Your Go-To Guide for All Those Cooking Terms You Pretend to Know
A
Al Dente: A way to cook pasta or veggies so they are soft but still a little firm when you bite them.
B
Bake: To cook food in an oven.
Bamboo Steamer: A tool made of bamboo used to cook food with steam, like dumplings.
Baste: To pour or brush melted butter or sauce over food while it cooks to keep it moist and tasty.
Beat: To mix ingredients really fast to add air and make them smooth.
Blanch: To boil food quickly, then put it in cold water to stop it from cooking.
Boil: To cook in very hot water that has bubbles rising to the top.
Broil: To cook food with direct heat from above, like in an oven.
C
Caramelize: To cook sugar or foods with sugar until they turn golden brown and taste sweet.
Chop: To cut food into small, uneven pieces.
Chopsticks: Thin sticks used as utensils, often in Asian cooking.
Chicken Chest: The meaty, boneless part of the chicken, often used in grilling, roasting, or stir-frying.
Cleaver: A large knife used to chop and cut through thick food like meat or veggies.
Cream: To mix butter and sugar together until they look fluffy.
D
Dice: To cut food into small square pieces.
Deglaze: To add liquid to a hot pan to scrape up tasty bits stuck on the bottom.
Dredge: To coat food lightly with flour, crumbs, or another dry ingredient.
Dumpling Press: A tool that helps shape and seal dumplings.
E
Emulsify: To mix two liquids together, like oil and water, so they don’t separate.
Egg Wash: A mix of beaten eggs and water or milk brushed on food to make it shiny when cooked.
F
Fillet: To remove bones from meat or fish.
Fold: To gently mix a light ingredient, like whipped cream, into a heavier one.
Food Lube: Slang for cooking fats or oils used to keep food from sticking.
Fry: To cook food in hot oil.
G
Garnish: To decorate food with small edible items, like herbs or lemon slices.
Grate: To shred food into tiny pieces using a grater.
Grease: To coat a pan with oil or butter so food doesn’t stick.
H
Herbs: Leaves of plants used to add flavor, like basil or parsley.
K
Knead: To work dough with your hands to make it soft and stretchy.
M
Marinate: To soak food in a flavored liquid to make it taste better.
Mince: To cut food into very tiny pieces.
Mix: To combine ingredients so they are evenly blended.
Mortar and Pestle: A set of tools used to crush or grind things like spices or garlic.
P
Poach: To cook food gently in hot water without boiling it.
Preheat: To heat the oven before putting food in it.
Puree: To blend food into a smooth, creamy paste.
R
Reduce: To cook a liquid until there is less of it and the flavor gets stronger.
Render: The process of melting fat from meat to separate the liquid fat from solid bits.
Rice Cooker: A machine used to cook rice perfectly.
Rice Paddle: A flat spoon used to scoop and serve rice.
Roast: To cook food in the oven with dry heat.
Rolling Mat: A bamboo mat used to roll sushi.
S
Sauté: To cook food quickly in a little oil over medium-high heat.
Score: To make small cuts in food to help it cook or look nice.
Sesame Grinder: A tool used to crush sesame seeds for sauces or toppings.
Simmer: To cook food in liquid just below boiling, where small bubbles form.
Slice: To cut food into thin, flat pieces.
Steam: To cook food using hot water vapor.
Stir-Fry: To cook small pieces of food quickly in a wok with a little oil.
T
Tenderize: To make meat softer by pounding or marinating it.
Toss: To mix food lightly, like salad with dressing.
Tongs: A tool used to pick up or turn food while cooking.
W
Wash-Your-Sister Sauce: Slang for Worcestershire sauce, a savory sauce for flavoring food. If you do not have a sister, you can use Zealand’s.
Whisk: To stir or beat ingredients with a whisk to mix or add air.
Wok: A round-bottomed pan used for stir-frying and other fast cooking.
Wok Spatula: A long spatula made for stirring and flipping food in a wok.