Glossary

Asafoetida: a resin-like substance used as a spice in Indian cooking. Its smell, as the name suggests, is fetid, stinking even. However, once a pinch is fried briefly in oil, the nastiness vanishes and the oil takes on a pleasant onion-like flavour and gives depth to dishes in which it is used. Available as a yellow powder in small pots from Indian shops; it will last a very long time. Use sparingly. If you don’t have it to hand, your dish will lack some depth of flavour but still be good.

Bain-marie: a large pan of simmering water in which to place a smaller pan or dish containing a mixture that needs delicate cooking. It can also be used for keeping sauces warm.

Bouquet garni: a little bundle of herbs used to flavour slowly cooked dishes. Remove before serving. A bouquet garni typically includes bay leaf, parsley and thyme, but the flavourings can be varied according to the dish to be cooked. Easy to make up yourself and better tasting but also widely available in little bags.

Butter, clarified: butter from which impurities and sediment have been removed. To prepare it, heat a large piece of unsalted butter over low heat and let it melt. Simmer for 10 minutes until the surface is bubbling and the impurities rise to the top. Cool briefly and pour through a muslin-lined sieve (see opposite) into a jar. Refrigerate when cold and keep for cooking. It can be heated to a higher temperature than ordinary butter and does not stick. It also keeps longer because the elements that turn butter rancid have been removed.

Cardamom: green pods, containing sticky brown-black seeds with a mellow, warm aroma and flavour, backed by a hint of camphor. Whole pods or the seeds alone may be lightly bruised or crushed to release the essential oils, or seeds may be ground to a powder. A versatile spice, cardamom is used in a wide range of savoury and sweet dishes: in pilafs, stews, vegetable dishes, to flavour sauces and syrups, and in desserts and baking. Buy whole pods; they remain aromatic for up to a year in an airtight container. The flavour of ready-ground cardamom dissipates quickly. Available from supermarkets.

Chiffonade: ribbons of leaf vegetables. Roll several leaves tightly together and slice across finely.

Clarified butter: see Butter, clarified

Deglaze: to add liquid to a pan to dissolve cooking juices stuck to the bottom. Scraping and stirring will dislodge them and they enrich the liquid as it comes to the boil. Add to a sauce or use to make gravy.

Dry-roasting: putting spices or nuts into a heated frying pan without any fat and shaking or stirring them until they darken in colour and, in the case of spices, give off an aroma.

Galangal: a rhizome related to ginger, but different in colour and with a much denser flesh. It has peppery ginger flavours and a sourish note. The dried or powdered form is less flavourful than fresh. The latter is sometimes available from supermarkets, otherwise oriental shops sell both, often under the names laos or khaa. It is used in south-east Asian cooking.

Garam masala: the principal spice blend of north Indian cookery. A masala or spice mix may have 2 or 3 components or up to 15, depending on the dish and the cook. Garam masala is a warming mix but is not dependent on chillies. Available in supermarkets.

Ghee: see Butter, clarified. This is the Indian version.

Harissa: a fiery yet aromatic chilli-based sauce from North Africa that is used in cooking and as a table condiment with couscous and tagines. Available in small cans or jars from supermarkets, delicatessens and Middle Eastern shops.

Julienne: strips of vegetables of uniform length and thickness, prepared by slicing the vegetables, stacking the slices and cutting through them lengthways to make thin strips.

Lardons: strips of bacon, salt pork or pancetta* used with aromatic vegetables as the base for a stew.

Lemon grass: a tropical grass of which the bulbous base of the shoots is used as a flavouring in south-east Asia. It is fibrous, so only the bottom third should be used, the stems either being very finely sliced or left whole and bruised and removed from the dish before serving. The taste is refreshing and clean, similar to that of lemon peel. Available from oriental shops, greengrocers and the fresh herb cabinets of supermarkets.

Lime leaves: shiny evergreen leaves that grow in an unusual double form. Fresh leaves are intensely fragrant with citrus and floral notes. Used whole or shredded in soups, curry pastes, curries and other dishes of south-east Asia. Fresh leaves are available in supermarket herb cabinets and from oriental shops. They keep well in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic or can be frozen. Dried leaves lack flavour.

Mirin: a syrupy rice wine used in Japanese marinades and sauces, including the glaze for teriyaki steak. It is only used in cooking. Shaoxing is a similar Chinese rice wine, but this one can be drunk (it has an alcohol content similar to sherry). Available from oriental shops. Amontillado sherry can be used as a substitute.

Pancetta: Italian belly of pork cured in salt and spices and rolled up like a salami. Use in the same way as bacon or salt pork. Available from supermarkets and delicatessens.

Rice wine: see Mirin

Sambal: an Indonesian chilli relish used in cooking and as a table condiment. There are different types, with added vegetables, fruits or dried shrimp, and varying degrees of heat. Available from delicatessens, oriental shops and some supermarkets. Sambal is also the name used for freshly prepared chilli and vegetable table condiments, such as the cucumber and pineapple sambal and the tomato sambal on p. 384.

Star anise: a pretty, eight-pointed brown star, the fruit of a small magnolia native to southern China, this spice has a similar aroma and taste to anise and fennel, with more pronounced licorice notes and a slight sweetness. Used in Chinese cooking; in western cooking, try it with steamed and braised vegetables. Available from oriental shops and some supermarkets.

Sweat: to cook food, usually chopped vegetables, in a little fat over very low heat in a covered pan so that the food steams in the juices it releases. Usually done as the preliminary part of cooking a stew or sauce.

Tahini: a paste made from ground sesame seeds used in Middle Eastern cooking for dressings, to flavour vegetables and mixed with garlic and lemon juice as a purée or dip. Available in Middle Eastern shops, delicatessens and some supermarkets.

Tamarind: a bean-shaped pod from which the pulp encasing the seeds is used as a flavouring and souring ingredient in India and southern Asia. It has a sweet-sour, fruity flavour. Tamarind can be bought as a concentrate to be diluted to make a paste or, with more liquid, tamarind water. Available from Indian and oriental shops and some supermarkets.

Vanilla sugar: sugar flavoured with vanilla is often required in baking. It can be bought in expensive small sachets from supermarkets and delicatessens, but it is very easy to make your own. Fill a jar with caster sugar (this is the most useful sugar for baking) and put in a vanilla pod. Replenish the sugar as you use it; the vanilla pod can be used for years.