A Dictionary of Food

sunfruit

sunfruit A citrus hybrid grown in Swaziland which is very similar to the New Zealand grapefruit

sung kha ya Thailand An egg custard made with sweetened coconut milk flavoured with jasmine essence or orange-flower water and baked in the shells of young coconuts

sunnyside up United States Describes a fried egg with the yolk uppermost on a plate, which has not been turned over in the frying pan to set the yolk

sunomono Japan A variety of salad-type dishes (poultry, seafood, vegetables, etc.) dressed with variously flavoured vinegarbased sauces and served either in tiny portions as an appetizer or as a separate dish or course in a meal

sunset yellow FCF A synthetic yellow food colouring. See also E110

sun tsui China Sweet pepper suola Finland Salt

suomalainen lammamuhennos Finland A mutton stew with potatoes, onions, carrots and turnips (NOTE: Literally ‘Finnish lamb stew’.)

suomolaisleipä Finland Yeasted bread (NOTE: Literally ‘Finnish bread’.)

suong Vietnam Chop or rib of meat sup Russia Soup

supa kangya West Africa A Gambian dish of fried fish and onions simmered in stock with tomato purée, garlic, spinach, okra and palm oil

supa khlebova Eastern Europe A Ukrainian black bread soup made from mixed vegetables e.g. carrot, leek, celery, onion, parsnip and broad beans, a little stale black bread and beef stock, simmered until tender, puréed, seasoned, thickened with egg yolk and finished with 10% buttermilk and 10% milk. Served with croûtons fried in bacon fat.

super chill storage Storage of food at –5°C superfine olive oil The second cold pressing (higher pressure) of the olives with a 1.5%

maximum oleic acid content

superfine sugar United States Icing sugar superfino Italy The finest grade of rice with

large long grains, of which arborio is the wellknown example. It requires 18 minutes cooking time and is used for the best-quality risotto.

superglycinerated fat Fat with only one or two, as opposed to the normal three, fatty acid residues per molecule of glycerol. They are good emulsifiers.

superkanja West Africa A soup/stew from the Gambia made with meat, palm oil, onion, sweet red pepper, chilli pepper, smoked or dried fish, fresh fish, greens and okra, all

cooked in water for about two hours. Meat, if used, is first fried in palm oil, as is the onion and sweet pepper. Also called kanjadaa

sup iz syra i kartofelya Russia A potato and cheese soup from Moldavia made from chopped onions and carrots sautéed in butter until golden, simmered with chopped potatoes, seasoning, paprika, cayenne pepper and parsley in chicken stock, puréed, consistency adjusted and hard ewes’ milk cheese (Brynza, Ektori or equivalent, 50 to 100 g per litre) dissolved in over a low heat

sup iz yogurta Russia A cold soup made from Greek-style yoghurt and soda water (2:1), seasoned and flavoured with chopped tarragon and dill. Chopped walnuts, dried apricots or other ingredients may be added.

supparod Thailand Pineapple suppe Denmark, Norway Soup Suppe Germany Soup

Suppenbrühe Germany Stock

supper Either a light meal or snack taken after the main evening meal before retiring or an alternative name for the main evening meal supper herrings Wales Filleted herrings spread with mustard and rolled up. The herring rolls are placed on a layered bed of sliced potatoes, sliced onions and sliced apples in that order, covered with more sliced potatoes, butter and seasoning and the dish half filled with cider then covered and baked at 180°C for 45 minutes, uncovered and browned for a further 30

minutes. Also called swper sgadan

suppli Italy Croquettes made from a mixture of boiled risotto rice mixed with butter, Parmesan, eggs and pepper wrapped around a filling of ham and cheese or tomato and chicken liver, panéed and deep-fried. Eaten as a snack.

suprême The best or most delicate cut. See also suprême de volaille

suprême, sauce England, France A velouté sauce made from chicken stock flavoured with mushroom trimmings, strained, reboiled, a liaison added to the sauce off the heat and finished with lemon juice

Suprême des Ducs France A soft surfaceripened cheese made from whole cows’ milk and cast in small ovals. The smooth creamy paste becomes stronger tasting as it ages. suprême de volaille France The breast and wing to the first joint from one side of a

chicken, turkey or other bird

suprême of fish A piece of fish cut diagonally from a fillet of fish

supuya papai East Africa A soup from Tanzania made by sweating onions and

unripe papaya in butter, then boiling with stock until tender

suquet Catalonia A fish and seafood stew with saffron, wine, tomatoes and potatoes

suquet de peix Catalonia The traditional fish dish of Catalonia made with a variety of very fresh fish, fried and served in a sauce of onions, garlic and parsley sweated in olive oil together with tomatoes, sweet peppers and potatoes

sur 1. Norway Milk several months old 2.

