A Dictionary of Food

semifreddo

semifreddo Italy A chilled mousse type dessert or ice cream on a crushed biscuit base

semifrío Spain A chilled dessert

semi-hard cheese A fairly rigid cheese with normally a moisture content between 40 and 45%

semini Italy Small seed-shaped pasta semi-skimmed milk United Kingdom Milk

with a butterfat content between 1.5 and 1.8%. Sold in bottles with a silver and red striped top.

semi-soft Holding its shape but easily cut with a knife

semi-sweet Lightly sweetened

semlor Sweden Light sweetened yeast-raised buns flavoured with spice and filled with almond paste. Served as a dessert floating in bowls of hot milk on Shrove Tuesday. Also called Shrove Tuesday bun

semmel United States A breakfast roll introduced by German immigrants, i.e. the Pennsylvania Dutch (from ‘Deutsch’)

Semmelkloss Germany Bread dumpling sémola Spain Semolina

semolina 1. A technical term for the large pieces of endosperm from wheat which are made by the fluted rolls used to separate the bran from the semolina 2. The culinary term for a particular type of semolina made from durum wheat. The particle size varies according to the use to which it is going to be put. Fine semolina is used for pasta, coarser varieties are used to make a boiled milk pudding.

semolina pudding United Kingdom A pudding made by boiling milk and sprinkling in semolina at the rate of 70g per litre, simmering for 20 minutes then adding sugar and butter at the rate of 100g and 20g per litre of milk respectively. It may be browned under the grill.

Semolino Italy Semolina, from durum wheat semoule France Semolina

Sempervivum tectorum Botanical name

House leek

semplice, alla Italy Simply cooked senap Sweden Mustard

senape Italy Mustard

senape di digione Italy Dijon mustard senapssås Sweden Mustard sauce made with

a fish velouté with dry mustard added equal in weight to one sixth of the flour used in the roux. Finished with cream.

sendai-miso Japan Inaka-miso

Senf Germany Mustard

Senf Kartoffeln Germany Sliced cooked potatoes in a mustard sauce

Senfkohl Germany Rocket, the plant sen-giri Japan A very fine julienne vegetable

cut. Also called hari-giri, hari-kiri. See also needle cut

sen leck Thailand Medium-sized rice noodles sen mee Thailand Small rice noodles similar

to vermicelli

senmen-giri Japan A cucumber fan used as a garnish

sennep Denmark, Norway Mustard sen yai Thailand Rice sticks

separate, to To take one part of a substance away from the whole, as for instance in separating egg yolks from whole eggs or cream from whole milk

sepia Spain Cuttlefish

sèpia amb pèsols Catalonia Cuttlefish with peas

seppia Italy Cuttlefish

sera South Asia Lemon grass serai Malaysia Lemon grass serai powder Sereh powder serbal Spain Rowanberry

serbuk perasa Malaysia Monosodium glutamate

sereh Indonesia, Malaysia Lemon grass sereh powder Dried and ground lemon grass

used for flavouring. Also called serai powder Serena Spain A hard vegetarian cows’ milk cheese with a dry rind and dense hole-free yellow paste cast in cylinders (up to 1.5 kg). The curd is moulded in esparto grass containers and is ripened for 50 days. Contains 40% water, 30% fat and 26%

protein.

serendipity berry Central Africa, West Africa

An edible red berry from a tropical tree,

Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii, which has an extremely sweet taste

sériole France Amberjack

Serpa Portugal A ewes’ milk cheese eaten fresh when soft and buttery or ripened for 1 to 2 years in caves where it is regularly cleaned and wiped with a paste of olive oil and paprika. It has a dry texture and nutty flavour.

serpenyös rostélyos Hungary Sirloin steak flattened and browned in lard with chopped onions and garlic, well dusted with paprika and flour, and braised in water with crushed caraway seeds, marjoram, tomato purée and chopped sweet green peppers, adding thick slices of parboiled potatoes towards the end

Serra Portugal Queijo da Serra

serrano chilli A variety of hot chilli pepper from Mexico, usually sold green. They are plumpish (4 cm by 1.5 cm) with a strong rich flavour.

serrated knife See bread knife

serruda North Africa A Moroccan dish of mashed chickpeas served with onion, butter and saffron

seru ndeng Indonesia A condiment made from fried shredded coconut mixed with peanuts and brown sugar. Served with rice. service 1. A full set of crockery for a specific meal for several persons (usually 4, 6 or 12), as in tea service, dinner service 2. The attendance given to customers in a

restaurant by waiters and staff serviceberry Juneberry

service charge The charge added to a restaurant bill, usually as a percentage of the total to cover the cost of providing waiters. It originated in the times when waiters were paid only this percentage for their labour. This archaic and demeaning practice dies out as society develops.

service compris France Service included. Used on a restaurant bill.

serviço incluido Portugal Service included. Used on a restaurant bill.

