A Dictionary of Food

charlotte royale

charlotte royale France A charlotte mould lined with slices of jam-filled Swiss rolls and filled with a charlotte mixture or bavarois charlotte russe France A charlotte mould, sides lined with sponge finger biscuits, base layered with fan-shaped pieces of finger biscuit and filled with a vanilla bavarois.

When set, demoulded and decorated. charlotte sibérienne France A cake with the

centre removed to form a bowl and filled with fruit and cream

charlottka Russia See sharlotka

char masala Central Asia A simple spice mix from Afghanistan used to flavour rice dishes. Made from equal parts of cinnamon, cloves, cumin seed and black cardamom seed.

charn China The curved spoon-shaped spatula which fits the curve of a wok and is used to manipulate the food in the wok

charni South Asia Chutney

Charnwood United Kingdom A smoked Cheddar cheese coated with paprika

charolais France 1. A very large breed of French cattle famous for its meat 2. A small, soft, strong-flavoured, hard, cylindrical cheese made from cows’ and/or goats’ milk which is ripened for 2 to 3 weeks. The paste has a delicate texture with a few small cracks and the greyish blue rind is thin and unblemished. Contains 58% water, 24% fat and 21% protein.

charoli nut Small round nut about the size of a pine nut, used to garnish Indian sweetmeats. Also called chironju

charoset, charoseth A condiment made from chopped apples and walnuts flavoured with cinnamon and moistened with a sweet dessert wine. Used at the Jewish Passover feast. Also called charoseth

charqui United States Smoked and sun-dried strips of beef or venison. Also called jerked beef, chipped beef, jerky, jerked meat

char siu China Chinese honey roast pork made from skinned and deboned pork shoulder or fillet, marinaded in salt, sugar, hoisin sauce, yellow bean sauce, red bean curd, chopped garlic, light soy sauce and dry sherry, roasted and basted with the marinade until a rich dark brown, removed from the oven and brushed with honey. Excess marinade can be reduced for use as a dipping sauce. Also called chahr ziu, cha siew, red pork

char siu bow China Bread dough formed into small balls around a filling of finely chopped stir-fried char siu, reconstituted black mushrooms and spring onion mixed with hoisin sauce, oyster sauce and a little sugar and thickened with corn flour and stock. The

balls are allowed to rise then cooked by steaming for 15 minutes.

char siu jeung China See roast pork spice char siu powder See roast pork spice chartreuse ragoût Denmark A decoratively

arranged casserole of meat or poultry with colourful vegetables

cha shao bao China A steamed bun filled with roast pork

cha siew China Char siu

chasni South Asia A sweet and sometimes sour syrup used to glaze food which is being grilled or roasted. Usually for meat or poultry. chasnidarh South Asia A style of Indian dish made with young meat or fish in a sweet- and-sour sauce, possibly with fruits and

vegetables

cha-soba Japan Buckwheat noodles containing powdered green tea. They have a distinctive colour and smell.

chasseur, (à la) France In the hunter’s style, i.e. with a selection of onions, shallots, sliced mushrooms, tomatoes and white wine and/or brandy

chasseur, sauce Chopped shallots, garlic and mushrooms sweated in butter, fat removed, reduced with red wine, skimmed, deseeded tomatoes and demi-glace added, simmered, seasoned and finished with parsley and tarragon

chat South Asia A mixture of diced fruit, vegetables, possibly with meat and shrimps and with a spicy, sour dressing

châtaigne France Sweet chestnut châtaigne d’eau France Water chestnut chateaubriand England, France A large steak

cut from the thickest part of a fillet of beef. Generally grilled to serve two persons or the whole thick end roasted.

chateaubriand, sauce England, France

White wine with chopped shallots, thyme, bayleaf and mushroom trimmings reduced by two thirds, an amount of brown veal stock equal to the original wine added and all reduced by half, strained and finished with beurre maître d’hôtel and chopped tarragon. Used with red meat.

chateaubriand cheese A cream cheese from Normandy made with cows’ milk and added cream

château potatoes 1. United Kingdom Roast turned potatoes 2. United States Long thin strips of potatoes cooked in butter

châtelaine, à la France Garnished with artichoke hearts, chestnuts and puréed onions and served with a cream sauce

chat masala South Asia An Indian spice and herb mixture for fruit and vegetable salads

with a fresh sour taste containing cumin seeds, black peppercorns, ajowan seeds, anardana seeds, salt, asafoetida, chilli powder, amchoor, dried mint and dried ginger. Also called chaat masala

chat murgh South Asia Lettuce, topped with a mixture of sliced tomatoes, eggs and onion, deseeded and finely chopped green chillies and shredded chicken, sprinkled with salt, sugar and chat masala and dressed with lemon juice. Allowed to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

chatnee Caribbean A hot spice mix from St Lucia made from freshly grated turmeric, chives, thyme, seeded chilli peppers and salt and pepper all processed in a blender or with a mortar and pestle. Traditionally added to cooked rice.