Norway, Sweden Sour suram Elephant’s foot

surati panir South Asia A white cheese produced in Gujarat from buffalo milk. It develops a sharp pungent flavour as it is matured in whey.

surface-ripened cheese Cheeses ripened by the growth of moulds (Camembert or Brie types) or bacteria (Pont l’Evêque or Munster types) on the surface of the cheese

surf clam Southeast Asia, United States A very abundant clam, Spisula solidissima, up to 15 cm across, found in deep water off the eastern coasts. It is triangular in shape with dark brown zigzag markings on a yellowish shell. The flesh is usually cooked in other made-up dishes. Also called bar clam, eastern surf clam

surf ’n’ turf United States Seafood and meat served together

surgelato Italy Deep-frozen surgelé(e) France Deep-frozen sur grädde Sweden Sour cream

suribachi Japan A serrated porcelain mortar with a wooden pestle (surikogi). Traditionally used for puréeing miso and vegetables and for grinding seeds, The serrated ribs prevent the seeds moving around.

surikogi Japan A wooden pestle used with a ceramic mortar (suribachi)

surimi 1. Japan Minced fish 2. Processed white fish flavoured and coloured, used for making imitation crab sticks and fish cakes (kamaboko)

surimi-ika Japan See ika no surimi

surimi soup Japan An unthickened fish soup based on fish stock simmered with surimi, sliced mushrooms and cucumber and finished with soya sauce and chopped celery leaves

Surinam amaranth See amaranth 1

Surinam cherry The fruit of a shrub, Eugenia uniflora, of the myrtle family which grows in tropical or subtropical areas. The fruit is like a large red, turning to black, cherry with eight clefts starting at the stem end. The red flesh is soft and juicy and may be eaten raw or cooked. Also called jambos

Süssespiesen

süri rüewe France Smoked blade bone and knuckle of beef stewed with turnips and onions in white wine (NOTE: From the Alsace region of France)

surkål Norway, Sweden Sauerkraut suro Italy Horse mackerel

Surrey lamb pie England Trimmed lamb or mutton chops, dipped in seasoned flour and browned in butter, arranged in a pie dish with sliced onions and lamb kidneys, flavoured with rosemary, just covered with lamb stock which has been used to deglaze the frying pan and covered with a thick layer of sliced mushrooms brushed with butter. Baked in a 180°C oven. It can be topped with pastry if desired.

surstek Sweden Sirloin, marinated for 5 to 10 days in red wine, vinegar and oil with chopped sweated shallots, thyme, cloves, bay, crushed peppercorns and juniper berries, sugar and salt. It is then dried, larded, seasoned, browned and roasted at a low temperature until tender. (NOTE: Literally ‘sour roast’.)

surströmming Sweden Fermented Baltic herring (strömming) from the north of Sweden

surtidos Spain An assortment

sushi Japan Small rolls of cooked rice flavoured with rice vinegar, sugar and salt, topped with a variety of sliced or shaved raw seafood, pieces of sweet omelette or shredded vegetables, wrapped in nori and sliced, or alternatively moulded to form a decorative bite-sized package. Served with wasabi, beni-shoga and a soya sauce dip. See also sushi meshi, chirashi-zushi, fukusazushi, maki-sushi, nigiri-zushi, oshi-zushi

(NOTE: Sushi was invented to fulfil the same need as the sandwich, i.e. for keen gamblers who wished to eat whilst playing.)

sushi meshi Japan The rice used in sushi made by cooking short-grain rice in water with kombu, draining, removing the kombu and tossing with a mixture of rice vinegar, salt and sugar whilst still hot. Prepared as needed.

sushi-su Japan Seasoned rice wine vinegar for sushi

sushoga Japan Pink-coloured, wafer-thin slices of pickled ginger rhizome used as an accompaniment to Japanese dishes especially sushi

susina damaschina Italy Damson susine Italy Plums

susino selvatico Italy Bullace, the fruit susis North Africa Morrocan dried sausage süss Germany Sweet

Süssespiesen Germany Sweet desserts

Sussex bacon pudding

Sussex bacon pudding England Bacon, wholewheat flour, finely chopped onion and shredded suet (4:2:2:1) mixed with chopped herbs and seasoning with 4 tbsp of baking powder per kg of flour, all brought together with beaten eggs and a little milk if necessary to a soft dropping consistency and steamed in a covered pudding basin for 90 minutes

Sussex churdles England Shortcrust pasties with a liver, bacon, onion and mushroom filling which has been fried in lard

Sussex dumpling England A dumpling made only of flour, salt and water. Also called hard dumpling, Sussex swimmer

Sussex heavies England Scones

Sussex plum heavies England A cake made from self-raising flour, butter, currants and caster sugar (8:6:3:1). One third of the butter is rubbed into the flour and currants to make a dough, which is rolled into a rectangle and the remaining butter is used to make two three-fold turns (see puff pastry). This is formed into a cake shape, glazed with milk and baked at 200°C for 30 minutes.

Sussex pond pudding A suet pudding made by lining a pudding basin with suet pastry and filling with brown sugar, currants and butter with a pricked lemon in the centre, covering the top with pastry and foil, boiling for 3 hours and turning out on a plate, when a pond is formed around the pudding

Sussex shepherd’s pie England Chump chops of lamb are seasoned and floured then laid on a bed of chopped onion and lentils in a casserole dish, packed with small peeled potatoes, sprinkled with flour and brown sugar and covered with stock. The dish (with lid) is then put in an oven at 160°C for 3 hours with the lid removed for the last 20 minutes to brown the potatoes.

