Click here to view my recipe blog. It is new with few recipes as of now, but more are to come soon.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Special Ingredients
allspice—The berry of a West Indian tree, used whole or ground, whose flavor resembles a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
black-eyed peas—Small, tan edible seeds of an herb related to the bean with a large black spot from which they get their name
callaloo—Leafy greens, similar to spinach
cassareep—The juice from the cassava root
cayenne pepper—A hot powder made from chilies. Cayenne pepper is sometimes called red pepper.
chilies—Small hot peppers. Most chilies are red or green, but there are also orange, yellow, and even white varieties.
coconut milk—The white, milky liquid extracted from coconut meat. Coconut milk is available at most supermarkets and Asian markets.
cream of coconut–A thick, sweetened coconut mixture available in cans at most grocery stores
cream of tartar—A white, powdery substance that is sometimes used to give food a smoother texture
curry powder—A mixture of several ground spices, such as cumin and turmeric, that gives food a spicy taste
garlic—An herb whose distinctive flavor is used in many dishes. Each bulb can be broken up into several sections called cloves. Most recipes use only one or two cloves. Before you chop up a clove of garlic, you will have to remove the papery covering that surrounds it.
ginger—A spice made from dried, ground ginger root
ginger root—A knobby, light brown root used to flavor foods. To use fresh ginger root, slice off the amount called for, peel off the skin with the side of a spoon, and grate the flesh. Freeze the rest of the root for future use. Fresh ginger has a very zippy taste, so use it sparingly. (Do not substitute dried ground ginger in a recipe calling for fresh ginger, as the taste is very different.)
kale—A vegetable related to the cabbage with loose, curly leaves
malt vinegar—A vinegar made from malted barley
okra—The small, green pods of the okra plant. Okra is often used in soups and stews, and it can also be eaten alone as a vegetable side dish.
paprika—A spice made from sweet red capsicum peppers that have been dried and ground. Paprika is used for its flavor and its red color.
peppercorns—The berries of an East Indian plant. Peppercorns are used both whole and ground to flavor food.
plantain—A starchy fruit that resembles a banana but must be cooked before it is eaten
saltfish—Dried, salted fish. Usually made with cod, saltfish is available in some grocery stores and many specialty markets.
sorrel—An herb with a tart, somewhat acidic flavor, used fresh or dried
black-eyed peas—Small, tan edible seeds of an herb related to the bean with a large black spot from which they get their name
callaloo—Leafy greens, similar to spinach
cassareep—The juice from the cassava root
cayenne pepper—A hot powder made from chilies. Cayenne pepper is sometimes called red pepper.
chilies—Small hot peppers. Most chilies are red or green, but there are also orange, yellow, and even white varieties.
coconut milk—The white, milky liquid extracted from coconut meat. Coconut milk is available at most supermarkets and Asian markets.
cream of coconut–A thick, sweetened coconut mixture available in cans at most grocery stores
cream of tartar—A white, powdery substance that is sometimes used to give food a smoother texture
curry powder—A mixture of several ground spices, such as cumin and turmeric, that gives food a spicy taste
garlic—An herb whose distinctive flavor is used in many dishes. Each bulb can be broken up into several sections called cloves. Most recipes use only one or two cloves. Before you chop up a clove of garlic, you will have to remove the papery covering that surrounds it.
ginger—A spice made from dried, ground ginger root
ginger root—A knobby, light brown root used to flavor foods. To use fresh ginger root, slice off the amount called for, peel off the skin with the side of a spoon, and grate the flesh. Freeze the rest of the root for future use. Fresh ginger has a very zippy taste, so use it sparingly. (Do not substitute dried ground ginger in a recipe calling for fresh ginger, as the taste is very different.)
kale—A vegetable related to the cabbage with loose, curly leaves
malt vinegar—A vinegar made from malted barley
okra—The small, green pods of the okra plant. Okra is often used in soups and stews, and it can also be eaten alone as a vegetable side dish.
paprika—A spice made from sweet red capsicum peppers that have been dried and ground. Paprika is used for its flavor and its red color.
peppercorns—The berries of an East Indian plant. Peppercorns are used both whole and ground to flavor food.
plantain—A starchy fruit that resembles a banana but must be cooked before it is eaten
saltfish—Dried, salted fish. Usually made with cod, saltfish is available in some grocery stores and many specialty markets.
sorrel—An herb with a tart, somewhat acidic flavor, used fresh or dried
Cooking Terms
beat—To stir rapidly in a circular motion
boil—To heat a liquid over high heat until bubbles form and rise rapidly
to the surface
brown—To cook food quickly over high heat so that the surface turns an even brown
core—To remove the center part of a fruit or vegetable
grate—To shred food into small pieces by rubbing it against a grater
sauté—To fry quickly over high heat in oil or fat, stirring or turning the food to prevent burning
scald—To heat a liquid (such as milk) to a temperature just below its boiling point
seed—To remove seeds from a food
sift—To put an ingredient such as flour through a sifter to break up any lumps
simmer—To cook over low heat in liquid kept just below its boiling point. Bubbles may occasionally rise to the surface.
boil—To heat a liquid over high heat until bubbles form and rise rapidly
to the surface
brown—To cook food quickly over high heat so that the surface turns an even brown
core—To remove the center part of a fruit or vegetable
grate—To shred food into small pieces by rubbing it against a grater
sauté—To fry quickly over high heat in oil or fat, stirring or turning the food to prevent burning
scald—To heat a liquid (such as milk) to a temperature just below its boiling point
seed—To remove seeds from a food
sift—To put an ingredient such as flour through a sifter to break up any lumps
simmer—To cook over low heat in liquid kept just below its boiling point. Bubbles may occasionally rise to the surface.