chatni gashneez Central Asia A smooth chutney from Afghanistan made from equal weights of walnuts and coriander leaves processed with a green chilli and lemon juice or vinegar to make a spreadable paste

chattak South Asia A unit of weight equal to 5 tolas, approximately 56 g or 2 oz. Also called chitak

chatti Sri Lanka A terracotta cooking pot similar to an Indian chatty

chatty South Asia An unglazed clay cooking pot. Because the clay absorbs flavours from the food, separate pots are used for different classes of food, e.g. fish, meat, vegetables, etc.

chatui South Asia Sambal-like side dishes chaud(e) France Hot

chaudeau France Sweet pudding sauce chaudeu France An orange-flavoured tart

from Nice in Provence

chaud-froid, sauce A coating sauce made from equal parts of warmed béchamel or velouté sauce and aspic jelly, or either sauce thickened with gelatine. Used to coat salmon, chicken, turkey, hams, etc. for cold buffets. See also brown chaud-froid sauce

chaudin France The large intestine (colon) used in sausage making

chaudrée France A dish from Bordeaux of conger eel and other white fish cooked with potatoes, garlic and white wine, a type of chowder or fish soup

chaudron France Cauldron

chauna A sour cows’ milk cheese. See also chhana

chaunk gobhi South Asia Brussels sprouts chaurice United States A Creole version of

chorizo containing chopped onions and parsley, thyme, bay leaves and allspice

chausson France A round flat light pastry turnover usually filled

chee mah

chaussons aux pommes France Apple turnover

chaussons aux queues de langoustines

France A pastry turnover filled with lobster meat from the tail

chávena Portugal Teacup, used as a fluid measure

Chavignol France A small, hard, goats’ milk cheese. See also Crottin de Chavignol

chawal South Asia Rice

chawan Japan A straight-sided porcelain or glazed pot dish about the size of a teacup with a conical lid. Used for steaming egg custards.

chawan mushi Japan A savoury steamed custard made with 7 eggs per litre of ichiban dashi, flavoured with mirin and salt and contains a few pieces of chicken breast meat, prawn and mushroom marinaded in soya sauce and sake. It is steamed for 15 minutes, garnished and served in the chawan.

chawara South Asia Date chay Vietnam Vegetarian chayote Choko

chebeh rubyan Persian Gulf Prawn paste balls with a filling of sweated chopped onions that have been flavoured with baharat and loomi powder and simmered in a sweet-and- sour sauce. The prawn paste is made from processed shelled prawns and coriander leaves mixed with ground rice, turmeric and loomi powder to a cohering mass.

checkerberry United States Wintergreen cheddam Australia A combination of Cheddar

and Edam-type cheeses

cheddar, to To repeatedly cut and stack blocks of milk curd turning between operations so as to drain off as much whey as possible

Cheddar England The renowned English cheese from the Cheddar Gorge area now made all over the world. It is a hard, scaldedcurd, full-fat cows’ milk cheese made with a lactic starter and traditionally cloth bound. The paste is firm and yellow with a very pleasant flavour ranging from mild to sharp (tasty) depending on maturity (3–12 months). It is available in farmhouse (5–12 kg rounds) and commercial versions of indeterminate size. An excellent dessert and cooking cheese. Contains 36% water, 34% fat and 29% protein.

Cheedham Australia A cows’ milk cheese similar to Cheddar and Edam

cheegay Korea A thin stew or thick soup of various ingredients. Crabs, fish and bean curd are often cooked in this way.

chee mah China Sesame seed

chee mah jee mah

chee mah jee mah China White sesame seeds

cheena chatti Sri Lanka A slightly dished circular pan like a shallow wok used for cooking bread especially atta

cheese 1. A solid derivative of milk made by coagulating most of the protein matter (casein) in the milk into curds and draining off the remaining watery constituents of the milk (whey). The processing combines a variety of the following processes: separating or adding cream, souring the milk with a lactobacillus, heating or boiling it, coagulating the protein content with rennet or other coagulant, breaking up the curd and draining off the whey, salting the curd, heating the curd, milling the curd, adding cultures of microorganisms, pressing the curd to a paste, needling the paste and maturing it. The type of cheese depends on the source of the milk, the treatment, the amount of water removed from the curd, the butterfat left in the curd, the microorganisms that grow in it or on the surface and the length of time and the conditions under which it matures. Cheese is a major source of protein and fat for humans. 2. See fruit cheese

cheese cake Central Europe, United States A crushed biscuit or pastry base covered with a processed mixture of cream, cottage or curd cheese mixed with eggs, sugar, butter and/or cream, lemon juice, grated lemon zest, vanilla and corn flour and baked in the oven

cheese certification Cheeses may be certified by type or by origin as detailed in the 1951 Stresa convention. Typical type certifications are Cheddar, Camembert, Brie, Gruyère, Gouda, Fynbo and Adelost. Typical origin certifications are Gorgonzola, Parmesan, Pont l’Evêque, Roquefort and Bleu d’Auvergne. Type certified cheeses may be made in any country, e.g. Canadian Cheddar, but origin certified may only be made in designated geographical areas.