Sussex swimmer England See Sussex dumpling, swimmers

Sussex tartlets England Single-crust tarts made with shortcrust pastry which is filled with grated apple mixed with lightly beaten eggs, lemon zest and juice, caster sugar and cinnamon. Baked at 190°C for 15 to 20 minutes.

Süssholz Germany Liquorice Süssigkeiten Germany Sweet desserts süss-sauer Germany Sweet-and-sour

susumber 1. Pea aubergine 2. Drumstick pod süt Turkey Milk

su tang China A rectangle of gluten dough rolled up like a Swiss roll then cut across in slices and cooked in stir-fried and braised dishes

sutari South Asia Rice bean

sütlaç Turkey Rice pudding made on top of the stove and served with ice cream

suya West Africa Nigerian kebabs made with cubes of beef, chicken or veal. The meat is marinaded in and thoroughly coated with a spice mixture made with ground roasted peanuts, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt and other dried flavourings according to the vendor’s taste. Cooked on a spit over an open fire or in a hot oven. The meat is often alternated on the skewer with pieces of onion, sweet pepper and/or tomato.

suyo Japan A variety of Japanese cucumber

Suzette See crêpes Suzette suzuki Japan Sea bass

svamp Sweden Mushrooms. Also called champinjoner

svampfylld kalkon Sweden Turkey, seasoned and rubbed with lemon, stuffed with cold creamed mushrooms (svampstuvning) mixed with the chopped heart and liver plus butter, barded with bacon and roasted whilst basting with water. Served with jus rôti and redcurrant jelly.

svampstuvning Sweden Creamed mushrooms made from seasoned and chopped onions and mushrooms sweated in butter, to which flour is added, cooked and followed by cream, then all boiled for about 20 minutes

svariati Italy Assorted, varied svarta vinbär Sweden Black currant

svartsoppa Sweden A very elaborate soup garnished with slices of apple and prunes boiled in water, goose liver sausage and giblets, served at the goose feast on the 11th of November. It is made from a strained veal and goose giblet stock, thickened with flour, cooked out and removed from the heat to which 20% of strained goose blood is added with vigorous stirring whilst the soup is brought back to boiling point. It is again removed from the heat and 3% red wine, 2% Madeira, 1% brandy and 1% sugar syrup (all percentages on original stock) added plus water from cooking the apples and prunes. The whole is seasoned and flavoured with cinnamon, ginger and cloves. The flavour improves with ageing up to 24 hours.

Sveciaost Sweden A hard cows’ milk cheese made in very large blocks and varying in taste from mild to strong depending on maturity. It has a few medium-sized holes.

svedsker Denmark Prunes

Svenbo Denmark A semi-hard cooked-curd cows’ milk cheese with a mild flavour and a few large holes. Contains 43% water, 25% fat and 24% protein.

Svensk panna Sweden Slices of veal and pork fillet and calf’s kidney blanched, refreshed and boiled in stock with a bouquet garni and sliced onions until half-cooked. Sliced potatoes are added and all cooked until just done. (NOTE: Literally ‘Swedish pot’.)

svestkové knedliky Czech Republic A plum dumpling formed round a prune, possibly with cottage cheese

svieza desra Russia A highly prized pork and beef sausage

svin Denmark Pig svinekjøtt Norway Pork svinekød Denmark Pork

svinekotelett Norway Pork chop svine kotelette Denmark Pork chops svine mørbrad Denmark Pork fillet svinestek Norway Roast pork svinina Russia Pork

svinoe filye Russia Pork loin svisker Norway Prunes sviskon Sweden Prunes

swäbischer Kalbsvogel Germany Paupiettes of veal filled with veal forcemeat and bacon, braised on a mirepoix with stock and white wine. Served with the reduced cooking liquor mixed with capers and chopped anchovies.

Swaledale England A semi-soft, creamy and moist cheese matured for 3 weeks to give it a mild distinctive flavour. It is made from whole Jersey cows’ milk in Swaledale, Yorkshire. swamp cabbage A relative of the sweet potato, Ipomoea aquatica and I. reptans, which grows in water, hence the botanical name. Grown for its delicate leaves and stems which are used as a vegetable and eaten raw in salads. Originated in Africa but now grown in Australia, USA and Southeast Asia. Also called water spinach, Chinese water spinach, swamp spinach, water

convolvulus

swamp spinach Swamp cabbage

Swatow mustard cabbage See daai gaai choy

sweat, to To cook without colouring in fat over a low heat in a pan with a tightly fitting lid swede The large swollen spinning-top shaped root of a brassica Brassica napus (Napobrassica Group), with purple skin and dense yellow flesh weighing up to 1.5 kg. Used as a vegetable in the same way as carrots and turnips and also as animal feed.

Also called Swedish turnip

Swedish anchovies See brisling, sprat Swedish blood sausage Sweden A black

pudding made with pig’s blood, rye meal and raisins

Swedish hash Pytt i panna

sweet corn

Swedish sauce Mayonnaise mixed with apple purée and grated horseradish served with cold meats, etc.

