest, like speckles, for lemon icing; long thin shards for cooking in sugar syrup, as part of an upside down pudding; wide curls of zest for drying slowly and using in yummy winter casseroles. See Microplane.