cheesecloth Loosely woven cloth originally used for pressing curds into cheese but also for draining and filtering any foods

cheese fondue Switzerland A coatingconsistency mixture of Emmental or Gruyère cheese melted with garlic, white wine, corn flour and kirsch in a pot (caquelon), kept hot on the centre of the table and eaten immediately, used to coat cubes of bread impaled on fondue forks

cheese herbs The principal herbs used in cheese are basil, caraway, chervil, chives, dill, fennel, marjoram, mint, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon and thyme

cheese layer cake United States A three layered cheese made from a white cheddar, one layer of which is flavoured with pistachios and one with pink champagne, the whole coated with almonds

cheese pastry Shortcrust pastry flavoured with cheese and seasoning used as a basis for savouries and sometimes in the UK for apple pie

cheese plate Several varieties of cheese arranged on a plate and shown to customers or guests who make a selection from them cheese sauce A boiling béchamel sauce into which grated melting cheese (Cheddar, Gruyère, Emmental, etc.) and egg yolks are incorporated off the heat, the whole strained and reheated but not boiled. Used for fish or

vegetables. Also called Mornay, sauce cheese spread A rather nondescript cheese

preparation made by combining mild cheese with milk and emulsifiers, used for spreading on bread or biscuits and appreciated by children

cheese straws Cheese pastry cut into narrow finger length strips and baked. Used as a snack food.

chef England, France A generic name for a restaurant cook, e.g. chef de partie, sous chef, etc.

chef de cuisine England, France Head chef in the kitchen

chef de partie England, France Chef in charge of a section of the kitchen e.g. vegetables, sauces, meat cooking, larder, etc. Usually given the name of the section chef de rang France A high-ranking chef or

principal waiter in a restaurant

chef de station France Waiter who serves a particular group of tables. Also called station waiter

chef écailler France Oyster opener

chefe de mesa Portugal Head waiter, maître d’hôtel

chef entremétier France Vegetable chef chef garde-manger France Larder chef who

is concerned with cold dishes, salads and preparation of meat and fish for cooking by others

chef pâtissier France Pastry chef chef poissonier France Fish chef chef potager France Soup chef

chef restaurateur France Chef in charge of the à la carte menu

chef rôtisseur France Roast chef chef saucier France Sauce chef

chef’s salad An over the top, large salad combining vegetables, salad vegetables, meats, cheeses, eggs, etc.

chef tournant France A chef who helps out in any section of the kitchen (NOTE: Literally ‘rotating chef’.)

chef traiteur France Chef in charge of outside functions, buffets, etc.

che hau sauce China A spicier version of hoisin sauce

chelou Central Asia Basmati rice boiled 5 minutes and drained. Equal parts of butter and water (butter 1:8 on original rice) are boiled, then half placed in a pan to coat the parboiled rice which is made into a mound covering the base of the pan; the remaining butter water mixture is poured on top. It is then cooked on a low heat with a tight-fitting lid until fluffy.

chelou kabab Iran A kebab of lamb fillet, marinated in lemon juice with chopped onion and spearmint, grilled over charcoal and served with rice

chelou kebab Central Asia An Iranian kebab made from the eye of the lamb loin stripped out and trimmed of all fat and gristle, flattened, slit lengthways in three and cut into 20-cm pieces. These are marinated in raw onion juice and lemon juice for 12 hours, skewered lengthways, brushed with clarified butter and barbecued for about 5 minutes. Served with grilled tomatoes and hot chelou, into which diners mix raw egg yolk then butter, seasoning, sumac and yoghurt as desired.

Chelsea bun England A bun made by taking a rectangle of egg-enriched yeast-raised dough, covering it with melted butter, currants and sugar, rolling it up, slicing it, then packing these into a buttered tray so that the spiral is visible prior to baking and glazing (NOTE: Chelsea buns were much liked by King George III and Queen Charlotte in the 18th century.)

chemise, en France Used of food wrapped or left in its natural skin prior to cooking. Wrappings include pastry, pané, batter, vine leaves, etc. (NOTE: Literally ‘in a shirt’.)

chemiser France To coat the inside of a mould with aspic or other coating so that when the whole is demoulded it is en chemise

chenelline Italy Tiny dumplings used to garnish soup

chenette Caribbean A small round fruit like a grape. See also genip

cheng mein China Wheat starch

chenna South Asia Curds made from boiling milk acidified with lemon juice. See also paneer

Chenopodium album Botanical name Fat hen

chervil

Chenopodium bonus-henricus Botanical name Good King Henry

Chenopodium quinoa Botanical name

Quinoa

cheong China Sausage

cheppia Italy Twaite shad, the fish cherimoya South America One of the most

common custard apples, Anona cherimolia, with a pineapple-type flavour. From Peru, now grown in Spain and Israel. Also called cherimoyer

cherimoyer See cherimoya

chermoula North Africa A processed mixture from Morocco of some or all of finely chopped onion, garlic, parsley, coriander leaves, red chillies, ground cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, vinegar, oil and salt, used as a marinade and flavouring. Often used on fish before frying. Also called sharmoola

cherries jubilee United States Vanilla ice cream topped with a sweet cherry sauce and flambéed at the table

cherry The fruits of various members of the genus Prunus, 1 – 2.5 cm in diameter, generally spherical with a slight depression where they are attached to the stalk, with a central stone (up to 5mm diameter) surrounded by a plum-like flesh and a smooth shiny outer skin. The colours range from white to deep purple/black and the flavours from sweet to acid. Used in sweet and savoury dishes. The kernels are used to flavour some liqueurs. Classified as sweet cherries and acid or sour cherries.

