Glossary of Cooking Terms

Made for grilling small pieces of food, a Kabob Basket keeps the food contained and offers an alternative to a barbecue or meat skewer.

Beef for kabobs can be purchased that has already been cut into the appropriate sized chunks, which are ready to assemble onto skewers.

A member of the pumpkin family, this vegetable is a thick-skinned pumpkin-shaped squash that ranges in diameter from 8 to 12 inches with an average weight of 3 to 4 pounds.

A Yiddish term that means “cheese.” When a Jewish dish has “kaes” attached to its’ name, it is an indictor that cheese is one of the ingredients of the dish.

A variety of lime that is small, round and pointed at the end with a gnarled outer skin that emits a sharp lemon-like aroma.

A type of yeasted roll that is enriched with eggs and a small quantity of shortening that is characterized by its shape, which resembles a five petal flower blossom.

A spice that is made from seeds of the black cumin plant. A member of the parsley family of plants, black cumin is native to parts of Asia, India and Pakistan where the seeds are harvested.

A medium size, almond shaped Greek olive that ranges from black to purple in color.

A ruffled-leafed green vegetable that is a member of the cabbage family. With leaves that range in color from dark green to purple, kale is commonly used as a garnish for food presentation or as a cooked vegetable.

A small black seed that resembles a poppy seed but has a peppery taste. It is most often found in Indian cooking but is also found in Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine.

The brand name for a type of flour milled from grain that is closely related to durum wheat and is often considered a specialty grain.

The brand name for a type of grain that is closely related to durum wheat and is often considered a specialty grain.

Hulled grains of buckwheat, which have been oven-toasted. For cooking they can be used whole or they can be coarse, medium or finely ground.

A long-grain variety of aromatic rice developed in the U.S. that is considered to be similar to Basmati in taste and texture.

A Greek cheese made from sheep or goat's milk. It is dull white to pale yellow in color and has a semi-hard consistency with a springy texture.

A Greek pastry made from shredded phyllo dough and filled with walnuts. When served it is often topped with honey.

A thickened Turkish cream. This cream is used most often in desserts. It may be substituted with a French crème fraîche or an English clotted cream.

Small chunks of meat or fish that have been seasoned and/or marinated, put on a skewer or into a grilling basket and then grilled or broiled.

Made for grilling shish kebabs, this utensil is a square-boxed version of a grilling basket.

A delicate Chinese tea. Its flavor has a slight floral hint to it.

A small apple that has a red outer skin and a cream colored fine textured flesh....

A Greek cheese that is pale yellow in color and has irregular holes. It is a hard cheese made from sheep and goat's milk.

A cultured milk beverage, which originated in a mountainous region of Eastern Europe and western Asia known as the Caucasus.

A traditional Middle Eastern food that consists of finely ground beef or lamb that is spiced with seasonings and made into meatballs or patties to be grilled.

A gray or dark brown sea vegetable, commonly referred to as kombu (or konbu) that is sun dried to form hard dark green to almost black in color, sheets that are processed into a variety of different products including foods, cosmetics, health items, and other products.

An American dry-cured country ham, which is made from the hind leg of a pig that has been raised on a diet of acorns, beans, clover, and grain.

A sauce that is typically smooth yet fluid-textured, made of tomatoes and flavored with sugar, vinegar, onions, garlic, and spices.

The final seam that is made in a piece of dough after it has been folded and formed into its desired shape.

A smaller and rounder lime than the more common Persian lime. It is yellowish green in color, has a tart flavor, and is known mostly for its use in key lime pie.

A flatbread that is a traditional food of India. Round, very thin and soft to crispy in texture, Khakhara is a bread that is most often rolled up and used in a manner similar to a utensil to dip or absorb other foods, combining the bread with the beans, curried foods or foods such as Thali.

A common ready-to-eat dried snack from India that may contain peanuts, rice flakes, sago, green peas, gram pulse, lentils, and a variety of seasonings to provide a mild or hot and spicy flavor.

A dried kidney shape bean that is reddish brown in color, strong flavored and has a slight mealy (powdery) texture.

The pork kidney is a single-lobed glandular organ, which is best taken from a younger animal to provide a milder taste and more tender meat.

Often referred to as Polish sausage (which is uncooked), Kielbasa is a precooked smoked sausage that is highly seasoned with ingredients such as garlic and then produced in links or rings that are approximately 1" to 2" in diameter.

A Korean condiment or side dish made from fermented fruits or vegetables which may include items such as cabbage, cucumbers, or radish roots, that are combined with garlic, onions, chile peppers, ginger, and spices that are mixed together and seasoned with a Kimchee salted sauce.

A variety of crab appropriately named because it is the largest of all crabs. There are red, blue, and brown varieties, which are found mainly in the North Pacific and Bering Sea....

(Scientific Name: Pleurotus eryngii) A variety of mushroom that grows in clusters developing a trumpet-like shape and appearance as a wild or cultivated mushroom.

A festive American bread that is a traditional part of the carnival season and the notable Mardi Gras celebrations.

A variety of the mackerel fish family, which are members of the tuna family, that is most often found in warmer ocean waters, such as from the Carolina coast in the U.S.

A brandy distilled from whole cherries. It is a clear, dry brandy with the aroma and flavor of cherries.

A traditional alcoholic beverage from Germany that is produced from small semisweet cherries and crushed cherry pits, to become a high quality clear brandy.

A type of sausage made from a combination of onion, suet, matzo meal, and flour, which is packed into kosher beef intestines and then steam cooked and roasted.

Brushes made for multiple kitchen tasks. They can be used for sanitary cleaning or they can be used to clean food, such as vegetables, fruit, mushrooms, or shellfish.

A kitchen device used to measure the weight of ingredients and other food. Kitchen scales are available in balance or spring models.

A kitchen tool, specifically made for food preparation, that is more versatile than a standard pair of cutting scissors.

A thick string used for tying and trussing meat. It is also used to tie other foods.

A fruit that is a cross between a melon and a cucumber. It is native to southern Africa and grown in the United States, Portugal and New Zealand.

baby kiwi,

red skin golden potato,

A narrow egg noodle that varies in length anywhere from 1 inch to 4 inches. It is a dried pasta that closely resembles homemade noodles.