Guides
Whether you’re menu-planning, needing inspiration on which ingredients are currently in season, looking for round-ups of some of our latest recipe ideas or general handy tips on how to get the best results in your kitchen, our Guides section has it all!
1198 articles
Cook's dictionary
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Physalis
The yellowish round fruit is about the size of a cherry tomato, protected by a papery skin and is part of the nightshade family.
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Par-boil
Par-boiling involves boiling a vegetable briefly in order to reduce the total cooking time needed – perfect for making roast potatoes!
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Palm sugar
Palm sugar is formed by taking the sap from the flowering stalks of a palm tree and boiling it down. It should have a crumbly texture
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Pak choi
Pak choi, also known as Chinese chard, white cabbage and bok choy, is a member of the cabbage family and is often used in Chinese cooking.
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Persimmon
Persimmon, also know as Sharon fruit, looks a bit like a tomato, is yellowy-orange in colour and has a juicy, sweet pulp inside.
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Quesadilla
Quesadillas are the Mexican version of a cheese toastie (it translates as ‘little cheesy thing’ in Spanish), but are made using tortillas instead of bread.
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What does refreshing vegetables mean?
Refreshing vegetables means to plunge them in cold water immediately after cooking in order to stop the cooking process.
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Star anise
Star anise is a dried, star-shaped spice with a mild but aromatic flavour, often used in both Chinese and Indian cooking.
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Shiitake
Shiitake mushrooms are a Japanese mushroom with a white stem and flat brown cap, which keeps its shape well when cooked.
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Samphire
Samphire is a vibrant green vegetable, available in the summer months, that is very similar to asparagus and with a fresh, slightly salty flavour.
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Tamarind
Tamarind is a fruit, originating in Asia, with a sweet and tangy flavour and is used widely in dishes from India through to South East Asia.
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Vanilla sugar
Vanilla sugar is made by leaving a split vanilla pod in a jar of sugar to infuse. It's a great way of using up a spent pod by making it go a little further!
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Acidulated water
What is acidulated water? Find out in our delicious. cook's dictionary
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Butterfly
To butterfly is a French technique used when a piece of meat is too thick to cook through without it drying out, or simply to reduce the cooking time of the meat.
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Vacherin
Vacherin mont d'or is a cheese made from cow's milk with a creamy, rich texture. It's best eaten warm – after being baked – with a spoon.
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Blanching
Blanching is a cooking technique in which vegetables are boiled briefly before being plunged into cold water to halt the cooking process.
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Emulsion
An emulsion involves whisking two liquids, that normally can't be combined, quickly in order for them to mix or blend, as very small droplets of each are dispersed in each other.
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Jalapeño chilli
Jalapeño chillies are commonly used in Mexican cooking and praised for their slightly sweet and smoky flavour. They are often used in salsas or sliced and used to top nachos and pizzas.
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Piri piri
Piri piri is the name of both the African bird’s eye chilli and the marinade, made from oil, cayenne pepper and salt, for the Portuguese chicken dish.
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Asafoetida
Asafoetida is a resin with a strong and unpleasant smell. Despite its unusual scent, asafoetida imparts an onion-y flavour to cooking, and is thought to aid digestion and reduce flatulence.
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Aduki bean
Aduki beans are a small, reddish bean that originates in east Asia. To cook the dried variety, soak overnight then bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes until tender.
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