cherry cake A rich sponge cake containing glacé cherries

cherry plum A small variety of plum, Prunus cerasifera, from western Asia, common in China. It is sometimes used as a windbreak in the UK. The rather tasteless flesh improves with cooking.

cherry salmon A Pacific salmon, Oncorhynchus masu, found off the coast of Japan

cherry sauce Port wine reduced with a little mixed spice and grated orange zest, redcurrant jelly and orange juice added and dissolved then finished with stoned cherries which have been poached in syrup. Used with venison and duck.

cherrystone United States Quahog clam cherry tomato A very small (up to 2 cm

diameter) tomato, used principally for decoration

chervil A herb of the carrot family, Anthriscus cerefolium, with flat parsley-like leaves and a slightly pungent mild parsley flavour. It loses

Cheshire black pudding

its flavour on boiling and is usually added to hot dishes just before serving.

Cheshire black pudding England Black pudding flavoured with coriander, pimento and caraway seeds

Cheshire cheese England A crumbly, mellow, slightly salty cows’ milk cheese which is matured from 1 to 15 months (farmhouse types usually for over 9 months) suitable for dessert or culinary use, manufactured in a similar way to Cheddar. There is a white variety and a red one coloured with annatto. It is the oldest known English cheese dating from at least Roman times.

Cheshire onion pie England A shortcrust pastry quiche with sweated onions as the vegetable. The custard is flavoured with nutmeg.

Cheshire potted cheese England Grated Cheshire cheese, mixed with softened butter, ground mace and sweet sherry or Madeira into a smooth paste, placed in pots and covered with melted butter. Used as a spread with celery or for canapés, etc.

Cheshire potted pigeon England A dish of pigeons which are boiled until the meat falls off the bones, with the meat then being processed with seasoning and Worcestershire sauce plus some of the reduced cooking liquor to make a soft paste. This is pressed into ramekins and covered with molten butter.

Cheshire soup England A soup made from pork stock, diced potatoes, grated carrots and chopped leeks with pinhead oatmeal added at 50g per litre after the vegetables have softened. It is simmered until thick and finished with 50g per litre of grated Cheshire cheese. It is served hot, sprinkled with an equal amount of grated cheese.

chesnok Russia Garlic

chessel A vat or mould used in cheese making. Also called chessit

chessit Chessel

chess pie United States A pastry case filled with a mixture of walnuts or pecans, fruit juice or sweet sherry, butter, eggs and cream Chester France A hard, scalded-curd cows’ milk cheese made with a lactic starter on a large commercial scale in blocks or rounds of 30 kg. It has a mild tasting smooth paste and a thin rind. Contains 39% water, 31% fat

and 24% protein.

chestnut The edible fruit (up to 4 cm diameter) of the sweet chestnut tree, Castanea sativa, a native of southern Europe. It has a hard woody skin and a creamcoloured interior containing more starch and

less protein and fat than most nuts. Also called Spanish chestnut, sweet chestnut

chestnut purée Chestnuts incised with a cross at the top, boiled for 15 minutes and the outer and inner skin removed. Boiled in stock with a sprig of celery for 45 minutes, rubbed through a sieve, warmed and mixed with cream, butter, salt and sugar to taste.

chetha si biyan Burma A chicken stew flavoured with onions, garlic, turmeric, fresh ginger, coriander leaves, lemon and salt

cheung China Sausage

cheu yuan China Citron, the fruit chevaine France Chub, the fish chevesne France Chub, the fish cheveu d’ange France Angel’s hair

cheveux de vénus adiante France

Maidenhair fern

Cheviot cheese England A Cheddar cheese flavoured with chopped chives

chèvre France 1. Goat 2. Goats’ milk cheese. Also called fromage de chèvre, mi-chèvre chevreau France Kid, the young of the goat chevreton France A strong goats’ milk cheese

with a hard rind and soft runny interior chevrette France 1. Kid, a young goat 2. Doe,

female deer 3. A metal tripod

chevreuil France 1. Male deer 2. Venison chevreuil, sauce England, France As sauce

poivrade, but with bacon or game trimmings added to the mirepoix and with red wine added after straining. Finished with a little sugar and cayenne pepper. Served with game.

chevreuse France A small goose liver tart chevron United States A young goat

Chevrotin des Aravis France A semi-hard goats’ or goats’ and cows’ milk cheese from Savoie with a typical goaty smell and taste Chevru France A cows’ milk cheese from the region surrounding Paris, similar to Brie de