Swedish turnip Swede

sweet One of the four fundamental tastes, sweet, sour, bitter and dry. See also sweets

sweet almond Almond

sweet-and-sour A method of cooking or preserving food in a mixture of vinegar and sugar

sweet-and-sour pork A typical Chinese dish served in Europe of floured pork, deep-fried and served in sweet-and-sour sauce possibly mixed with stir-fried vegetables and fruit

sweet-and-sour sauce A corn flour thickened sauce based on vinegar and sugar with soya sauce, flavourings and rice wine or sherry, possibly with the addition of white stock, chopped pineapple and vegetables

sweet anise United States Florence fennel sweet apple Sweet sop

sweet basil See basil sweet bay See bay

sweet bean paste A thick brown sauce made from ground fermented soya beans mixed with sugar and brine. Popular in Taiwan as a condiment or seasoning.

sweetbreads The pancreas and thymus glands from beef cattle, calves and lambs. Usually prepared by washing, blanching, refreshing and trimming then braising with stock on a bed of roots until tender. Served with some of the cooking liquor.

sweet brier Rose

sweet cherry The dessert cherry, Prunus avium, used for eating raw or cooking and varying in colour from pale yellow to deep red

sweet chestnut See chestnut

sweet cicely A hardy herbaceous perennial, Myrrhis odorata, with feathery leaves and long (up to 20 mm) ridged black seeds. The leaves have a pleasant myrrh-like scent and flavour with a hint of aniseed. Both the unripe and ripe seeds have a stronger aniseed flavour. Unripe seeds may be used in salads, ripe seeds as a spice. The leaves may be added to soups, stews, or used to flavour omelettes, salad dressing and cabbage. Also called myrrh

sweet clover Melilot

sweet corn A variety of maize, Zea mays saccharata, with a higher proportion of sugars in the maturing kernels. Usually boiled or roasted and eaten directly from the cob after being buttered and salted. The kernels are often sold separately either canned or frozen. Unscrupulous suppliers will often sell maize cobs, Zea mays, which

sweet cream butter

are less sweet and more chewy. Also called corn on the cob

sweet cream butter United States Unsalted butter containing at least 80% butterfat

sweet crust pastry Flan pastry sweet cumin Fennel seed

sweet cure A quick curing fluid containing a high proportion of sugar

sweeten, to To add sugar or artificial sweetener to a dish

sweet flag Calamus sweet gale Bog myrtle

sweet granadilla The fruit of a variety of passion flower, Passiflora ligularis, which has a typical orange-coloured passion fruit skin enclosing a loose packet of grey seeds in a gelatinous pulp, which taste rather like a sweet gooseberry. Also called orange passion fruit

sweetgrass buffalo and beer pie Canada A stew of buffalo meat with vegetables, sago, herbs, spices, beer and seasoning, cooked then put in a pie dish, covered with pastry and baked (NOTE: From Alberta)

sweet haggis Scotland A slow-cooked pudding from Kilmarnock made from a mixture of medium oatmeal, finely chopped suet, flour, soft brown sugar, currants and raisins (3:3:1:1:1:1), with salt, pepper and sufficient water. It is then steamed in a covered pudding basin for 3 to 4 hours. Served as a dessert in slices, but may be fried with bacon.

sweetheart melon A type of canteloupe melon with a bright scarlet flesh

sweetie Middle East A pummelo/grapefruit cross extensively grown in Israel. It has a greenish thick rind, a high sugar content and low acidity. As it matures, the rind becomes yellow orange and it is marketed as golden sweetie.

sweet laurel See bay

sweet lime A low acid rather insipid lime, Citrus limettiodes. It has a smooth yellow rind with a distinctive aroma and a tender flesh with a few seeds. Popular in India and the Middle East. Also called Indian sweet lime,

Palestine sweet lime

sweet maragan Scotland Flour, oatmeal, finely chopped suet, sugar and raisins (4:4:2:1:1) mixed with a little chopped onion and seasoning and brought together with minimum water. Packed in a cloth lined pudding basin, covered and steamed for 2 to 3 hours. Served hot or sliced and fried.

sweet marjoram A herb, Origanum majorana, with aromatic grey-green leaves from the Mediterranean and western Asia now grown in France, Chile, Peru and California. Used

in Italian cooking and with lamb, chicken and oily fish. Since it has a delicate flavour which is destroyed by cooking it should be added at the last moment. See also marjoram. Also called knotted marjoram

sweet melon See melon

sweet milk United States Cows’ milk

sweet nim Leaves of a bush similar in appearance to bay but smaller and thinner

sweet orange The common orange of commerce, Citrus sinensis, with an easily removed skin, and an excellent, sometimes slightly acid, flavour and few or no seeds. Classified in four groups, Navel, Common (e.g. Valencia), Pigmented (blood orange) and Acidless. It has been cultivated in southern China for several thousand years and was first grown in the Mediterranean around 1450. Modern varieties were introduced by the Portuguese. Also called orange

sweet pepper The fruit of an annual bush Capsicum annuum Grossum Group which is green when unripe and passes through yellow to red as it becomes riper. Some can be purple or brown. They are generally about 8 – 15 cm long, 6 – 10 cm in diameter, possible tapering with a fleshy outer covered with a tough shiny skin and with small seeds in the mainly hollow interior. Known by their colour (i.e. green, red peppers) or as paprika or bell peppers. Their flavour is due to the compound capsaicin which is an irritant in high concentrations. Also called Spanish pepper

sweet pickle See chutney

sweet pickled pork England A leg or hand of pork pickled in a mixture of equal volumes of beer and stout which have been boiled with 150 g of coarse salt, 150 g of bay salt and 25 g of saltpetre per litre. The boiling pickle is poured over the pork, which is then turned in the pickle every day for 2 weeks.

