Cook-tionary

I had a chat with my mom yesterday. She called me and asked some question about cake ingredients. I gave her cookbooks for her birthday gift, but I forgot to consider that they’re in English!!! For the best chef-in-da-house like her it didn’t take too much time to practice the instructions, until she found some terms that made her stuck. Then I realized that it’s important for us (who love to cook and eat) to know some English words for ingredients and cooking terminologies. I searched some of them, and now I want to share them. Note this down…

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POPULAR INGREDIENTS:

All-purpose flour = Tepung terigu (protein sedang) Bamboo shoot = Rebung Bay leaves = Daun salam Bean sprout = Taoge Bitter melon = Pare Black shrimp paste = Petis Bread flour = Tepung terigu (protein tinggi) Broth = Stock = Kaldu Cake flour = Tepung terigu (protein rendah) Candlenut = Kemiri Cardamom = Kapulaga Cashew = Mete Caster sugar = Superfine sugar = Gula kastor Cayenne pepper = Guiana pepper = Birdeye pepper = Cabe rawit Chili pepper = Cabe Chokoes = Labu siam Cilantro leaves = Coriander leaves = Daun ketumbar Clove = cengkeh Coconut milk = Santan Coriander = Ketumbar Cornstarch = Tepung maizena Curry leaves = Daun kari Desiccated coconut = Kelapa parut Dried lily = Sedap malam Eggplant = Terong ungu Fennel = Adas Galangal = Laos/lengkuas Garlic = Bawang putih Glutinuous rice = Beras ketan Gonfectioners sugar = Icing sugar = Gula halus Half-and-half = Krim cair (campuran krim & susu) Jicama = Bengkuang

Kaffir lime = Jeruk purut Kidney bean = Kacang merah Leek = Daun bawang Lemon = Lemon (yang kuning) Lemon grass = Serai Lesser galangal = Kencur Lime = Limau (yang ijo) Mung bean = Kacang ijo Mung bean thread = Soun Nutmeg = Pala Onion = Bawang bombay Peanut = Kacang tanah Quail’s egg = Telur puyuh Raddish = Turnip = Lobak Rice vermicelli = Bihun Sator bean = Petai Screwpine leaf = Daun pandan Self-rising flour = Tepung mengembang sendiri (halah…!), biasanya ini tepung terigu biasa tapi sudah dicampur baking soda & sedikit garam Sesame = Wijen Shallot = Bawang merah Shortening = Lemak/mentega putih Snow pea = Kacang kapri Soy bean = Kedele Star anise = Kembang lawang Sweet potato = Ubi jalar/rambat Tamarind = Asam Jawa Thai basil = Daun kemangi Thai eggplant = Terong hijau Thick cream = Double cream = Krim kental Turmeric = Kunyit Vinegar = Cuka Water spinach = Kangkung Worcestershire sauce = Kecap Inggris (katanya…) Yeast = ragi

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POPULAR COOKING TERMS:

Al dente = “Al dente” means “to the tooth” in Italian. The phrase refers to the desired texture of cooked pasta, which should be soft but still slightly firm at the core of the pasta. Some cooks define “al dente” as “not too hard and not too soft”

Bake = To cook in the oven

Batter = A mixture of flour and liquid with the addition of flour, eggs, and sometimes fat, used to prepare cakes, muffins, pancakes, crepes, and quick breads

Beat = To mix vigorously and create a smooth texture

Bind = To incorporate a thickening agent into a hot liquid

Blend = A mixture of two or more flavors to produce its own unique character, and quality

Boil = To cook in water or other liquid heated until bubbling vigorously

Braise = A method of cooking in which very little liquid is used and the food is cooked over several hours in a sealed pan. Tougher cuts of meat are better prepared this way.

Broil = A method of cooking, in which the heat source is above or below the food, it is placed on a rack or grate and the speed with which it cooks depends on how far away it is from the heating element and the foods thickness

Chop = To cut into irregular pieces (foods can be chopped from very fine/minced to coarse)

Chowder = A thick soup that usually contains potatoes

Crimp = To pinch together two pastry edges to prevent the filling from escaping

Deep-fry = To cook completely submerged in hot oil

Dredge = To coat a food with flour, any finely crumbled ingredient, or, in pastry, with fine sugar

Dust = To lightly coat, usually just before serving and often with sugar or powder

Fold = To mix gently, to bring spatula down to the mixture across the bottom, then back up over the top until blended

Fry = To cook in a hot fat/oil

Garnish = To add an interesting and completely edible item to a plate to make it look more attractive

Glaze = To give food a shiny surface by brushing it with sauce, aspic, icing, or another apparels. For meat, to coat with sauce and then brown in an oven

Grind = To reduce a food substance to fine, medium, or coarse particles

Julienne = To cut into strips or match-like sticks

Knead = To work dough with hands

Marinate = To combine foods (usually meat or seafood, and occasionally vegetables) with aromatic ingredients in order to flavor the food

Meringue = Egg whites beaten until they are stiff, with added sugar or sugar syrup, used as a topping or shaped and baked until stiff

Mince = To chop very fine

Panfry = Cooking pieces of meat, seafood, or large pieces of vegetables in a hot pan with small oil, turning with tongs, a spatula, or a fork only once or twice

Poach = To cook completely submerged in barely simmering liquid

Puree = To process or blend ingredients to smooth consistency

Reduce or Reduction = The technique of cooking liquids down so that some of the water they contain evaporates

Roast = The purpose of roasting is to create a golden brown crust on whatever it is we are roasting and, at the same time, make sure the meat, fish, or vegetable properly cooks in the center

Roast = To cook at a high temperature (at least at the beginning) to get the surface of the foods to brown

Salting = An ancient process of preserving meats, mainly pork and fish

Sauté/Sautee = To cook over high heat in a small amount of fat in a sauté pan or skillet

Scald = To heat milk just below the boiling point. Or, to immerse a vegetable or fruit in boiling water in order to remove its skin easily

Shred = To cut into fine strips

Sift = To shake dry ingredients through a sifter for filtering lumps or combining ingredients (usually for flour, sugar, baking powder, etc.)

Simmer = To heat a liquid until small bubbles form and it’s the point of boiling

Singeing = The process of rotating poultry over a flame in order to burn off any feathers that remain after plucking

Steam = To cook in steam by suspending foods over (not in) boiling water, in a covered pot or steamer

Stew = A cooking method nearly identical to braising but generally involving smaller pieces of meat, and hence a shorter cooking time

Stir-fry = Chinese technique of cooking think slivers of meat, shellfish, and vegetables in hot oil

Toss = To turn the ingredients (usually for salad) ensuring they are evenly coated with seasonings or dressing

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Those translations are based on my experiences & findings in some sources. I only wrote popular terms that also based on my range of popularity. So if you found another terms you could help me to add them in comment below. Happy cooking…

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