Coulommiers chewing betel Pan

chezzarella United States A coarse mixture of Cheddar and Mozzarella cheeses to give a marbled effect

chhana South Asia A sour cows’ milk cheese. Also called chauna

chhanna South Asia Pomfret, the fish chhas South Asia Buttermilk

chhena South Asia Curds made from boiling milk acidified with lemon juice. See also paneer

chi China Chicken chiarificare Italy To clarify chícharo Mexico Pea chicharro Spain Mackerel

chicharrón Middle East, Spain Pork crackling

Chichester pudding England A soufflé made with milk, coarse white breadcrumbs, eggs and caster sugar (9:7:4:1). All the ingredients except the egg whites are well mixed with a flavouring of lemon zest and juice. The egg whites are whisked to a stiff peak and folded into the mixture and all baked in a well-buttered soufflé dish at 180°C for about 30 minutes until well risen and browned. It must be served immediately.

chichinda South Asia Snake gourd

chicken The common domestic fowl, Gallus gallus, bred for its meat and eggs. Generally known as poultry.

chicken à la king United States Diced cooked chicken, fried chopped onions, mushrooms and green and red peppers in a béchamel sauce. Sometime flavoured with sherry. Served with rice.

chicken breasts Bellinger Australia

Suprêmes of chicken stuffed with a salpicon of avocado and banana, sautéed and served in a sauce of the same ingredients as the stuffing flavoured with orange zest and garnished with orange segments

chicken brick An unglazed terracotta dish in two halves shaped to take a whole chicken and used to cook a chicken in the oven without added fat. Dates back to Roman times. Also called Roman pot, Römertopf

chicken broth Blanched boiling fowl simmered in water with constant skimming for 1 hour, brunoise of celery, turnip, carrot and leek and a bouquet garni added, simmered until almost cooked, washed rice added, cooked chicken and bouquet garni removed, diced lean chicken meat returned, the whole skimmed, seasoned and served with chopped parsley

chicken cacciatora See pollo alla cacciatora chicken demi-deuil Chicken stuffed with truffle and poached with aromatic vegetables, jointed, slices of truffle inserted between the skin and flesh and served with the vegetables and strained reduced cooking liquor (NOTE: Literally ‘chicken half mourning’, because of the black and white

contrast.)

chicken fat A soft fat used as a substitute for butter in Jewish cooking, since meat and milk products cannot be used together. It contains about 35% saturated, 50% monounsaturated and 15% polyunsaturated fat. Also called Schmalz

chicken feet The feet of chickens, not usually sold with the carcass, are blanched, descaled and used to add flavour and gelatine to stocks and sauces

chicken tetrazzini

chicken fried steak United States Goodquality frying steak, floured, coated with an egg-based batter, floured again, then deepfried and served with a white gravy

chicken gumbo Portioned chicken and diced smoked ham (2.5 mm cubes) browned in oil; sliced onion, tomato concassée and sliced okra added and fried for 5 minutes; then all simmered in water with salt, cayenne pepper, dried red chilli and a faggot of herbs for 1.5 hours skimming as necessary; faggot removed, shelled oysters added and cooked 2 minutes; seasoning adjusted and finished with a little filé powder. Served with rice.

chicken halibut A small immature halibut chicken Kiev Russia A pocketed chicken

suprême filled with a pounded mixture of garlic butter and chopped parsley, opening secured, panéed and shallow-fried and cooked through until golden

chicken liver Small delicately flavoured and very tender livers used for pâtés, terrines, etc.

chicken Marengo See poulet sauté Marengo chicken Maryland United States Panéed chicken portions deep-fried in oil, served with corn fritters, fried bananas and gravy chicken of the woods A rare fan-shaped fungus which grows on old oak trees often in inaccessible places. The flesh is white to salmon and the surface skin is orange to

yellow. It must always be cooked. chicken paprika See paprikás csirke

chicken piri-piri Charcoal grilled chicken basted with a mixture of piri-piri sauce, olive oil, garlic, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce and salt both before and during cooking

chicken soup A mirepoix of onion, leek and celery sweated in butter, flour added and cooked out without colour, chicken stock and a bouquet garni added, simmered and skimmed for 1 hour, bouquet garni removed, liquidized, strained and finished with cream. Garnished with diced cooked chicken meat. Also called crème reine, crème de volaille

chicken spatchcock See spatchcock chicken steak United States Thin small

portions of chuck steak with the characteristic line of white connective tissue down the middles

chicken stock China A most important stock in Chinese cooking made by simmering chicken carcasses with onions and ginger. See also white chicken stock, brown chicken stock

chicken tetrazzini United States Cooked chicken pieces in a velouté sauce over cooked pasta, gratinated with breadcrumbs

chicken tikka masala

and Parmesan cheese and browned under the grill. Served with broccoli.