sweet potato A starchy tuber similar to an elongated potato which grows on a tender perennial, Ipomoea batatus, with trailing stems usually grown as an annual in tropical and subtropical climates (24 to 26°C). It has a white to purple skin and a dense white to orange flesh with a sweetish perfumed taste. Used as a staple food and cooked like potatoes. The leaves may also be eaten as spinach. Also called kumara, Louisiana yam, yam, yellow yam

sweet potato pastry England Cooked potatoes, flour and butter (16:4:1) mashed together with 2 tsp of muscovado sugar per kg of potatoes and kneaded until smooth

sweet red bean paste Japan Boiled adzuki beans mashed into a paste with oil and sugar and cooked until fairly thick and dry. Used in cakes and desserts. See also koshi-an, tsubushi-an

sweet rocket A hardy biennial cottage flower,

Hesperis matronalis, with white to purple four-petalled flowers, now a wild garden escape. The young leaves are more bitter than rocket but may be used sparingly in salads.

sweets 1. Confections based mainly on flavoured sugar, caramel and chocolate with sometimes butter, cream and/or milk. Made in small individual bite-sized pieces as comfort food. 2. A common name for desserts, puddings, etc. being a variety of fruit, cake, pastry, sugar, eggs and cream confections served at or near the end of a meal, before the cheese in the UK and after the cheese in France

sweet sake Mirin

sweet sop A type of custard apple from a tree, Anona squamosa, cultivated in the tropics. It is about 5 to 7.5 cm in diameter with a green scaly skin and a white flesh with the texture of thick custard containing embedded black inedible seeds. Eaten raw or in made-up dishes and drinks. Also called sugar apple, sweet apple, scaly custard apple

sweet sorghum A variety of sorghum,

Sorghum vulgare var. saccharatum, which is grown for the sugary sap pressed from the stems especially in the USA. This is evaporated to make sorghum syrup which is like a thin and slightly acidic molasses. Also called sugar sorghum

sweet soya sauce A dark soya sauce sweetened with sugar and maltose which gives it a malty taste. Used extensively in the eastern coastal provinces of China.

sweet vinegar China A dark mild rice vinegar containing sugar and caramel and flavoured with cassia and star anise. Used in relatively large quantities in braised meat dishes.

sweet violet The most highly scented of the violets Viola odorata, is a hardy, spreading, perennial growing to 15 cm. The flowers are crystallized for use as a decoration and also used to flavour syrups and vinegar.

sweetwater grape Dessert grape

sweet woodruff A white flowered herb, Galium odoratum, with the scent of new mown hay found growing wild in woodland. Used to flavour some wines, apple juice, liqueurs and German white beer as well as the young German wine known as Maibowle.

sword bean

swells Canned foods where the can bulges because of the gas produced by internal bacterial action. These are always discarded. swimmers England A Norfolk dish of suet and self-raising flour dumplings flavoured with chopped chives and cooked on top of soups or stews (colloquial) Also called Sussex

swimmers

swimming crab A small crab, Macropipus puber, to 10 cm across found in the Mediterranean and Atlantic. Eaten in France. swirl, to To mix one liquid with another or a soluble solid in a liquid by a gentle circular,

figure-of-eight or to-and-fro motion

Swiss bun A plain white yeast-raised dough shaped into a long soft roll (up to 15 cm), cooled and covered with glacé icing

Swiss chard A variety of beet, Beta vulgaris Cicla Group, grown for its dark crinkly glossy leaves with thick white or red stems which grow in a cluster from the base. The leaves and stems are generally cooked as separate vegetables usually by steaming. Common in the Mediterranean countries and similar to spinach. Also called chard, silver beet, white beet, leaf beet, seakale beet

Swiss cheese United States A hard cookedcurd cows’ milk cheese made in large cylinders or blocks (up to 100 kg) to resemble Emmental. The starter culture contains Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus and Propionibacter shermanii and the milk is curdled with rennet. The pressed curd is brined, stored at high temperature and humidity for 3 to 6 weeks and ripened at low temperatures for 4 to 12 months.

Swiss fondue Fondue

Swiss meringue Meringue suisse

Swiss omelette Eierhaber

Swiss roll A Genoese sponge baked in a shallow rectangular tray about 1.5 cm final thickness on greased paper, turned out onto sugared paper, spread with jam and rolled up whilst still hot leaving the paper to hold its shape until cooled. If to be filled with cream, first rolled hot then unrolled to fill. May be eaten cold as a cake or hot with a suitable sweet sauce.