Serviettenklösse Germany Bread dumplings cooked in a cloth to hold their shape. Usually served with cooked pears, bacon and French beans in a sweet-and-sour sauce.

serving A single portion of food or drink. See also serving: fish and shellfish, serving: healthy eating, serving: meat, serving: soups and sauces, serving: vegetables, grains and pulses

serving: fish and shellfish Main course servings are 300 g fish per portion on the bone, 125 g fish boned and skinned, 250 g or half lobster in the shell, half a litre of mussels in the shell

serving: healthy eating Nutritionists state that an adequate diet should contain 5 servings per day of fruit or vegetables each approximately 80 g (3 oz). Typical servings are, a medium-sized apple or orange, half a grapefruit, 2 to 3 tablespoons (50 ml) of peas or beans or other vegetables, 200 ml of salad, 100 ml of fruit juice.

serving: meat Main course servings are meat off a piece, 100 g off the bone, 150 g on the bone, individual steak or chop, 2 to 3 lamb cutlets or two lamb kidneys

serving: soups and sauces Soup as starter 100 to 150 ml, sauce with meat or fish 50 to 75 ml, sauce as accompaniment e.g. mint, cranberry, apple, 20 to 40 ml

serving spoon A spoon with a large oval bowl end which may or may not be slotted

serving: vegetables, grains and pulses

Cooked vegetables 80 to 100 g, mushrooms 50 g, old potatoes in skin 170 g, new

sevian

potatoes in skin 125 g, rice and other dried starch staples 25 to 50 g, pulses and beans as main course 60 g

servizio Italy Service charge in a restaurant sésame France Sesame

sesame butter See tahini

sesame chilli oil Red chillies fried in sesame seed oil to give the oil a red colour and hot flavour. Used as a seasoning and condiment.

sesame salt Gomasio

sesame seed Cream to black oval seeds from the seed pods of an annual plant, Sesamum indicum, mainly grown in China, Central America and South West USA. After dryroasting they have a pleasant nutty taste and contain about 50% oil. Used in bread and cakes, to make tahini and to add texture to other foods. See also black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds, tahini. Also called benne seed

sesame seed oil Oil extracted from sesame seeds, sometimes toasted, with a pronounced flavour and good colour. Used for stir-frying, to add flavour to other dishes and added to deep-frying oil (1 part in 10). Also called oriental sesame oil

sesame seed paste See tahini sesamo Italy Sesame

sésamo Spain Sesame

Sesamum indicum Botanical name Sesame sesos Spain Brains

set, to 1. To lay out crockery, cutlery and glassware on a table 2. To leave jellies and other thickened mixtures to go solid usually by cooling 3. To freeze ice cream, sorbets, etc.

seta Spain Fungus

Setaria italica Botanical name Foxtail millet seui gwa China Loofah

sevastopolskoe pechenye Russia An almond tart from the Crimea made in a square blind-baked case, the pastry made from flour, sugar, butter and eggs (8:3:5:3), filled with a mixture of egg white and light brown sugar (7:10) mixed with flaked almonds and flavoured with cinnamon and lemon zest, the mixture slightly thickened over a low heat, then baked until brown. Served cut in 5 cm squares.

seven minute frosting United States Egg whites, granulated sugar, boiling water, cream of tartar and flavouring beaten briskly for 7 minutes over hot water until of a meringue-like consistency. Used for icing and as a cake filling.

sevian South Asia Baked vermicelli-type noodles in a creamy sugar syrup flavoured with rose water

seviche

seviche South America A dish of marinated white fish. See also ceviche

Seville orange The round orange-coloured fruit of the original orange tree of the Mediterranean, Citrus aurantium, about 7 cm in diameter, which is now only cultivated around Seville and Malaga. It is harvested in January and used for marmalade manufacture and as a substitute for lemon. Also called sour orange, bitter orange

sevruga sturgeon The smallest of the sturgeon, Acipenser stellatus, up to 10 kg in weight, which produces about 1.5 to 2 kg of fine-flavoured, dark grey to black caviar which has the same name

sew, to To close a pocket of meat or the abdominal cavity of a bird or fish by sewing with thick thread so as to prevent a stuffing from leaking out during cooking

sewin Wales Salmon trout sfenj North Africa Doughnuts

sfenzh North Africa Deep-fried Moroccan doughnuts

sfilatino Italy A bread from Tuscany

sfilato Italy Boned or jointed, as applied to small game animals (NOTE: Literally ‘unthreaded’.)

sfincione Italy A Sicilian pizza with a thick soft base topped with tomato, cheese, anchovies and olives

sfingi Italy Sweet biscuits

sfoglia Italy A sheet of pasta dough sfogliata Italy 1. Flaky pastry 2. A type of

Napoleon cake sometimes filled with ricotta cheese, spices and candied fruit

sfogliatelle Italy A Neapolitan speciality cake sformata Italy Moulded food, timbales, etc.