chicken tikka masala United Kingdom Small marinated pieces (a tikka) of chicken with a spice mixture (masala) of ground cumin and coriander seeds plus chilli powder and powdered amchoor in the yoghurt marinade. After frying, the chicken is mixed with caramelized onions and garlic plus the marinade and stock, then simmered until all is cooked and the sauce is thick. (NOTE: Said to be the most popular dish in the UK)

chicken turbot A small immature turbot chicken yassa West Africa Poulet yassa chickling vetch Lath

chickpea A legume, Cicer arietinum, with 2 or 3 brown or yellow peas per pod, usually used as a dried pulse or ground to make besan, but may be used like broad beans. Common around the Mediterranean in the Middle East and India. See also channa. Also called garbanzo, garbanzo pea, ram’s-head pea

chickweed A vigorous creeping annual, Stellaria media, usually classed as a weed but may be eaten raw in salads or boiled as a vegetable

chicle The coagulated sap or latex of the sapodilla tree used in the production of chewing gum

chico Sapodilla

chicon England, France The white, yellowtipped, compact and pointed rosette of leaves produced by forcing the trimmed roots of Belgian chicory

chicorée France Endive chicorée frisée France Endive

chicorées au jambon Belgium A Belgium dish of cooked heads of chicory, wrapped in ham, reheated in cheese sauce and served with boiled potatoes

chicory A group of plants, Cichorium intybus, grown for their leaves which all have a distinctive slightly bitter flavour. They include Belgian chicory whose roots are forced to produce the well-known white compact chicons commonly known as chicory, red chicory also known as radicchio and sugar loaf chicory.

chicory escarole United States Batavian endive

chicory root The root of the chicory plant which, when dried, ground and roasted, can be used as a substitute for or as an extender or adulterant of coffee

chicosapote, chicozapote Spain Sapodilla chieh China Mandarin orange

chien Vietnam Fried

chifferoni Italy Curved pasta tubes, elbow macaroni

chiffonade France 1. A garnish or base for other foods made from a very finely sliced roll of lettuce or sorrel leaves (not chopped) 2. A soup of finely shredded herb leaves

chiffon cake A cake similar to angel cake but enriched with oil

chiffon pie United States A baked pastry case filled with a fruit-based mousse and decorated

chiftele Romania Croquettes of minced cooked beef mixed with minced lean pork, seasoned, flavoured with paprika and marjoram, panéed and deep-fried. Served with a tomato sauce.

chih mah China Sesame seeds of either colour

chikhirtma A sour chicken soup from Georgia, made by simmering a whole chicken with onion, celery, saffron, peppercorns and cayenne pepper for 90 minutes, skimming as necessary and straining. The stock is thickened with a roux made with onions fried until coloured, and finished with beaten eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice and chopped fresh mint, parsley and coriander.

chikku Sapodilla

chikni South Asia The green unripe nuts of betel

chiko Sapodilla

chiko roll Australia A concoction of chicken and vegetables, covered in dough and breadcrumbs and deep-fried

chiku Sapodilla

chikuwa Japan A fish cake formed in a cylindrical shape around a sliver of bamboo. After steaming it is usually grilled. See also kamaboko

chikwangue Central Africa Treated cassava tubers. See also bâton de manioc

chila Portugal A gourd with long thin stranded flesh similar to vegetable spaghetti. Also called gila

chilaquiles Mexico Strips of cornmeal tortilla, fried until crisp and reheated with tomato sauce. May have cooked meat added. Garnished with grated cheese, chopped onions, chillies and cream.

chile See chilli peppers

chile guajillo Mexico A long thin reddish brown and very hot chilli, smooth with a pointed end and often dried

chile peppers See chilli peppers

Chile saltpetre Sodium nitrate which can be used instead of saltpetre. As it contains more nitrate radical per gram than saltpetre it is

roughly one sixth more effective in weight terms.

chiles en nagada Mexico As chiles rellenos, but stuffed with minced beef, fruits (apricots, apples, plums), napped with a sweet sauce made of nuts and cream and garnished with grenadine seeds to resemble the Mexican flag

chiles rellenos Mexico Sweet peppers stuffed with a cheese filling, deep-fried and topped with cheese

chili United States The term used for the fruit of all capsicum species whether hot or sweet chili con carne United States As chilli con

carne, but need not include beans

chili con queso United States Molten cheese flavoured with minced or finely chopped chillies and served hot with tortilla chips

chilienne, à la France In the Chilean manner, i.e. with rice and red peppers

chilindron Spain A meat casserole from Aragon made without water from either split game birds, chicken, pork chops or lamb chops, sautéed in olive oil until brown, added to a mixture of sweated chopped onion and garlic with diced ham, saffron, paprika, red peppers and skinned tomatoes, and simmered in a covered pan until cooked

chill, to To reduce the temperature of cooked food to between 0 and 5°C in a refrigerator or cold room. An initial cooling may be done in cold water if suitable and will be quicker. chilled food Food, usually cooked, kept at a temperature between 0 and 5°C so that it

only needs reheating prior to serving chilli See chilli peppers

chilli arbol Very small hot chilli peppers used in Mexico and the East

chilli bean Red kidney bean

chilli bean paste Yellow or black bean sauce left thick and mixed with chopped dried chillies and other spices. Recipes vary with the manufacturer. Also called hot bean paste,

Sichuan hot bean paste

chilli California A variety of chilli pepper grown in California. It is large, fairly mild and deep red, and resembles the Kashmiri chilli. Roasting intensifies the flavour.

chilli cascabel A round dried variety of hot chilli pepper whose seeds rattle inside, from the Spanish for rattle

chilli con carne A dish adapted from Mexico and the southern United States and now adopted in many countries. It contains stewed minced beef and cooked red kidney beans in a sauce made of onions, garlic, chilli powder, tomatoes, spices, seasonings and stock.