Swiss steak United States 1. Rump steak, seasoned and stewed with onions, tomatoes, sweet peppers and possibly garlic and flavoured with herbs and spices 2. Round steak tenderized by breaking down the fibres mechanically with a mallet faced with many points at the same time forcing flour and seasoning into the meat then treating as (1)

sword bean A perennial legume, Canavalia gladiata, similar to the jack bean but with

swordfish

curved pods and pink to brown seeds. Used both for the ripe beans, which should be boiled, and for the green pods. Also called sabre bean

swordfish A seawater fish, Xiphias gladius, which grows to 3 m long with a snout or sword one third its length. It can weigh up to 100 kg and travel at 100 km per hour. It has a dryish firm pink flesh usually sold in steaks and grilled or fried especially in Mediterranean countries. May be smoked and served as smoked salmon.

swper sgadan Wales Supper herrings syau Nepal Apple

Sydney rock oyster Australia A comparatively cheap and popular variety of farmed oyster,

Saccostrea commercialis

Sydney salad Australia Mixed green leaves (mesclun), smoked game meats and croutons of mountain bread, seasoned with salt and lemon myrtle powder and dressed with wild lime and oil vinaigrette

syllabub England An old English dessert originally either the froth from a whisked mixture of cream, wine, sugar and lemon zest, or a frothy mixture of milk with wine, cider or ale and sugar, spices and spirits. Nowadays made by mixing whisked egg whites with sweetened whipped cream flavoured with lemon juice and wine or spirits. Also called sillabub

sylt Sweden Jam

syltede rødbeder Denmark Pickled beetroot syltetøj Denmark Jam

syltetøy Norway Jam

syltlök Sweden Button onion

Symphytum officinale Botanical name

Comfrey

symposium The second part of a formal meal in ancient Greece given over to drinking and entertainment. See also deipnon

synthetic fats E471, E472(a to e), E473, E474, E475 and E477, various esters of fatty acids all derived from natural products for use in place of natural fats and oils in baked goods, desserts, etc. to improve their keeping qualities and to soften and stabilize them

syr Russia Cheese

Syrecky Czech Republic A strong cows’ milk cheese similar to Handkäse. See also

Olomoucké syrecky

syringe A piston and cylinder with provision for attaching piping nozzles, used in cake decorating where the paste or cream is too thick for a piping bag

syrniki Russia Curd cheese fritters

syrup A concentrated solution of sugar (sucrose or sucrose with a third its weight of glucose) in water used as an ingredient in many sweet dishes and drinks. Concentrations can be measured in °Beaumé, kg of sugar per litre of solution or kg of sugar per litre of water, the last named being the most convenient. In these last units, a light syrup has between 0.1 and 0.4 kg, a medium syrup between 0.4 and 0.8 kg and a heavy syrup between 0.8 and 3.0 kg of sugar per litre of water. Stock syrup has 0.4 kg of sugar per litre of water.

syrup pudding United Kingdom 1. A roly-poly pudding sweetened with golden syrup. Also called syrup roly-poly 2. A pudding made from the basic steamed pudding mixture poured into a greased basin whose base has been covered with golden syrup

syrup roly-poly United Kingdom Syrup pudding

syrup sauce Stock syrup and lemon juice, thickened with corn flour or arrowroot, cooked out and strained

Syzygium malaccensis Botanical name

Rose apple

Szechuan China A province of China. Also called Sichuan (NOTE: The two names are interchanged at random)

Szechuanese cooking The style of cooking from the Chinese province of Szechuan, which is in the west next to the Tibetan border. It is renowned for its peasant-based hot and spicy dishes with a strong emphasis on preserved foods.

Szechuan pepper Anise pepper sze gwa China Angled loofah

székelygulyás Hungary A seasoned pork stew with onions fried in lard, sauerkraut and flavoured with caraway, garlic, paprika and chopped dill. Served with soured cream. szynka sznurowana Poland A hard-smoked ham sausage available throughout the

country

taai goo choy China Chinese flat cabbage ta’amia Egypt Soaked and cooked chickpeas

or broad beans minced, mixed with water, egg, seasoning, turmeric, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, chopped garlic and coriander leaves, breadcrumbs and tahini or olive oil to form a soft but firm paste, formed into 2 to 3 cm balls and shallow-fried until golden brown. Traditionally a Coptic Lenten dish but now served throughout the Middle East. See also falafel

taapke Nepal Frying pan

taart Netherlands Layer cake, fancy cake Tabasco sauce A hot, red-coloured sauce

made from particular red chillies grown in Louisiana, USA, ground with vinegar and matured for 3 years in oak barrels

tabbouleh Middle East Tabouleh tabbuli Middle East Tabouleh

tabil North Africa A Tunisian mixture of coriander seeds, caraway seed, garlic and chilli flakes, dried in a slow oven and ground

table cream United States Coffee cream table d’hôte England, France A fixed price

menu with a fixed number of courses with possibly some choice of dishes in each course. Sometimes supplements for more expensive dishes are charged.

table queen squash A winter squash common in the USA which varies in colour from pale green to deep orange. It is round with a tough green skin. Also called acorn squash

table salt A fine-grained, free-flowing salt suitable for being dispensed at the table from a salt shaker. It is pure sodium chloride with the addition of anti-caking agents, a function which was performed before additives by a few grains of dry rice.

