Cooking Ingredients A-Z
OPH Good Housekeeping Cooking Ingredients I dont know about you, but I do find it annoying when I find the perfect recipe for a dinner party or another occasion, everything is going well and then I find one piece of ingredient that Ive never heard of. So to make things easier for you and I, Ive compiled a list of different ingredients along with a little explanation about each to help save you time and make life easier. A Achar This is a pickled dish, originating in Indian cuisine and is usually made from fruit and vegetables.
Agar-Agar A form of gelatin made from seaweed or algae, its used by vegetarians as a substitute for gelatin in order to thicken sauces and the like. Allspice A spice used in baking, its extracted by using the berries of the allspice plant, which are dried and ground down. Amasake A Japanese alcoholic drink which is made using fermented rice and is related to Sake Anise seed The fruit of the anise plant, used to flavour foods. Apple Cider Vinegar A form of vinegar made from fermented apple cider. Arame seaweed which is used in Japanese cooking. Arborio Rice Medium grain rice from the shores of Italy. When they are cooked they become creamy in essence and are usually used in the cooking of risotto. Arrowroot Also known as obedience plant and is the starch which are obtained from the rhizome of the herb and can be eaten as a vegetable or used in cooking to thicken sauces and the like. BBalsamic Vinegar Italian aromatic vinegar and is made by using white Trebbiano grape juice
Barley Malt Malt which is used in distilling and brewing. Its ground down and is quite sweet in essence. Basmati Rice - fragranced long grain rice used in Indian and Pakistani cuisine. Beet Greens Are the young leaves of the beetroot Black Eyed Peas Also known as cowpea its a legume. Bok Choy A Chinese cabbage and is chiefly used in side dishes and salads. Broccoli Rabe (rappini) A turnip like vegetable, its leaves are quite pungent Brown Rice Flour This cooking ingredient is made from ground brown rice and is used in baking, but would be unsuitable for baking bread, cakes and pasta because it doesnt contain gluten. Brown Rice Vinegar This vinegar is obtained from brown rice and can be used on sushi or as a salad dressing and is dark brown in colour. CCapers Mediterranean pickled flower buds used in Italian style cuisine, amongst others.
Cardamom This cooking ingredient is a spice first cultivated in Asia, is black in colour and used to add flavour to recipes such as curries. Carob These are legumes and are extracted from the locust tree and can be used as a healthy alternative to cocoa Chard Similar to spinach the leaves have a bitter taste to them and can either be eaten raw or cooked. Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) These are a legume and can be used in stews and soups and are similar to lentils Chutney An Asian condiment and is a mixture of different ingredients, flavours are ranging from mild to hot. Cider Vinegar See apple cider vinegar Cilantro (Chinese parsley) This cooking ingredient is most commonly known as coriander and is an aromatic herb and belongs to the parsley genus and is used as a garnish. Clarified Butter Its butter which is heated to remove the sediment of milk solids so that only butter fat remains. Coconut Milk The liquid which is contained within a coconut and is now canned. DDaikon Radish South East Asian radish and is especially used in Japanese cuisine. When grated it can be used as a garnish.
EEgg Replacer - This cooking ingredient is used by vegans and is starchy based. As its name suggests is used as a replacement for eggs, especially in baking.
Eggless Mayonnaise A vegan product that contains tofu rather than eggs, and is an alternative to traditional egg mayonnaise Elderberry A small purple fruit which can be used to make wine are preserves. Escarole Often used in salads these are leaves and are related to chicory. FFennel (finocchio) These are aromatic seeds and are used as flavourings.
Feta Cheese This cooking ingredient is Greek cheese which is made from goats milk. Its is usually stored in brine which makes it soft and crumbly and salty to taste. Flax Seeds Also known as linseed, these are small brown seeds. They can be ground and can add a nutty flavour to recipes. The seeds can also be used to make a vegetable oil. G
Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas)- See chickpeas Ghee Is a clarified butter originating from India. Also see clarified butter Ginger Root The root of the ginger plant can be ground down into a pungent spice and is used to add flavour to a whole host of different recipes. Granola This is a breakfast cereal which consists of grain, honey and other different ingredients. Great Northern Beans - These are haricot beans and are used in the making of baked beans. HHoisin Sauce Is a Chinese sauce used as a dip especially for Peking duck and barbecued pork.
Hokkaido (kabocha squash) This cooking ingredient is squash which has orange flesh. The flesh can be baked, steamed or pureed and is usually used in soups and stews. I
JJicama A root vegetable originated from the Americas and can either be cooked or eaten raw with salads.
KKale This cooking ingredient is an edible plant with crinkled leaves and is similar to a cabbage and is a very good sauce of nutrition
Kamut Can be used as an alternative to wheat by those allergic to wheat. Kohlrabi A root vegetable with edible leaves and can be considered to be a cross between a cabbage and a turnip. Kombu This is an edible seaweed like vegetable and is primarily used in Japanese cuisine. Kuzu (kudzu) This is an Asian vine `with its roots being used as a starch. LLemongrass This recipe ingredient is an Asian herb it is lemony in essence and can be found in two forms fresh and powdered.