chill storage

chillies The fruits of the genus Capsicum (NOTE: This name is usually confined to the hot varieties.)

chilli flakes Dried and crushed chillies used as a flavouring

chilli flower A garnish made by slicing a long chilli into 7 or 8 segments from the base to the tip leaving them attached at the base and not disturbing the inner pith and seeds. It is then placed in iced water to make the petals curl back on themselves.

chilli oil A red-coloured, hot-tasting oil made by infusing crushed dried chillies in hot vegetable oil. Used as a flavouring or condiment.

chilli peppers The fruit of the annual bush, Capsicum annuum Longum Group, related to the sweet pepper but thinner and and up to 9 cm long. They mature from green to red becoming hotter as they mature. The main sources of the capsaicin and other hotflavouring compounds are the seeds and internal white pith which can be discarded. They are used for flavouring and as an appetizer. If eaten raw or cooked they can be intensely irritating to the mucous membranes unless the person is habituated to them, and hands should be thoroughly washed after handling. Much used in Indian, Mexican and other highly spiced cuisines. See under individual names, Anaheim chilli, banana chilli, chilli arbol, chilli California, chilli cascabel, chilli pequin, chilli poblano, Fresno chilli, guajillo, guero chilli, habanero chilli, jalapeno chilli, New Mexico chilli, serrano chilli, etc. Also called chile peppers, chillis

chilli pequin A very small hot green chilli pepper used in Mexico and East Asia

chilli poblano A chocolate brown variety of the hot chilli pepper used in Mexico to make a sauce, mole poblano, with unsweetened chocolate, as well as for general cooking

chilli powder The name of various mixtures of dried ground chillies with other dried herbs and spices. The pure chilli powder is very hot, but milder blends contain ground, dried sweet red peppers, oregano, and garlic amongst other things. Some are quite mild but all should be tested by adding to a known quantity of the cooked food and tasting before use.

chilli sauce A hot, commercially prepared, cold sauce or ketchup made from chilli peppers and used for flavouring other dishes

chill storage A method of preserving foods by storing at temperatures between –1°C and +4°C. Not suitable for all foods.

chilogrammo

chilogrammo Italy Kilogram, unit of weight, abbreviated kg

chimichangas Mexico Fried stuffed tacos made from wheat flour tortillas, filled with cooked minced beef, accompanied by shredded lettuce, grated cheese, radishes and spring onions (NOTE: From Sonora state.)

chimichurri Argentina A sauce for meat and poultry made from, oil, vinegar, garlic, chopped onions, cayenne pepper and seasonings blended together

china cap strainer United States A conical metal strainer. See also chinois 1

China orange Calamondin

chinchin West Africa Small balls of a raised dough from Nigeria made from equal quantities of self-raising flour, plain flour and sugar with dried yeast and baking powder, deep-fried in oil so as to cook through and brown

chine, to To cut through the ribs of a joint of meat close to the back bone so as to make the meat easier to carve or preparatory to removing the backbone. Usually done with lamb and pork.

chine bone A joint of meat consisting of the vertebrae (backbone) of an animal with some of the surrounding muscle. Usually stewed or braised.

chine of beef Forerib of beef

chine of pork The term used for a saddle, i.e. two undivided loins from a small pig

Chinese anise United States Star anise Chinese apple Pomegranate

Chinese aromatic pepper Anise pepper

Chinese artichoke The pale, short, tapering tuber of a plant, Stachys sieboldii, which has concentric segments and resembles a Jerusalem artichoke, although more regular in shape. Also called chorogi, crosnes,

Japanese artichoke, stachys

Chinese bean Cow pea

Chinese black bean A fermented and salted soya bean used for flavouring and for making sauces

Chinese broccoli See Chinese kale Chinese cabbage Chinese leaves

Chinese cardamom A dark brown, rather hairy cardamom substitute from the plant Amomum globosum. Usually available in Chinese food stores.

Chinese celery A variety of celery with narrow deep green stems and a strong flavour

Chinese cheese See bean curd cheese

Chinese cherry Lychee

Chinese chive A vegetable of the onion family, Allium tuberosum, like a very large chive. Sold in three forms, dark green leaves,

blanched leaves known as yellow chives and the round fairly stiff flowering stem with a pointed flower bud at the tip known as flowering chive. The taste varies from mild to strong according to the variety. See also garlic chive. Also called Chinese onion, Chinese leek, Cantonese onion

Chinese cinnabar melon United States A deep red coloured melon with sweet smoothtextured flesh

Chinese date Mauritanian jujube

Chinese dried black mushroom Shiitake mushroom

Chinese egg roll See spring roll

Chinese flat cabbage A low-growing brassica, Brassica rapa var. rosularis, with white stems and small rounded white-veined deep green leaves. Resistant to frost. Also called flat cabbage

Chinese gooseberry Kiwi fruit

Chinese green cabbage See jiu la choy Chinese honey orange Ponkan mandarin

Chinese kale An annual leaf vegetable,

Brassica rapa var. alboglabra, growing to 45 cm. The soft green leaves, green stems and white flower buds are used like broccoli. Also called Chinese broccoli

Chinese keys A reddish brown root vegetable from the ginger family that looks like a misshapen bunch of keys. Used in Thai and Indonesian curries and pickles.