tablespoon 1. A standard volume measure, 15 ml in the UK and USA, 18 ml in Australia. Abbreviated to tbsp, sometimes tbspn. 2. A large spoon used for serving food at the table, now standardized as a unit of volume

table water See carbonated water

tablier de sapeur France Panéed pieces of tripe, fried or grilled and served with snail butter (NOTE: Literally ‘sapper’s apron’.)

tabouleh Middle East A salad made with fine bulgur which has been well washed and drained, mixed with peeled and chopped tomatoes, cucumber, sweet green pepper and onion, chopped mint and parsley, seasoned then dressed with olive oil and lemon juice. Eaten with lettuce or pitta bread. Also called tabbouleh, tabbuli

tacchina Italy Turkey hen

taccula Italy Blackbirds trussed and defeathered but not drawn, wrapped in myrtle leaves and braised

taco Mexico A small tortilla either fried crisp and eaten immediately or cooked like a pancake, rolled around a stuffing and eaten hot. Served as a snack or a light meal.

tadka South Asia A spice-flavoured butter used in cooking

taeng ka Thailand Cucumber

Tafelsenf Germany Common table mustard Tafelspitz Austria Top rump or other good cut of beef simmered with blanched beef bones, aromatic vegetables, bouquet garni, leeks, onion clouté, garlic, tomato and dried ceps. Served with Apfelkren and

Schnittlauchsosse.

Taffel Austria A semi-hard cooked-curd cows’ milk cheese with a close-textured paste containing a few holes. Contains 45% water, 24% fat and 23% protein.

Tageskarte Germany Dish of the day Tagessuppe Germany Soup of the day tagine North Africa 1. A slowly simmered stew

of meat or fish with appropriate vegetables, pulses and fruits, cooked in its own juices in an earthenware pot with a conical lid. Almost anything can go in a tajine. 2. The pot in which tagine is cooked. Also called tajine

tagliarine Italy Tagliatelle

tagliatelle

tagliatelle Italy 5 mm-wide noodles made from an egg-based pasta dough, available fresh or dried. Also called tagliarine

tagliatelle alla biellese Italy Tagliatelle with milk or cream, butter and grated Parmesan cheese

tagliatelle della duchessa Italy Tagliatelle with chicken livers, egg yolk and grated Parmesan cheese

tagliatelle verde Italy Green tagliatelle made from egg-based pasta dough coloured with spinach purée

tagliato Italy Cut or sliced tagliolini Italy A thin linguine

tahari South Asia A dish of rice and peas flavoured with spices and herbs

taheena Tahini tahina Tahini

tahini A thick paste made from ground, husked or unhusked white sesame seeds mixed with sesame seed oil and of the same texture as peanut butter. The unhusked seeds give a darker and more bitter paste. Used in savoury dishes and as a constituent of hummus. In Asia usually made from toasted seeds. Also called taheena, tahini, sesame butter, sesame seed paste

tahini salad dressing Tahini paste, lemon juice and water (2:2:5) mixed until smooth tahinyeh Middle East Tahini paste mixed with lemon juice, milk, finely chopped parsley, crushed garlic, salt, chilli powder and white breadcrumbs to form a thick creamy paste and sprinkled with parsley and cumin. May be used as a dip or in place of mayonnaise.

Tahiti lime Persian lime

taho Philippines Bean curd brains or silk bean curd

tahong Philippines Asian mussel

tahu 1. China Tofu or bean curd 2. Indonesia, Malaysia Bean curd or bean curd cheese

tahure Philippines Bean curd

tai Japan The prized fish, sea bream e.g. Pagrus major used for weddings and other celebrations. Sometimes red snapper is substituted.

taikina Finland Dough, batter, pastry

tail The tails of animals or fish. Of the animal tails only oxtail is commonly used. Pigs’ tails are occasionally used in some cuisines.

tail cut The tail end of a fillet from a large round fish

tailed pepper Cubeb tailler France To cut

taingang daga Philippines Cloud ear fungus tai tai China Seville orange

tajadas Spain Slices, of e.g. roast meat

tajine North Africa 1. A slowly simmered stew of meat or fish with appropriate vegetables, pulses and fruits, cooked in its own juices in an earthenware pot with a conical lid. Almost anything can go in a tajine. 2. The pot in which tajine is cooked. Also called tagine

tajine barrogog North Africa A lamb tajine with prunes, flavoured with ginger, onion, parsley, cinnamon, orange blossom water and honey. It may be garnished with blanched almonds and sesame seeds.