S.G. 1. France, Italy Selon grandeur (French) or secondo grandezza (Italian), i.e. according to size. Used e.g. for pricing fish in restaurants according to the weight of the fresh fish to be cooked. 2. See specific gravity

S-Gebäck Germany ‘S’-shaped biscuits flavoured with lemon zest made from flour, butter sugar and egg yolk (4:2:2:1) by the creaming method. The dough is refrigerated, rolled out into 1 cm by 10 cm sticks, formed into flattened S shapes on the baking tray, brushed with egg white, sprinkled with crushed sugar lumps and baked at 200°C until firm.

sgombro Italy Mackerel

shabu shabu Japan A one-pot meat and vegetables dish cooked at the table in boiling stock. Served with sesame-flavoured sauce. Similar to sukiyaki.

sha cha jiang China A slightly coarsetextured sauce made from peanuts, dried fish, dried shrimp, chillies, garlic and various spices such as five spices and coriander. Used in Cantonese cooking. Also called sha zha chiang

shad A white, seawater fish of the genus Alosa, belonging to the herring family, which migrates from the sea to rivers to spawn. There are several varieties, e.g. Allis shad, Alosa alosa, and the slightly smaller twaite shad, Alosa fallax, ranging from 30 cm to 1 m in length. Its oily delicate flesh is often marinated in acid or cooked with acidic leaves to loosen or dissolve the bones. It is generally grilled, fried or baked, and is also used raw in sushi. Also called alose, gizzard shad

shaddock Pummelo

shadow bennie sauce Caribbean Chadon bennie, sauce

shaggy cap Shaggy ink cap

shaggy ink cap An edible fungus, Coprinus comatus, with a dark shaggy cap on top of a short stem, paler when young. Also called ink cap, shaggy cap

shaggy parasol An edible mushroom, Lepiota rhacodes, similar to the parasol mushroom, with a rough light brown cap on an off-white stem. Skinned before cooking.

sha gou dou fu China Casseroled bean curd stew

sha he China A noodle made from rice flour which puffs up when deep-fried

sha jeera South Asia Caraway seed sha jen China Cardamom shakarkandi South Asia Sweet potato shake United States Milk shake

shakkar South Asia Raw sugar (NOTE: The Sanskrit origin of the English word sugar.) shako Japan 1. A giant clam, Hippopus hippopus, to 1 m high. The flesh near the shell is the most flavoursome and the adductor muscle is dried and used as a flavouring or in other dishes. 2. The mantis shrimp, Oratosquilla oratorio, which grows to 15 cm long. When boiled, and removed from its shell with some difficulty, it has a purplish skin and white flesh. Used as a topping for

nigiri-zushi or for tempura.

shallot 1. A small hard onion, Allium cepa Aggregatum Group which grows in clusters, usually stronger-flavoured than the onion. The green leaves may be harvested for use as a flavouring. 2. Australia same as spring onion

shallot butter See beurre d’échalotes shallow-fry, to To cook food in a small

amount of hot oil and/or fat in a frying pan or

plat à sauter, the aim being to complete the cooking of the centre of the food at the same time as the outside is brown and crisp

shallow-frying, fish Skinned and filleted or whole fish washed and drained, passed through seasoned flour, fried in a small amount of hot clarified butter presentation side first, placed on a dish, covered with beurre noisette and garnished with a slice of lemon

shallow-poaching, fish A method of cooking cuts of fish by placing presentation side up on sweated chopped onions or shallots in a pan, adding cooking liquor to half way up the fish, bringing to the boil, placing a cartouche over then placing the pan in the oven at 160°C to 180°C for 3 to 10 minutes. The fish is removed and kept warm while the cooking liquor is made into a sauce. See also poached white fish

shama millet A slightly smaller seed than normal from a millet, Echinochloa colona, used in the same way as Japanese millet

shami kabab South Asia Small croquettes made with minced meat and soaked yellow split peas (4:1), cooked in water with flavourings such as garlic, coriander, cumin, mint, ginger, minced onion or the like until soft and all liquid absorbed. The mixture is then processed to a smooth paste, formed into small flat circular croquettes and fried in clarified butter on both sides, taking care not to break them.

shami kebab South Asia Deep-fried meatballs made from lamb, onion, garlic, yellow split peas, ground black cumin, chilli powder, cashew nuts, garam masala, salt and chopped coriander leaves blended together and bound with egg and lemon juice

shamouti Middle East A variety of common orange which occurred by mutation in a Palestinian orchard in 1844. It is easily peeled without releasing much oil and is virtually seedless and has a good flavour. It is not suitable for processing owing to delayed bitterness (like the navel orange). Grown in Cyprus, Turkey and Swaziland. Also called

Jaffa, Cyprus oval

Shanghai cooking A cosmopolitan style of Chinese cooking influenced by many of the provinces of China

Shanghai hairy crab A small square-bodied crab with a covering of dark hair on the legs and edge of the top shell. It is found on the Chinese coast around Shanghai and the meat and the roe are highly prized.

Shanghai noodles Round fresh egg or white wheat flour noodles from Shanghai which are thicker than Italian spaghetti. Generally

shark’s skin

served with sauce in the same way as spaghetti.

