kebab
skewered meat

ketjap manis
thick, sweetened soy sauce

khao niao
Thai glutinous rice

khoresh
meat stew with fruit and nuts

khoshaf
macerated dried fruit salad containing apricots, raisins and almonds

konafa
Turkish pastry which resembles shredded wheat

korma
north Indian spiced meat stew

kulebyaka
Russian salmon and rice pie

kulfi
Indian ice cream made from reduced milk

kway teow
Malaysian flat noodles

jaggery
unrefined sugar

jalousie
baked pastry tart topped with latticed pastry strips

jambonette
ham and pork sausage-like dish

jambonneau
small leg – applied to poultry

joue
beef or pork cheek

julienne
food, particularly vegetables, cut into thin strips

jus
juice extracted from roasted meats

laifen
Chinese tubular noodles

laksa
Malay soup with noodles and seafood

lardons
strips of streaky bacon

levin
starter dough made from live yeast and flour

linguine
thin, flat pasta noodle

lyonnaise sauce
sauce of chopped onions sautéd in butter with white wine and vinegar

infuse
to soak ingredient, eg herbs’ in liquid to impart flavour

insalata
salad

HACCP
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, a food safety self inspection system

halloumi
goats’ milk cheese

harissa
medium-hot chilli paste used in Moroccan cooking

harusame
transparent, rice-flour noodles

hoisin
sauce made from soy, flour, vinegar, garlic, sesame, salt and pepper

homard
lobster

homardine
white wine sauce finished with lobster butter and garnished with diced lobster

gazpacho
cold thick broth of tomatoes, garlic, onion etc

gelato
ice cream (Italian)

ghee
clarified butter

girolles
similar to chanterelles (qv) but usually picked smaller

glacé
iced or glazed

gnocchi
small Italian dumplings cooked in boiling water and served with sauce

gosht
meat (Indian)

gougère
ring of choux pastry with savoury filling, often cheese

goulash
meat stew with paprika

grana
grating cheese

gratin
sweet or savoury dish that is browned under a grill

gravadlax
same as gravlax

gravlax
raw salmon cured in sugar, salt, pepper and dill

gremolata
mixture of parsley, garlic and lemon zest, used to garnish osso bucco

griottines
morello cherries, usually preserved in alcohol

gurnard
small, round sea fish

falafel
dried broad bean rissoles

faraona
guinea fowl (Italian)

farce
stuffing or forcemeat

fenugreek
plant of which the seeds are ground and used as a spice in curries and chutneys

feuillantine
puff pastry strips brushed with egg, sprinkled with sugar and baked

feuilletage
puff pastry

fèves
broad beans

flageolet
small, pale-green kidney bean

flambé
foods served or prepared by pouring over alcohol and igniting

focaccia
flat, round, flavoured Italian bread

foie gras
enlarged liver of force-fed duck or goose

forestière
garnished with mushrooms

fricassée
white meat or poultry casserole

frittata
flat, unfolded omelette

fruits de mer
assorted seafood, usually shellfish

fumée
smoked

funghi
wild mushrooms (Italian)

fusil
sharpening steel

elver
young eel

émincer
to cut into very thin slices

emulsion
mixture of mutually insoluble liquids in which one is suspended in another

en cocotte
cooked in a small round dish (used for pot-roasting)

en daube
originally applied to meats cooked in a Provencal stewing pot (daubière) now applied to meat stews

en papillotte
fish or meat baked in parchment paper

endive
plant used raw in salad or braised as a vegetable

entrée
savoury dish served as a main course

escalope
thin slice of meat or fish

étuver
to cook or steam in its own juices

dacquoise
layers of meringue with whipped cream or buttercream and fresh berries

daikon
large white radish

dariole
small cylindrical mould and sweet or savoury items baked in it

dashi
Japanese stock made from bonito flakes and konbu seaweed (dulse)

dauphinoise
sliced potatoes baked in cream, seasoned with nutmeg and garlic

deglaze
dissolve caramelised sediment in a roasting pan by adding wine or stock

dégorger
to soak fish or sometimes vegetables to remove impurities

délice
used to describe delicate pieces of sweet and savoury foods

demi-tasse
half-cup (espresso coffee cup)

dépouiller
to remove skin or scum formed on top of liquid

dhal
split peas or pulses cooked to a gruel texture

dim sum
small Chinese snacks

donburi
Japanese dish of a bowl of rice topped with leftovers

dubarry
garnished with or containing cauliflower

dum
Indian steaming method especially for pilau

duxelles
finely chopped mushrooms and shallots, sweated in butter and used as a stuffing, flavouring or garnish

calamari
squid

canapé
small piece of food served hot or cold as an appetiser

cannellini beans
white kidney beans

cannoli
Sicilian pastry tubes filled with ricotta cheese, chocolate and candied peel

capsicum
bell pepper

caramelise
to slowly brown sugar or foods such as onions and carrots over heat

carbonara
spaghetti sauce of egg, bacon and parmesan

carbonnade
beef braised in beer

carciofo
globe artichoke

carpaccio
originally thin slices of raw red meat, now also applied to fish

chantilly
whipped cream with sugar and vanilla

charcuterie
cooked and cured pork products, ie hams, bacon, pâtés

chard
spinach-like leaves with thick, white edible ribs

charlotte
moulded dessert of pastry cream, custard, mousse or puréed fruit

charsiu
Chinese glazed pork fillet

chartreuse
herb-flavoured, brandy-based liqueur

chartreuse, en
feathered game served with cabbage

chemiser
to line a mould

chermoula
Moroccan fish marinade

chervil
green-leafed herb with a hint of aniseed flavour

chèvre
(fromage de ~) goat’s milk cheese

chiffonade
of leaf vegetables: cut into fine shreds

chine
backbone of beef, lamb, pork or venison with meat attached

Chingkiang vinegar
dark vinegar similar to balsamic (Chinese)

chinois
conical strainer

chioca
yams

choisum
Chinese greens with yellow flowers

chorizo
spicy sausage of pork meat and fat flavoured with garlic and spices/paprika

choucroute
sauerkraut

choux
pastry for sweet fillings

chowder
seafood stew-like soup

cilantro
coriander

civet
game stew

clafouti
baked batter tart, usually with cherries

clarified
removal of impurities from butter, stock or jelly

cloud ears
dried Chinese mushroom

cocotte
lidded earthenware cooking pot for slow-cooking meat

compote
fruit poached in syrup

concassé
roughly chopped

confit
preserved meat (goose, duck, pork) cooked slowly and preserved in its own fat

consommé
clear, concentrated meat, fish or poultry stock

coque, à la
cooked in its shell, eg eggs

coquilles Saint-Jacques
scallops

coral
roe or eggs of some shellfish

cotechino
pork sausage

coulis
purée of fruit or vegetables

court bouillon
seasoned poaching liquid, usually for fish

couverture
confectioner’s chocolate high in cocoa butter, used for coating and ornamental work

crème anglaise
custard sauce

crème pâtissière
custard or pastry cream, thickened with flour or starch

crêpe
thin pancake with sweet or savoury filling

crépine
pork caul

crevettes
shrimp

cromesquis
croquette

cross-contamination
transfer of bacteria to food from another food, equipment or work surface

crostini
bread canapés

croustade
edible casing of puff pastry or hollowed-out bread containing savoury foods, eg stew

croûte
bread or pastry crust