Cooking Utensils
cheesecloth—Gauzy cotton cloth that can be used as a strainer
colander—A bowl with holes in the bottom and sides. It is used for
draining liquid from a solid food.
cooking bags—Plastic bags that can be used to hold food while it is
being cooked in boiling water
grater—A utensil with sharp-edged holes, used to grate or shred food
into small pieces
rolling pin—A cylindrical tool used for rolling out dough
sieve—A bowl-shaped utensil made of wire or plastic mesh used to
drain small, fine food
slotted spoon—A spoon with small openings in the bowl. It is used to
remove solid food from a liquid.
tongs—A utensil shaped like tweezers or scissors with flat, blunt ends
used to grasp food
colander—A bowl with holes in the bottom and sides. It is used for
draining liquid from a solid food.
cooking bags—Plastic bags that can be used to hold food while it is
being cooked in boiling water
grater—A utensil with sharp-edged holes, used to grate or shred food
into small pieces
rolling pin—A cylindrical tool used for rolling out dough
sieve—A bowl-shaped utensil made of wire or plastic mesh used to
drain small, fine food
slotted spoon—A spoon with small openings in the bowl. It is used to
remove solid food from a liquid.
tongs—A utensil shaped like tweezers or scissors with flat, blunt ends
used to grasp food
The Careful Cook
Whenever you cook, there are certain safety rules you must always keep in mind. Even experienced cooks follow these rules when they are in the kitchen.
•
Always wash your hands before handling food. Thoroughly wash all raw vegetables and fruits to remove dirt, chemicals, and insecticides. Wash uncooked poultry, fish, and meat under cold water.
•
Use a cutting board when cutting up vegetables and fruits. Don’t cut them up in your hand! And be sure to cut in a direction away from you and your fingers.
•
Long hair or loose clothing can easily catch fire if brought near the burners of a stove. If you have long hair, tie it back before you start cooking.
•
Turn all pot handles toward the back of the stove so that you will not catch your sleeves or jewelry on them. This is especially important when younger brothers and sisters are around. They could easily knock off a pot and get burned.
•
Always use a pot holder to steady hot pots or to take pans out of the oven. Don’t use a wet cloth on a hot pan because the steam it produces could burn you.
•
Lift the lid of a steaming pot with the opening away from you so that you will not get burned.
•
If you get burned, hold the burn under cold running water. Do not put grease or butter on it. Cold water helps to take the heat out, but grease or butter will only keep it in.
•
If grease or cooking oil catches fire, throw baking soda or salt at the bottom of the flame to put it out. (Water will not put out a grease fire.) Call for help, and try to turn all the stove burners to “off.”
•
Fresh chilies must be handled carefully because they contain oils that can burn your eyes or mouth. After working with chilies, be sure not to touch your face until you’ve washed your hands with soap and water. To be extra cautious, wear rubber gloves while handling chilies. Also keep in mind that the way you cut the peppers will affect their spiciness. If you remove the seeds, the flavor will be sharp but not fiery. If you leave the seeds in, beware!
•
Always wash your hands before handling food. Thoroughly wash all raw vegetables and fruits to remove dirt, chemicals, and insecticides. Wash uncooked poultry, fish, and meat under cold water.
•
Use a cutting board when cutting up vegetables and fruits. Don’t cut them up in your hand! And be sure to cut in a direction away from you and your fingers.
•
Long hair or loose clothing can easily catch fire if brought near the burners of a stove. If you have long hair, tie it back before you start cooking.
•
Turn all pot handles toward the back of the stove so that you will not catch your sleeves or jewelry on them. This is especially important when younger brothers and sisters are around. They could easily knock off a pot and get burned.
•
Always use a pot holder to steady hot pots or to take pans out of the oven. Don’t use a wet cloth on a hot pan because the steam it produces could burn you.
•
Lift the lid of a steaming pot with the opening away from you so that you will not get burned.
•
If you get burned, hold the burn under cold running water. Do not put grease or butter on it. Cold water helps to take the heat out, but grease or butter will only keep it in.
•
If grease or cooking oil catches fire, throw baking soda or salt at the bottom of the flame to put it out. (Water will not put out a grease fire.) Call for help, and try to turn all the stove burners to “off.”
•
Fresh chilies must be handled carefully because they contain oils that can burn your eyes or mouth. After working with chilies, be sure not to touch your face until you’ve washed your hands with soap and water. To be extra cautious, wear rubber gloves while handling chilies. Also keep in mind that the way you cut the peppers will affect their spiciness. If you remove the seeds, the flavor will be sharp but not fiery. If you leave the seeds in, beware!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