Shanghai nuts Roasted peanuts with a crisp savoury coating. Eaten as a snack.

shank 1. Part of the leg of any animal, usually including the knuckle 2. United Kingdom Beef from the lower muscular part of the foreleg, with more gristle than shin beef and generally used for consommé and stock 3. The Welsh term for leg of lamb

shank end of lamb United Kingdom The lower half of a hind leg of lamb

shan na China Lily bulb

Shantung cabbage Chinese leaves shan yao China Chinese yam shao China Braising

Shaohsing rice wine See red girl wine shao mai China Steamed pork dumplings

sharbat billooz North Africa A popular Moroccan drink made from whole blanched almonds liquidized with milk, water, sugar and rose water or orange flower water, strained and served chilled

shariyya North Africa Very fine Moroccan noodles

shark A group of fish ranging from 70 g to 20 tonnes characterized by their lack of mineralized bones, the skeleton being of very flexible cartilage-like material. Many of the smaller varieties are edible and traded. Because of their unusual physiology they tend to smell of ammonia but this can be counteracted by cooking at high temperatures e.g. deep fat frying. Varieties include tope, guitar fish, angel fish, dogfish, skate, porbeagle, hammerhead and mako.

shark-ray Angel fish

shark’s fin The fin of a species of shark found in the Indian Ocean. It requires lengthy preparation to clean and soften it and it may be converted into chips or strands. It is always cooked in a rich stock of poultry bones and pork shank, possibly supplemented with dried oyster and con poy. Whole cleaned fins are slowcooked and eaten for their taste and texture, usually without any accompaniment save perhaps a little vinegar.

shark’s fin soup A soup made with prepared shark’s fin (chips or strands) cooked in clarified and seasoned chicken stock with strips of chicken meat and Chinese mushrooms. May be thickened with corn flour and garnished with a julienne of ham.

shark’s skin Dried shark’s skin is used as a flavouring agent. It has to be softened by repeated long simmering and refreshing.

shark’s stomach

shark’s stomach The dried stomachs of sharks are treated in the same way as shark’s fin

sharlotka Russia Charlotte Russe sharmoola North Africa A processed mixture

of finely chopped onion, garlic, parsley, and other herbs and spices. See also chermoula sharon fruit A seedless variety of persimmon, not as astringent as the true persimmon, with a thin edible orange skin grown in and exported from Israel. It should be eaten when hard and may be used in fruit salads, stuffed or sliced as a decoration or garnish. sharp 1. With a pungent, tart or acid flavour 2. With a finely ground and honed edge. A really sharp knife should easily cut a ripe tomato without deformation using only a

slight downward pressure.

shashlik Southwest Asia The Georgian term for kebabs, usually cubes of lamb marinated in wine and lemon juice with garlic, parsley, dill and seasonings, skewered with sweet red pepper and button onions and grilled

shauk-nu, shauk-waing Burma Makrut lime shaurabat adas Persian Gulf Lentil soup made with red lentils, fried onions, garlic and tomatoes and flavoured with baharat and

loomi

sha zha chiang China Sha cha jiang

shchi Russia Cabbage soup made with beef stock, tomatoes, onions, butter and herbs accompanied by soured cream. Also called shtchi

shea butter An edible solid fat obtained from the shea nut. Also used for soapand candle-making.

shea nuts The seeds of the tropical shea tree,

Butyrospermum parkii, used for their fat content

shebbakia North Africa Pastry formed into knots, deep-fried and dipped in honey

she-crab soup United States A soup from South Carolina made from the roe and the meat of the female blue crab flavoured with Worcestershire sauce and sherry and finished with cream

sheep casings The cleaned and scraped intestines of sheep ranging from 16 to 24 mm in diameter Classified as narrow, medium, wide and extra wide. Used for thin sausages such as chipolatas and frankfurters.

sheepshead fish United States 1. A deepbodied seawater fish, Archosargus probatocephalus, caught off the south-east coast with white firm flesh similar to the sea bream. It weighs from 2.5 to 4.5 kg and its back is silvery blue with seven dark vertical bars on the back and each side. Poach, bake

or grill. Also called fathead 2. Freshwater drum

sheer South Asia A dessert based on rice cooked in milk. See also kheer

sheftalia Cyprus A crépinette with a filling of seasoned fatty pork mixed with an equal quantity of veal or lamb, all minced with grated onion

sheh paan China Garoupa, the fish

shelf life The length of time a foodstuff will stay fresh and palatable when stored as indicated by the supplier or manufacturer shellac The strained resin exuded by various lac insects which live on the bark of some Eastern trees. Used to coat apples to give them a glossy appearance. See also E904

shell bean Broad bean

shellfish The collective name for a group of generally sea-dwelling creatures comprising molluscs, cephalopods and crustaceans. Oysters, squid and lobsters are typical examples. The only freshwater shellfish is the crayfish which is a crustacean.

shell mould Pee tee

shell steak United States A boneless steak cut from the fleshy part of the sirloin of beef

shemis Scotland A wild lovage, Levisticum scoticum, one of the greens (kail) eaten by the poor in the olden days

sheng tsai China Lettuce

shepherd’s pie United Kingdom A dish made in the same way as cottage pie and often confused with it. However, the meat used is lamb or mutton. See also cottage pie

shepherd’s purse A common weed, Capsella bursa-pastoris, which was once eaten as a green vegetable (NOTE: So called from the shape of the seed capsule)

sherbet United States A frozen dessert made from sweetened fruit juice or purée or other flavoured syrups with added beaten egg white and/or cream

sherry sauce As Madeira sauce but substituting dry sherry. Also called xérès, sauce

Sherwood A double Gloucester cheese flavoured with chives and onions

Shetland sheep Scotland A breed of sheep from the Shetland Isles which feed on grass, heather and seaweed to produce a tender lamb with a gamey flavour

