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This article is from the Cooking
and Conversions FAQ, by with numerous contributions by Victor
Sack cooking.faq@mac.com others.
3.4 Glossary of Culinary Terms: L - R
LADYFINGERS - little, fairly dry, finger-shaped sponge cakes. "Ladies'
fingers" is another name for okra.
LEMONADE - in the US, a drink made of lemon juice, sugar and water; in
the UK, a carbonated drink that doesn't necessarily contain anything
closer to a lemon than a bit of citric acid. Sprite (TM) and 7-Up (TM)
are examples of what would be called lemonade in many countries. I am
informed that in France and Belgium "limonade" is used as a general term
for soft drinks (Coke/Sprite/Fanta/etc.), although when I was in France
(1998) requesting du limonade always brought me something Sprite-like
(but usually much nicer). Perhaps it is regional, or people know that
when customers with shocking accents request "limonade" they definitely
mean lemonade.
LIMA BEAN - also called butter bean, Madagascar bean.
LOX - Brine-cured salmon, which may or may not be also cold-smoked.
MALANGA - the word used in the Spanish-speaking parts of the Caribbean
for Taro root (or a close relative of Taro). It is prepared by either
boiling and mashing like potatoes, or slicing and frying into chips. It
is also used in soups as a thickening agent.
MARROW - US summer squash. Also 'vegetable marrow'.
MASA HARINA - Masa is a paste made by soaking maize in lime (similar to
the method for preparing hominy) and then grinding it up. Masa harina
is the flour made by drying and powdering masa. It is used in Mexican
cooking for items such as corn tortillas. The literal meaning is "dough
flour".
MASCARPONE - A soft Italian cheese (similar to cream cheese) with around
50% butterfat. An important ingredient in Tiramisu.
MELON - a family of fruits. All have a thick, hard, inedible rind,
sweet meat, and lots of seeds. Common examples: watermelon, cantaloupe
(aka rock melon).
MESCLUN (MEHS-KLUHN) - Also called salad mix and gourmet salad mix, it's
simply a potpourri of young, small salad greens.
MIRIN - sweetened sake (Japanese rice wine)
MIXED SPICE - A classic mixture generally containing caraway, allspice,
coriander, cumin, nutmeg & ginger, although cinnamon & other spices can
be added. It is used with fruit & in cakes. (In America 'Pumpkin Pie
Spice' is very similar).
MOLASSES - see section 1.5
MUSTARD OIL - This spicy oil is extensively used in Bengali and some
other Indian cuisines. It is said that it is very hard, if not
impossible, to find good quality mustard oil outside of India. In the
'Western' countries, mustard oil is required to be sold with a "for
external use only" warning, since it contains allyl isothiocyanate and
erucic acid, both of which have been implicated in some health problems.
(This entry is based on Shankar Bhattacharyya's postings)
NAM PLA (NAHM-PLAH) - Popular in Thailand, this is a salty, fermented
fish sauce, made with anchovies, with an extremely strong odour. Also
known as nuoc nam in Vietnam and shottsuru in Japan, it is used as a
condiment.
NAVY BEAN - also called Boston bean, Great Northern bean, pea bean,
pearl haricot.
NOPALES (NOH-PAH-LAYS) - Long popular in Mexico, these fleshy oval
leaves are from the prickly pear cactus. They range in colour from pale
to dark green and have a delicate, slightly tart green-bean flavour.
Before use, the thorns must be removed with a vegetable peeler. The
flesh is cut into small pieces or strips, simmered in water until tender
and used in a variety of dishes, from scrambled eggs to salads.
NORI (NOH-REE) - These paper-thin sheets of dried seaweed can range in
colour from dark green to dark purple to black. They have a sweet ocean
taste and are popular at Japanese meals or are used to make sushi.
NUTELLA - A thick smooth paste made from chocolate and hazelnuts, made
by the Ferrero company of Italy. Doesn't seem to be particularly
easy/cheap to come by in much of the US, but in many countries it is
inexpensive and common. Can be spread on plain biscuits (cookies),
bread, toast, pancakes, or just eaten from the jar. There are other
brands that produce a similar product, but Nutella seems to the best
known.
OKRA - a fruit of a plant of the cotton family, native to Africa.
Appears as "bindi" or "bhindi" in Indian cooking, and as "bamiya" or
similar in the Middle East. Also widely used in the south of the USA,
in such dishes as gumbo. Also called "ladies' fingers".
ORZO (OHR-ZOH) - In Italian this means "barley," but it's actually a
tiny, rice-shaped pasta, slightly smaller than a pine nut.
PANKO (PAHN-KOH) - Bread crumbs used in Japanese cooking for coating
fried foods. They're coarser than those normally used in the United
States and create a deliciously crunchy crust on foods.
PAVLOVA - A dessert (invented in NZ, not Australia :-) The main
ingredients are sugar and egg white. A pavlova has crisp meringue
outside and soft marshmallow inside, and has approximately the
dimensions of a deep dessert cake. Commonly pavlovas are topped with
whipped cream and fresh fruit, especially kiwi fruit, passion fruit or
strawberries.
PAWPAW - Also called 'papaw'. Papaya, also persimmons in some places,
or even a third fruit, Asimina triloba. It's best to check with the
recipe author. The papaya is a tropical fruit; the persimmon is from
warm temperate areas; and Asimina triloba from cooler temperate areas.
PERIWINKLES - These small relatives of the whelk are "Littorina
littorea". Popular in Europe but not in US. Northern (New England)
"winkles" are a different species from those found in the Gulf of
Mexico.
POLENTA - same as cornmeal, also, a thick porridge made from cornmeal
(also known as 'cornmeal mush', 'mamaliga')
PORTOBELLO - see Cremini
POSOLE (POH-SOH-LEH) - The dried hominy that is used to make a thick,
hearty soup consisting of pork, garlic and dried chilies. The stew is
named for the dried hominy.
POUTINE - French fries with cheese curds and gravy.
POWDERED SUGAR - see section 1.5
RADICCHIO (rah-DEE-kee-oh) - This red-leafed Italian chicory is most
often used in salads.
RAPESEED OIL - Neutral-tasting oil made from seeds of Brassica napus.
Also called rape oil and canola oil.
RHUBARB - Rhubarb should be cooked because cooking inhibits or destroys
the oxalic acid it contains. The oxalic acid in raw rhubarb or in
rhubarb leaves is toxic.
RISO (REE-SOH) - In Italian this means "rice", but also rice-shaped
pasta similar to orzo.
ROCK MELON - see Melon
ROCKY MOUNTAIN OYSTERS - Lamb or cattle testicles, breaded and deep
fried (like oysters, I guess).
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