Glossary of Cooking Terms

A French term that means "made of rags", which is similar to the appearance of the food derived from this term.

A Mexican cheese that originated in the Chihuahua region of northern Mexico. Made from cow's milk, Chihuahua Cheese provides a salty, mild and slightly sour flavor.

A sweet snack food from India that is traditionally made using one or several types of nuts such as Chikki nuts.

A type of oil derived from hot, red chiles that have been steeped in vegetable oil to extract the flavor and heat contained in the chile.

A generic name, also spelled "chili," given to a broad range of over 200 varieties of hot peppers.

Particles of salt that have been infused with chile flavorings to be used as a food seasoning.

A spicy, highly seasoned food that may appear similar to a hearty soup at times....

A Mexican term that applies to a food derived from the southwestern U.S. Translated it means chili with meat and is a traditional Texas meal of chili with meat only and no beans.

A variation of the traditional hot dog that is served with a topping of beef or turkey chili added as a sauce to enhance the flavor of the hot dog.

A spice blend consisting of one or two types of dried red chiles that are ground and pulverized into a fine powder.

With an appearance that is very similar to a traditional Mexican Chili, this variety of soup is typically not as thick as a Chili.

A condiment that can be made from any one of many different chile peppers, depending on the desired intensity and flavor.

A Mexican appetizer that consists of green chilies stuffed with cheese, meats, and other ingredients.

Refers to food that is thoroughly cooled in a refrigerator compartment, but is not frozen.

One of the smallest chili peppers but also one of the hottest. The chili is very small and has a rounded shape.

A cheese produced in Chimay, Belgium under the historic guidance of the monks who originally produced cheeses within the Trappist monastery and community.

A type of hamburger that is popular in the Dominican Republic and sold from food carts and food stands on city streets in the Carribean.

A spicy herb sauce or marinade that is served with grilled and roasted meats. With orgins credited to Argentina and their use of the sauce, Chimichurri Sauce generally consists of water, salt, garlic, parsley, oregano, pepper, red chile peppers, lemon zest, red or white-wine vinegar, and extra-virgin olive oil.

A small free standing fireplace that may also be used as an oven for baking foods.

A rich tasting tea with a slight flavor of almonds and a bronze color. It isn't as strong as black tea, but is slightly more flavorful than green tea varieties.

On a pork roast, this is the bone that lies just below the shank bone. On a beef roast, the Chine Bone is referred to as the backbone which is attached to the rib roast.

A medium-grain variety of rice from China that has a covering of black bran. When cooked, the rice has a distinctive nutty flavor, a slightly chewy texture, and the color becomes dark purple.

A vegetable consisting of green clusters of flowering buds, known as florets, which grow on a thick leafy stalk.

With an appearance similar to traditional celery but much smaller, this plant is most often used for a variety of Asian recipes.

A fruit native to China that is much like a date in its appearance, flavor, and texture, but is not related to the date.

Long noodles made with wheat flour and eggs. They are available as a round noodle in various thicknesses and can also be fond as a flattened noodle in various widths.

A variety of the Asian eggplant characterized by their long, thin shape and purple coloring.

An egg-sized berry with a brown, furry skin and green flesh, more popularly known as kiwifruit.

A type of fruit that may grow as large as a foot in diameter and is the largest citrus fruit.

A long, thin Asian bean that can measure from one to three feet in length, but are best eaten when they are 12 to 20 inches long.

A long, cylindrical variety of squash, native to Asia, that is generally harvested when it is between 1 to 2 feet in length, but can be grown as long as 8 to 10 feet.

Another name given to cilantro because of its popularity in Asian cooking. Chinese parsley is as commonly used in China as regular parsley is used elsewhere.

A wine produced from the fermentation of rice that is soaked in water. It is available in Asian markets, but a medium-dry sherry can be substituted if rice wine is not readily available.

A type of broad-leafed Spinach that is grown in Far Eastern countries to harvest the shoots and leaves of the plant.

Long round or flat noodles made with wheat, water and salt. They are found in various thicknesses and are generally white or light yellow-beige in color.

A variety of Asian squash that is popular in China and Japan, as well as many other countries.

A kitchen utensil, similar to a sieve, which is used to filter ingredients and separate undesired items such as seeds, skins, or lumpy particles in order to create a very clear liquid.

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A Jalapeno pepper, native to Mexico that is smoked, dried and most often served as an appetizer or as an ingredient in sauces, salsas, soups, and stews.

Thinly sliced beef that has been smoked, salt cured, and then cut into round or rectangular slices.

With a ground edge that looks like the blade of a chisel and thus the origin of its name, this type of blade has a grind that is made on only one side of the blade.

Long pasta strands, which resemble spaghetti, except they are square instead of round.

A food made popular in the southern U.S. that is made from the small intestines of hogs.

An herb characterized by its long green shoots that are used as a seasoning in food dishes to provide a flavor very similar to a very mild onion.

A member of a family of pigments (carotenoids and anthocyanins are the other members) that is responsible for the coloration of fruits and plants.

A type of flavoring, coating, syrup, candy, dessert, or beverage made from the seeds of the cacao tree.

A type of chocolate produced as miniature bits that are used in baked goods that need a piece of chocolate to keep its shape such as for use in cookies.

Milk that has had sugar and chocolate added for flavoring. Chocolate milk is available in whole, low fat and nonfat (skim) milk.

A sweet topping as well as a cooking and baking ingredient made from chocolate based foods with sweeteners added.

A member of the rose family of plants, this berry is classified as a bush cherry, but is related to the domestic cherry as well as the plum, apricot, and peach families of fruit.