Shetland sparls Scotland A type of sausage made with seasoned minced beef flavoured with allspice, cloves, mace, ginger and cinnamon, wrapped in wide sheep casings and smoked

sheto West Africa Shitor din

sheung moy cheung China Plum sauce

shia jeera South Asia Caraway seed shiba-kuri Japan Small firm sweet chestnuts shichcheta Bulgaria Spicy lamb kebabs shichimi Japan Shichimi togarishi

shichimi togarashi Japan A blend of seven flavouring agents, white and black sesame seeds, sansho, nori, dried tangerine peel, togarashi and white poppy seeds, ground together and used as a condiment and to flavour soups, noodles and grilled meats. Some formulations include black hemp seeds. Also called shichimi

shiitake mushroom A variety of fungus fruiting body, Lentinus edodes, from East Asia where it is grown on tree trunks, now grown in Europe on wheat straw. They have a white stem, a brown flattish cap and white ruffled gills. They are high in protein and keep their shape when cooked. The flavour intensifies on drying and they become darker. Often sold dried in Chinese shops as winter mushrooms. Also called Chinese dried black mushroom, black forest mushroom, fragrant mushroom, oak mushroom (NOTE: Literally ‘tree mushroom’.)

shikar korma South Asia A pork korma made with loin of pork cut in pieces, fried with honey and ghee until browned, salted water added and all simmered until cooked and dry. Grated shallots, turmeric, black pepper, orange and lemon peel are added and the whole cooked until the butter fat separates, yoghurt added and again cooked until the fat separates, crushed garlic, ground cardamom and cinnamon added and cooked 1 minute, a little mace added and all left in a slow oven with a tight fitting lid on the dish for 15 minutes.

shiltong Nepal Rice bean

shimeji Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia Oyster mushroom

shin beef United Kingdom The lower muscular part of the rear leg of beef. It contains a lot of connective tissue and being well used is tough but of excellent flavour. Used for making consommé, beef tea and for long stewing.

shingala South Asia Catfish

shinmai rice Japan Freshly harvested rice with moist, tender and sweet grains which do not require as much water for cooking as most rice types

shinshu-miso Japan A light thin yellowish miso in which rice is the added grain

shio Japan Salt

shiogame Japan A heavy earthenware platter used for grilling or roasting food. Usually covered with a layer of coarse salt on which the food rests.

shirumono

shioyaki Japan Grilled in salt, a method of cooking fish

ship biscuit United States Hardtack

ship caviar United States The caviar from a hybrid of the osciotre and sevruga sturgeon shiraita kombu The thin membrane left after shaving off the fleshy part of kombu to make oboru and tororo kombu. Used as a food

wrapping.

shirasu ae Japan Cooked vegetables, e.g. dried beans, mushrooms, aubergines, courgettes containing as little moisture as possible, combined with a sesame seed sauce made from dry-roasted white sesame seeds pounded with sugar, vinegar, mirin, salt and bean curd which has been boiled for 3 minutes and wrung out in a cloth. The sauce should be smooth and sticky.

shirataki noodles Very fine noodles made from the glutinous tuber of the snake palm plant. They soften immediately on contact with hot food and require no other cooking. Often stored in cold water in the same way as cooked spaghetti is stored in commercial kitchens.

shiratamako Japan Glutinous rice flour shirauo Japan Whitebait

shirazi Iran West Indian lime shirini polo See shirin polo

shirin polo Middle East A rice and chicken dish flavoured with almonds, saffron and candied orange peel. Also called shirini polo

shiro-goma Japan White unhulled sesame seeds

shiro-kikurage Japan White fungus shiro-miso Japan A very light-coloured,

almost sweet, miso suitable for making salad dressings

shirona Japan See hakusai

shiro wat East Africa A vegetable stew from Ethiopia made from onions fried with berbere or chopped chillies and simmered with a variety of vegetables in a ground peanut and water liquor for the appropriate times. Sometimes thickened with egg. Served with injera especially on fasting days.

shirr, to To bake food, especially eggs, in small shallow containers or dishes in the oven

shirred eggs Shelled eggs baked in a shallow tray in the oven. Alternatively stiffly beaten egg white spread in a buttered shallow tray, depressions made for individual yolks and all baked in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes. See also oeufs sur le plat

shirumono Japan Technically a thick soup but the thickness is only relative when compared with suimono and usually comes from the

shishi-to

higher proportion of vegetables, tofu, mushrooms, etc. in the soup

shishi-to, shishi-togarashi Japan A small green sweet or sometimes hot pepper

shish kebab A kebab made with cubes of lamb and possibly pieces of tomato, onion and sweet pepper

shiso Japan A member of the mint family, Perilla argus, which comes in both green and red leaved forms and is used as a garnish or a vegetable. See also green shiso, red shiso, mejiso, hojiso, perilla, beefsteak plant

shitor West Africa A hot chilli sauce used to add flavour to bland carbohydrate foods in Ghana. All contain chopped chillies or chilli powder and variously onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, shrimp paste etc.