Chinese lantern A type of physalis, Physalis alkekengi, grown mainly for its decorative red papery husk. Edible varieties are light brown. See also cape gooseberry. Also called bladder cherry

Chinese leaves The large, generally closepacked, very pale green heads of an oriental brassica, Brassica rapa var. pekinensis. Loose-leaved varieties are available. Grown widely, Chinese leaves originated in China, have a mild flavour and are often pickled. Used in stir fries. Also called Chinese cabbage, Nappa cabbage, Shantung cabbage, Korean cabbage, celery cabbage, Beijing cabbage

Chinese leek See Chinese chive

Chinese mushrooms Whole dried mushrooms from China which when reconstituted are used to flavour Chinese dishes

Chinese mustard cabbage A leaf vegetable with long stalks and small leaves with a strong mustard flavour used in soup or salads, cooked like spinach, or pickled like sauerkraut

Chinese nuts Dried lychees

Chinese okra A large (up to 30 cm) variety of okra grown in the USA, originally by Chinese market gardeners

Chinese olive seed Kernels of the small Chinese kanari fruit, Canarium album, similar in size to a pine nut and used in the same way

Chinese onion See Chinese chive Chinese parsley Coriander Chinese pea Mangetout Chinese pepper Anise pepper

Chinese plum A variety of red-gold apricot, Prunus armeniaca, grown in China and Japan since records were kept. They are dried and candied or salted.

Chinese plum sauce See plum sauce Chinese preserved eggs Hen and duck eggs

preserved by coating them in a mixture of lime, wood ash, salt and rice husks and packing them into earthenware tubs for 3 to 4 months. The yolk becomes a greyish green and the white a pale amber and translucent. They are served shelled as an appetizer. Variously known with characteristic modesty as 1000 year old eggs, 100 year old eggs, century eggs, Ming dynasty eggs and ancient eggs. See also salted duck eggs

Chinese red date Jujube

Chinese red stew United States Red cooked meat. See also red cooking

Chinese sausage See lap cheong

Chinese spinach One of the amaranths,

Amaranthus tricolor, with red, yellow and green leaves. Also called spineless amaranth

Chinese truffle A truffle, Tuber himalayense, indistinguishable from the French black truffle except by taste and smell, but being imported into Europe and, since it is much cheaper than the French truffle, in some cases being substituted for the genuine article

Chinese vegetable marrow Wax gourd Chinese water chestnut See water chestnut Chinese water lily Lotus

Chinese water spinach Swamp cabbage

Chinese yam A scaly-skinned variety of yam with white flesh, Dioscorea esculenta. The plant produces several small tubers instead of the more usual single tuber.

ching chao ming xia China Sautéed prawns ch’ing ts’ai China Pak choy

chini South Asia Sugar

chinois France 1. A conical metal strainer with one handle usually about 15 cm deep and 12 cm across either of perforated metal or fine wire mesh (NOTE: So called because of its resemblance to a Chinese coolie hat) 2. A candied small green kumquat

chironju

chinonaise, à la France In the Chinon style, i.e. with a garnish of potatoes and cabbage filled with sausage

chinook salmon The largest of the Pacific salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, weighing between 4 and 22 kg with a flaky, oily flesh. Also called king salmon, royal chinook, spring salmon

chinquapin United States Pine nut chiocciola di mare Italy Winkle

chiocciole Italy 1. Snails 2. Small pasta shells used in soup

chiodi di garofano Italy Cloves chip See chips

chip basket A wide, 1 cm mesh, woven wire metal basket used to hold food for deepfrying or blanching. Also called frying basket chip butty England A sandwich containing fried potato chips popularized in Liverpool

humour (colloquial)

chi po Thailand Preserved finely chopped turnip used in Thai cooking

chipolata garnish A garnish of brown glazed button onions, chipolata sausages, chestnuts poached in white stock, glazed turned carrots (olive size) and diced belly of salt pork fried to a light brown colour

chipolata sausages Small pork or beef sausages cooked and served whole (NOTE: From the Italian cipolla meaning ‘onion’, although it contains no onion. A typical recipe might contain seasoned lean and fat pork, a little rusk and ground rice, coriander, paprika, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and thyme, all packed in sheep casings and made into small links)

chipotle chilli A dried and smoked chilli widely used in Mexican cooking. See also jalapeño chile

chipped beef Flakes of charqui used as a flavouring

chipples England The Cornish name for chopped spring onion or shallot tops

chips 1. Batons of potato deep-fried until brown and soft (UK) or golden and crisp (USA, Fr and elsewhere) 2. A generic name for thin slices of potato or other starchy product or mixture, deep-fried until crisp and brown

chiqueter France To flute the edge chirashi-zushi Japan A plate or lacquered

box of sushi-meshi rice scattered with various fillings

chirongi nut A round nut the size of a small pea with a musky flavour. Used in the Hyderabad state of India.

chironju South Asia Charoli nut