tajine bel hout North Africa A fish tajine containing tomatoes, sweet red pepper, chillies, ginger and saffron

tajine de lapin North Africa A tajine of rabbit with vegetables

tajine de poisson North Africa A tajine of fish, usually bream or sardines, with tomatoes and herbs

tajine de poulet North Africa A tajine of chicken cooked with lemon and olives

tajine de viande North Africa A mutton tajine with vegetables or prunes

tajine slaoui North Africa A tajine of meatballs with vegetables

take-away 1. A food shop or restaurant which supplies hot food, generally cooked to order, in containers or wrappings for taking away and consuming elsewhere, e.g. fish and chips, Indian and Chinese dishes 2. The general name for the hot package of food supplied by a take-away

takegushi Japan Bamboo skewers used for grilling chicken and tofu

takenoko Japan Bamboo shoots

takiawase Japan A mixture of firm vegetable pieces, e.g. potatoes, carrots, courgettes, aubergines, each cooked separately in separate pans until al dente, mixed with fried cubes of tofu and flavoured with a light soya sauce

taklia Egypt A spice mix of ground coriander fried with either crushed garlic or cumin

tako Japan Octopus

tako-kushisashi Japan Octopus kebabs ta krai Thailand Lemon grass

takuan Japan A pickle made of mooli, airdried for 2 to 3 weeks, salted and immersed in rice bran (the nuka-zuke method)

talaba Philippines Oyster talas Indonesia Taro

talattouri Greece A dip based on finely chopped or grated, deseeded cucumber. See also tsatsiki

talawa South Asia Deep-frying in exactly the same way as in the West

talawa kabab South Asia A kebab of alternate layers of lightly boiled tender pork or lamb

dusted with paprika, and mushrooms and onions cut to exactly the same size. The kebab is then coated with kastha besan thickened with a little extra besan and clotted cream, dusted with flour and coated in beaten egg before deep-frying until golden brown.

talc See E553(b)

Taleggio Italy A semi-soft, mild cows’ milk cheese from Lombardy resembling Camembert. It is produced in 2 kg squares and has a white paste with a few small holes and a pinkish-grey surface mould on the rind. It develops flavour as it matures. Also called Talfino

Talfino Italy Taleggio

tal ha’emek Middle East An Emmental-type cheese from Israel

taliány Czech Republic A sausage similar to vurty but with diced fat bacon in the mix

talim num Philippines Spinach tallarines Spain Noodles

Talleyrand, à la France In the Prince Talleyrand style, i.e. garnished with macaroni, cheese, truffle, foie gras and possibly button mushrooms

tallow A hard coarse fat originally rendered from mutton and used for lighting

talmouse France Cheesecake talong Philippines Aubergine tamaater Nepal Tomato tamago Japan Eggs

tamago-hanjuku Japan See hanjuku tamago tamago-medamayaki Japan Fried eggs tamago-pochi Japan Poached eggs tamago-yakiki Japan A rectangular omelette

pan the same shape as a Swiss roll tin used for making rectangular egg or batter sheets which are rolled up or used as a wrapping. Also called maki-yakinabe

tamago-yude Japan See yude-tamago tamakibi Japan Winkle, the shellfish tamale flour Mexico See masa harina

tamale pie United States Cornmeal porridge with a filling of chopped meats and hot chilli sauce

tamales Mexico A thick porridge made from masa harina, one serving placed on a banana leaf, maize leaves or foil and topped with a cooked meat and chilli mixture or with cheese, rolled up, steamed and served hot with chilli sauce

tâmara Portugal Date

tamari, tamari-joyu Japan A thick strong soya sauce

tamarillo A large yellow to red, hard, eggshaped fruit of an evergreen shrub, Cyphomandra betacea, related to the tomato

tandoori colouring

and kiwi fruit and resembling a giant rosehip, grown in tropical and subtropical climates. The flesh is somewhat acid but high in vitamin C and the seeds are edible. It is blanched and peeled before eating and may be used in fruit salads, for jam-making and has been used for flavouring yoghurt and cheesecake. Also called tomarillo, tree tomato

tamarin France Tamarind

tamarind The long (10 cm) dark-brown pods of a tropical tree, Tamarindus indica, usually sold as blocks of mashed pods and pulp or as a concentrated juice. The former is soaked in hot water and the juice squeezed out and used for souring in the same way as lemon juice. Also called Indian date

Tamarinde Germany Tamarind

Tamarindicus indica Botanical name

Tamarind

tamarindo Italy Tamarind tamatar South Asia Tomato

tambak merah Malaysia Snapper or bream tamba kuri Japan Large mealy chestnuts tambor South Africa Ortanique

tambusa South Asia Red snapper

Tamié France A smooth round cows’ milk cheese from Annecy. Also called Trappiste de

Tamié

tamis France Sieve or sifter

tamiser France To rub through a tammy cloth, to sieve

tammy cloth A fine-woven woollen cloth used for straining very fine particles from stocks, sauces, juices, etc. Best used after an initial straining through muslin

tampala South Asia Chinese spinach

tanaceto Italy, Spain Tansy

Tanacetum balsamica Botanical name

Costmary

Tanacetum vulgare Botanical name Tansy tanaisie France Tansy

tanche France Tench

tandoor South Asia An unglazed barrelshaped, deep clay pot with a top opening, used as an oven in India. It is heated by charcoal in the base or gas. The food, e.g. nan bread, is either stuck on the inside or put on long skewers which are either rested over the opening or stood with their points at the base propped up against the rim.

tandoori South Asia A method of cooking on a greased spit in a clay oven. The oven is often a deep pot and the spits stand vertical from the bottom resting on the rim. It gives a crisp dry finish. See also tandoor

tandoori colouring A special food colouring powder formulated to give the orange red