shitor din West Africa A relish rather like the Mexican salsa, very common in Ghana. The fresh version is made from deseeded fresh chilli peppers, onions and tomatoes processed with some salt and allowed to mature. The oil-based version is made by cooking dried shrimps with dried chilli flakes in oil with salt prior to bottling. Also called sheto

shi zi China Persimmon

shi zi tou China Large meatballs of minced pork

shoestring potatoes United States Very thin deep-fried strips of potatoes like pommes pailles

shoga Japan Ginger

shoga sembei Japan Small crisp rice crackers coated with a mixture of ground ginger and sugar

shole zard Iran An Iranian dessert made from soft cooked rice, sugar and crushed almonds, flavoured with rose water, saffron and cinnamon

shoofly pie United States A sweet treacle or molasses pie with a crumble topping. Served cold or warm with cream or ice cream.

shoppe kebab Bulgaria A beef stew with tomatoes, onions, paprika, butter, marjoram and chillies thickened with eggs, yoghurt and flour, finished with vinegar and garnished with chopped parsley

shopska Bulgaria A salad of cucumber, dried tomatoes and ewes’ milk cheese dressed with vinaigrette and garnished with chopped parsley

shore crab A small green shelled crab,

Carcinus maenus and C. mediterraneus, sometimes with yellow spots and up to 7 cm across. Popular in Venice just after they have shed their shell where they are known as moleche. If the shell has hardened they are

used in soups and stocks. Also called green crab, green swimming crab

shore dinner United States A seafood dinner shortbread Scotland A Scottish crisp biscuit made of butter, caster sugar and flour or flour plus fine semolina mixed (2:1:3), baked at 150°C, usually prescored in thick rectangles.

Also called Scottish shortbread

shortcake United States Two rounds of a baked rich scone mixture sandwiched together with a filling of fruit and cream

shortcrust pastry The commonest pastry made of soft flour, lard or vegetable shortening and butter (4:1:1). It is mixed by the rubbing in method and brought together with sufficient chilled water. The paste should not be kneaded, rolling will compact the mixture. It improves if rested for 30 minutes after forming. Baked at 200 to 220°C until light brown. Also called short pastry, pâte à foncer, pâte brisée, piecrust pastry

shortening The fat used in pastry, biscuit and cake making. See also shortening power

shortening power The ability of a fat to allow air bubbles to become trapped in a mixture and therefore lighten the texture of the resulting baked item. This is achieved by adding soft unsaturated fats or oils to harder ones to increase their plasticity or by adding emulsifying agents such as glycerol monostearate to the fat. Such a superglycerinated fat prevents the development of gluten network structures in the dough and also aids the incorporation of more liquid and hence sugar in the mix.

short-grain rice A rice with a low length to diameter ratio, generally sticky when cooked short loin United States The front half of a

sirloin of beef including the fillet

shortnin’ bread United States A chemically raised sweet bread from the Southern states made with butter or lard

short pastry See shortcrust pastry

short plate United States The lower part of the centre of the beef animal extending from halfway down the body including the ends of the ribs, the English plate and part of the thin flank. Used for braising.

short ribs United States Part of the ribs of beef excluding the large longitudinal muscles beside the vertebrae, i.e. between the rib roast and the plate

shorva South Asia Soup

shot pepper Mignonette pepper

shou de China Lean, as of meat, without fat shoulder The top of the foreleg of an animal including the shoulder blade and surrounding muscles but not the vertebrae

and ribs and the longitudinal muscles associated with them. The methods of cooking depend upon the amount of work the muscles have done, e.g. lamb, pork and veal may be roasted, older beef and mutton shoulder is usually stewed or braised.

shoulder of veal United Kingdom, United States The shoulder blade, the upper bone of the leg and the surrounding tissues excluding the rib sheet. Similar to shoulder of lamb and used for braising and stewing.

shovel-nosed lobster Sand lobster

shoyu Japan A naturally fermented light soya sauce made from soya beans and grains such as wheat or barley

shpinatnyi shchi Russia Spinach and sorrel soup made with beef stock with added onions and root vegetables, served with hard-boiled eggs and soured cream. Also called zelonye shchi

shprota (plural shproti) Russia Sprats

shred, to To cut food into very thin pieces or strips

shredded wheat A crisp breakfast cereal made from a cooked wheat flour paste extruded in a rectangular multitude of fine (0.5 to 1 mm) threads, partly dried, chopped transversally into rectangular biscuits, dried and browned

shred pie Mince pie

Shrewsbury biscuit England A traditional English biscuit about 13 cm diameter, made from a basic biscuit paste flavoured variously with citrus rind, mixed spice, dried vine fruits or cocoa, rolled and cut into shape

Shrewsbury Eastertide biscuit England A rich crisp biscuit made with brown sugar and flavoured with caraway seeds, vanilla and sherry. Also called Shrewsbury Eastertide cake

Shrewsbury Eastertide cake England

Shrewsbury Eastertide biscuit

shrimp 1. Small white transparent to grey brown crustaceans generally much smaller than prawns and cooked as soon as caught. Used fresh cooked and shelled in potted shrimps and shrimp salads and also either shelled or unshelled as a snack food. They are also salted and dried for use in Chinese cooking. See also brown shrimp, pink shrimp 2. United States A general term used for assorted species of prawns and shrimps

shrimp butter Beurre de crevette

shrimp eggs The roe of shrimps and prawns usually dried and salted. They are very expensive and used as a garnish in Chinese cuisine.

