Words related to cooking.
BAKE
To cook by dry heat in oven.
BATTER
Any mixture of dry ingredients such as flour and liquids that is stirred or beaten and can be poured.
BIND
Add a liquid, egg or melted fat to a dry mixture to hold it together.
BLANCH
To put food in boiling water in order to either whiten or remove the skin.
BLEND
To combine all ingredients thoroughly until very smooth or uniform.
BOIL
To cook at boiling point.
BROWNING
To put a cooked dish or meringue under the grill or in the oven for a short time to give a golden color.
CREAMING
Softening fat by friction with a spoon, usually followed by gradual incorporation of sugar.
CUTTING
It is reduced to small pieces by means of a knife.
CHOPPING
When a similar result is obtained with a chopper knife
DICING
Cutting into cubes
FILTRATION
Separating solids from liquids through fine meshed materials.
GRINDING
Reducing into small fragments by crushing as in grinding spices, as in coffee in a mill or in a grinding stone.
MARINATE
To soak food in liquid (e.g., lemon juice or lime juice or vinegar) that will flavor it.
MASHING
This is a method of breaking up soft foods with pressure with the aid of a masher, fork, or hands.
MINCING
Cutting into very fine pieces.
PARING
Paring is the removing of surface layer in a circular motion.
PEELING
The skin of vegetables such as potatoes or fruits is either peeled or scraped.
PRESSING
Separating liquid portions from solids.
REFINING
Freeing any material from impurities.
SAUTE
To fry foods in a small amount of fat until golden and tender.
SEIVING
Passing through a fine wire mesh to remove impurities. It also helps in mixing ingredients evenly.
SHREDDING
Cutting into long narrow pieces by means of a shredder or a knife.
SIFT
To pass through a fine sieve to remove lumps.
SKIMMING
Removing a floating layer
SLICING
Cutting into thin pieces
STEAM
To cook in the steam which arises from a pan of boiling water.
STEW
To cook slowly in a small amount of liquid for a long time.
STIRRING
Mixing materials with appropriate tools such as by a spoon in circular motion.
WASHING
Washing is necessary to remove superficial dirt from vegetables, meat, fish, and fruits.
WHIP
To beat rapidly to produce expansion through the incorporation of air, as in egg whites.
HOPPERS
Hoppers which are usually consumed either for breakfast or dinner are unique to Sri Lanka. There are many types of hoppers: plain hoppers, egg hoppers, and sweeter varieties.
Hoppers are made from a fermented batter of rice flour, coconut milk and a dash of yeast. Yeast or toddy is added for fermentation which makes the centers full of little holes. After leaving to rise, the batter is swirled in a pan. A hopper, crisp on the outside, but soft and spongy in the center, is best eaten with curries and sambals while still streaming hot.
Egg hoppers are made of the usual hopper where an egg is poached into its center. Honey hoppers too are delicacies enjoyed by both locals and foreigners.
Ingredients for making about 20 hoppers.
1 teaspoon dried yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 cups medium-coarse ground rice
1 1/2 cups fine rice flour
2 teaspoons salt
400 ml coconut milk
2 cups water
Sprinkle yeast over warm water, stir to dissolve, add sugar, and leave for 10 minutes or so.
Put ground rice, rice flour and salt into a large bowl. Add 300 ml coconut milk with Sprinkle yeast over warm water, stir to dissolved water and add yeast mixture.
Stir into dry ingredients to form a smooth, thick batter. Allow to stand overnight until the mixture rises and froths.
The batter should be of a thick pouring consistency, but thin enough to cover the sides of the pan with an almost transparent coating when the batter is swirled. It will be necessary to add extra water when the mixture is too thick.
Heat the pan over low heat until very hot. Rub the inside surface with a piece of folded cotton cloth dipped in coconut oil. Pour in a small ladle of the batter.
pick up the pan by both handles immediately.
Swirl it around so that the batter coats the pan two-thirds of the way up.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook on very low heat for about 5 minutes.
Lift the lid and peep. When the upper edges begin to turn a pale toasty color, the hopper is ready. Where the batter has run down the sides to the center there will be a little circle of spongy mixture, while the curved edge is very thin and crisp. With a metal spatula, loosen edges and slip the hopper from the pan onto a plate. Wipe pan again with oiled folded cloth and repeat.
Serve the hoppers warm, with hot chili, Maldive fish and onion sambal or any kind of curry.
How to make Kiri Bath (milk rice)
Ingredients
Brown rice or white rice
salt
water
Coconut milk (may use cow`s milk instead)
Steps
Wash the rice.
Put into a medium-sized pot.
Add the water and salt.
Cook the rice over medium-low heat.
When half of the water is evaporated, add the coconut milk.
Continue cooking for another ten minutes.
Remove the pot from the hearth.
Spread the milk rice on a tray or a board so it is two inch thick.
Level the mixture well by using a cleaned banana leaf.
Cut into squares with a knife.
Serve with Chilly sambal.
Lunu Miris (Chili sambal)
Ingredients
2 oz dry red chili pcs/flakes
1/2 oz Maldives fish (dry ground fish)
Lime juice
salt
2 oz onions
Grind all ingredients to a coarse paste.
Add salt and lime to taste.