Liquid Aminos A condiment made from soybeans with a flavour not too dis-similar to soy sauce. Low fat Chicken Stock The liquid gained from cooking chicken and vegetables in water. MMarjoram This cooking ingredient is an aromatic herb whos leaves are used as a seasoning and is available in two forms, dried and fresh.
Millet Flour Is formed by grounding the millet grain can be used in baking when combined with wheat/ Mirin A delightful and sweet Japanese rice wine which is used in cooking. Miso A thick cooking paste made with soybeans, salt and rice and is primarily used in Japanese cuisine. Mung Bean Sprouts The sprout of the mung bean as the name suggests and may be eaten raw or cooked. NNori A reddish coloured algae and is usually eaten with sushi.
Nutritional yeast (brewers yeast) This is a substance used in brewing and is rich in protein. OObedience plant - See Arrowroot
Okra This cooking ingredient is very tasty and the edible pods of this Asian plant are usually used in stews and soup as a vegetable. Orange Extract Flavouring made from the oil and juice of the orange dissolved in alcohol. Orzo These are pasta shaped pieces of rice which are commonly used in soups and casseroles PPearled Barley This cooking ingredient is basically a traditional barley with the outer husk and the bran of the grain removed, with the starch that remains, steamed and polished. All this science means that they no longer contain fiber or they contain very little fiber.
Pine Nuts (pignoli) These are the edible nuts of pine trees, they are a very good sauce of both energy and protein, so are very good at boosting energy when one is flagging. Pinto Beans These are a type of string bean and are similar to the kidney bean and are commonly used in Mexican cuisine. Plum Tomato Types of tomato which are oblong shaped as opposed to round and are the ones you find in tinned tomatoes. They are generally used for sauces and pastes and can usually be found in Spanish and Italian cuisine. Portobello Mushrooms These are very big mushrooms belonging to the Cremini genus of fungi and are generally served whole as a starter. QQuinoa These cooking ingredients are dried fruits and seeds of the Goosefoot plant and are high in protein the seeds can be ground down into flour.
RRadicchio This is a leaf vegetable and a type of chicory and can be grilled or roasted or add zing to a salad
Rappini -See broccoli rabe Red Wine Vinegar As the name suggests is red wine based which is reacted with bacteria to give that zingy taste and is known for its high acidity. S Saffron Threads These cooking ingredients are dried aromatic stigmas of the plant with the same name, generally used as a food colourant as well as adding spice. It is perhaps better known as the most expensive spice in the world and costs about £1200 per pound or £2600 per kg.
Sage An aromatic herb and is a relative of mint and is usually used in sausages and stuffing. Sake A Japanese alcoholic beverage made fro fermented rice and can either be drunk or used in cooking. Savory This cooking ingredient is an aromatic herb belonging to the mint family, is used in seasoning and comes in two varieties known as winter and summer. Sea Salt This is produced after the evaporation of sea salt has taken place. Sesame Oil Basically oil produced through sesame seeds. Sesame Seeds The seeds of the sesame plant and can be found in hamburger buns, these are very tasty and are a good source of protein. Shiitake Mushrooms An East Asian mushroom with a dark cap. Soba Japanese noodles made with buckwheat Soy Mayonnaise The vegan alternative to mayo which is made using tofu rather than eggs Spelt Robust European wheat and can be found in bread, cereals and pasta. Spelt Flour Flour made by the crushed spelt wheat. Spelt Ribbons Pasta made using spelt flour Sun Dried Tomatoes These cooking ingredients are basically dried tomatoes with an intensive sweet tomato taste and are generally used in pasta dishes. TTahini (sesame seed butter) This is a thick paste made using sesame seeds.
Tamari A soy sauce made without the use of wheat; very good for those who are wheat intolerant. Tarragon An aromatic herb used as a seasoning and is generally used in vegetable and fish dishes and can be bought fresh or dried. Teff This is a cereal crop and can be used to make flour. Tempeh An Indonesian cake made from fermented par cooked soybeans. Thai Fish Sauce (nam pla) A salty and pungent sauce and is obtained from the juice of fermented fish and is generally used as a condiment. Thai Red Curry Paste (nam phrik kaeng daeng) A mixture of various ingredients that can be used to make Thai curry, the ingredients include. Red chilies, ginger, garlic, peppercorns, lemongrass, salt, coriander and cloves amongst others. Thyme An aromatic herb used for seasoning and is a member of the mint family. Tilapia These belong to the cichlid family of fishes and are cooked as normal. Tofu (soybean curd) A protein rich product made from soybeans Turmeric This is an aromatic condiment used in Indian cuisine and can be bought dried or powdered. U Udon Noodles Japanese noodles consisting of refined wheat.
Ume Plum Vinegar (umeboshi vinegar) Green plums which are pickled in salt water and red shisho leaves and can be used in soups, dressings and sauces. Umeboshi Paste This cooking ingredient is made from pureed umeboshi plums. V Vegetable Stock This recipe ingredient is the water after vegetables have been boiled in it.
Vinaigrette A dressing made up of vinegar, oil and as well of a whole host of other ingredients. W Wakame Seaweed Flakes This cooking ingredient is are pieces of the seaweed which have been pre-cooked.
Wasabi (Japanese Horseradish) A Japanese pungent vegetable and is a member of the cabbage family and is similar to horseradish. Whole Wheat Couscous Basically these are semolina and water which is then steamed and dried. X
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