shrimp floss Dried shrimp

Sichuan dumplings

shrimp paste A paste of ground, salted and partially fermented shrimps, dried and compressed into blocks. See also blachan, bagoong

shrimp powder Dried shrimps ground to a fluffy powder and used as a condiment on salads, vegetables, rice dishes, etc.

shrimp pudding England Equal parts of minced shrimp or prawn meat and chopped cold chicken, veal or sweetbreads, bound with egg yolks, breadcrumbs and cream, packed into casings and served fried in butter

shrimp sauce See crevettes, sauce aux shrinkage The reduction in size of baked

items or roast meat and poultry due to loss of water. Generally less when cooked at lower temperatures.

Shropshire blue See blue Shropshire Shrove Tuesday bun See semlor shtchi Russia Shchi

shuan yang rou China Mongolian fire-pot with lamb. See also flying lamb slices

shuck, to To open and prepare bivalve shellfish or to remove husks, shells or pods from seeds and nuts, etc.

shui dian fen The suspension of corn flour or other starch in water (1:2) always kept together with oil and stock beside the wok where the Chinese restaurant cook prepares food

shui dou fu China Silk bean curd shui guo China Fruit

shui guo zhi China Fruit juice shui jiao China Boiled dumpling

shungiku Japan Leaves of the garland chrysanthemum which impart a subtle flavour to soups and other dishes

shwa North Africa A barbecued whole sheep from Morocco, served with salt and cumin

Siamese ginger Greater galangal sianliha Finland Pork

siba Portugal Cuttlefish

Siberian millet Foxtail millet

Siberian salmon A salmon, Oncorhynchus keta, found in the Siberian and western Canadian rivers which drain into the Pacific. The source of ketovaia and ikura. Also called dog salmon, chum salmon

Siberian sturgeon A variety of sturgeon, Acipenser baeri, found in the Siberian rivers that drain into the Pacific Ocean

Sichuan China A province of China famous for its cooking. Also called Szechuan (NOTE: The words tend to be interchanged at random)

Sichuan dumplings China Ground seasoned pork fillet mixed with finely chopped pork fat, chopped garlic or garlic chives, bound with a

Sichuan hot bean paste

little sesame seed oil, corn flour and egg white, divided amongst won ton wrappers, formed into purses, poached in simmering water for 5 minutes and served with a spicy sauce

Sichuan hot bean paste See chilli bean paste Sichuan pepper Anise pepper

Sichuan pepper oil Vegetable oil flavoured with finely ground anise pepper

siciliana, alla Italy In the Sicilian style, i.e. with anchovies, pine nuts, sultanas and vinegar. Used especially of fish and vegetables.

Siciliano A semi-hard scalded-curd Sicilian cheese. See also Canestrato

side dish An accompaniment to a main food dish such as a salad, a bowl of rice or pasta or vegetables

side of meat One half of an animal carcass split lengthways along the centre of the backbone, generally without the head

Siebling Germany Arctic char sieden Germany To boil or simmer sieni Finland Mushroom

sienimunakas Finland Mushroom omelette sienisalaatti Finland Mushroom salad sien ts’ai China Kale

siero di latte Italy Buttermilk or whey

sierra South America The local name for snoek caught off the coast of Chile

sieva bean A variety of butter bean

sieve A fine stainless steel wire, plastic or other stranded fine mesh either stretched in a flat circle on a metal or wooden former or made into the shape of a half sphere or inverted cone. Used for separating large from fine particles, for straining liquids or for reducing soft foods to a purée.

sieve, to To pass dry powder, e.g. flour or icing sugar, through a sieve to remove large particles or foreign bodies and to aerate it, or to pass a liquid through it to remove solid particles

si-ew Thailand Light soya sauce

sift, to To pass dry ingredients through a sieve either to clean or aerate them or to spread them evenly over a food

sifter A closed cylindrical container with a sieve or perforated top at one end for sprinkling flour, sugar or other powders over food items

sigarilla Philippines Goa bean sigir Turkey Beef

signal crayfish A large fast-growing crayfish farmed in the UK for the restaurant trade. It has now escaped into the wild where it is supplanting the native species.

sigtebrød Denmark Light rye bread

sigui Eastern Europe A fish found in the Baltic with flesh similar to the shad

siikas ja munakokkelia Finland White fish with scrambled egg

sik Sweden Whitefish

sikbadj North Africa A Moroccan stew with aubergines, dried dates and dried apricots, flavoured with cinnamon and allspice. The aubergines are added after the lamb is tender and the fruit after a further 20 minutes and all cooked until the fruits are soft. Garnished with toasted almonds and sesame seeds.

si-klok Thailand A sausage made of 3 parts of minced pork mixed with 2 parts of crabmeat, chopped onion, coriander leaves and roasted peanuts, flavoured with red curry paste, moistened with equal parts of nuoc mam and coconut milk, filled into casings and coiled like a Cumberland sausage

sikuk North Africa Moroccan couscous eaten without vegetables but with butter, milk and steamed fava beans

silakka Finland Baltic herring

silba Balkans A cows’ milk cheese resembling

Port-Salut

sild 1. England, Norway A small type of herring once found in huge quantities off the Norwegian coast and canned in the same way as sardines 2. Denmark Baltic herring

sildeboller Norway Herring fish balls sildesalat Norway Herring salad

silgochu Korea Finely shredded dried chillies used as a seasoning and condiment instead of powdered or whole chillies

silicon dioxide See E551

silk bean curd A very smooth soft bean curd made by straining the coagulated bean curd through fine mesh and allowing the strained curds to settle under gravity without pressing silke cepts Lithuania A dish of herring fillets

in a mustard and onion sauce sill Sweden Herring

sillabub See syllabub

sillgratäng Sweden Gratinated herrings made with sliced matjes herring fillets, sliced boiled potatoes and sweated onion rings layered alternately in a greased dish with potatoes on top, gratinated with toasted breadcrumbs and possibly cheese, heated in the oven or under the grill and buttered

silli Finland Herring

sill med brynt smör Sweden Herrings in brown butter made from matjes herrings or soaked cleaned and filleted salt herrings covered with a mixture of dried dill weed and equal parts of diced hard-boiled egg and

chopped onion and served covered with beurre noisette

sill med gräslök och gräddfil Sweden

Herring with sour cream and finely chopped chives

sillpudding Sweden As laxpudding but using salt herring or matjes herring fillets instead of salmon

sillsalad Sweden Finely chopped salt herrings mixed with chopped cooked potatoes, pickled beetroot, pickled cucumber, chopped dessert apple and onion, bound with a little of the beetroot vinegar, packed in a mould, chilled, demoulded, garnished with hard-boiled eggs and picked parsley and served with soured cream which can be coloured pink with beetroot vinegar

silotakia tiganita Greece Small pieces of fried chicken liver or calf liver dipped in lemon juice and speared on cocktail sticks for use as a snack or appetizer

silsi East Africa A peppery fried tomato and onion sauce from Eritrea eaten at breakfast

Silter Italy A hard, scalded-curd skimmed cows’ milk cheese from Brescia. It has a close-textured curd with a few cracks and holes.

silvano Italy Chocolate meringue tart

silver E174, a precious metal sometimes used in very thin films as a food decoration

silver balls Small silver-coloured sugar balls, 2 to 4 mm in diameter used for cake decoration

silver beet Australia, United States Swiss chard

silverbeet United States Swiss chard silver fungus White fungus

silver hake A seawater fish, Merluccius bilinearis, of the cod family with a silvery skin, weighing about 400 g found off the North American Atlantic coast. It has a white moist flesh which softens rapidly if not frozen and it may be cooked in any way. Also called whiting

silver leaf E174 as gold leaf but made with silver. Used for decorating Indian festive dishes. Also called varak

silver salmon Coho salmon

silverside United Kingdom The inside cut from the top of the rear leg of beef. It is virtually fat-free and traditionally is pickled in brine and boiled, but now sometimes sold, wrapped in a layer of fat, as a cheap roasting joint.

silverside (fish) 1. See Atlantic silverside 2.

Sand smelt

singing hinny

silversides United States Any small silvercoloured fish such as whitebait, anchovies, sardines, etc.

silverskin onion A very small variety of onion, less than 2 cm in diameter, with a silver skin and white flesh. Used for pickling, or, in a sweet pickle, as a cocktail onion for use with drinks and snacks, etc.

silver smelt See smelt

silver sprouts Mung bean sprouts which have had the root and leaf removed to leave a thin white stalk. Used as a garnish or vegetable in expensive Chinese dishes.

silver threads United States Cellophane noodles

silver top Full cream milk sima East Africa Ugali simi Nepal French bean

simla mirich South Asia Sweet pepper simmer, to To keep a liquid at a temperature

just below boiling point around 95 to 97°C for pure water, but around 87°C for meat. The heat input necessary to maintain this temperature with a heat source under the pan will cause slight movement of the surface of the liquid but no evolution of steam bubbles. The lower temperature is best for extracting the maximum flavour from meat, bones and vegetables as in making stock, but speed of extraction is increased with temperature. Also called seethe, to

simmuledda alla foggiana Italy Potato and fennel soup thickened with buckwheat flour simnel cake England A spiced Easter fruit cake with a layer of marzipan baked in the centre. Sometimes covered with marzipan

and decorated.

sim-sim East Africa Sesame seed sinaasappel Netherlands Orange, the fruit sinaasappelen Netherlands Oranges sinappi Finland Mustard

sindootan Indonesia Parkia síndria Catalonia Watermelon sin gaun Burma Sea urchin

singe, to To use a flame (blowtorch or lighted taper) to remove hairs from pork skin or pin feathers etc. from poultry and game birds singhara nut South Asia The fruit of an aquatic plant, Trapa bispinosa, similar to water caltrop, but it may have either 1 or 2 projecting horns. It is extensively grown in Kashmir and either eaten raw or cooked as a

kind of porridge.

singing hinny England A Northumberland cake, made from a currant scone mix, cooked on a griddle and eaten hot. The name comes from the sound of the steam