Cooking Terms Explained: 30 Words Every Recipe Assumes You Know

Recipes are written by people who cook every day, and they use shorthand. If you are new to cooking, or you have always wondered what "fold in" really means, this glossary covers the terms you will see most often.

Heat and cooking methods

Simmer. Cook in liquid just below boiling. You will see small, lazy bubbles rise to the surface. Most soups, stews, curries and sauces should simmer.

Boil. Cook in liquid with big, rolling bubbles breaking the surface. Use it for pasta, potatoes and blanching.

Sauté. Cook quickly in a small amount of oil or butter over medium to high heat, stirring or tossing. Onions, mushrooms and spinach are often sautéed.

Sear. Cook the surface of meat over high heat until it is browned. It adds flavour, and it does not "seal in juices", despite the old myth.

Roast. Cook in the oven with dry heat, usually at a high temperature. Roasting browns the outside and concentrates flavour.

Braise. Brown food first, then cook it slowly in a little liquid in a covered pot. It turns tough cuts of meat tender.

Blanch. Cook briefly in boiling water, then cool quickly in iced water. It sets the colour of green vegetables and loosens skins on tomatoes.

Poach. Cook gently in liquid that is hot but not bubbling, as for eggs, fish or chicken.

Deglaze. Pour a liquid such as wine, stock or water into a hot pan after cooking, then scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Those bits are full of flavour and make the base of a pan sauce.

Reduce. Simmer a liquid, uncovered, so some water evaporates and it thickens and gets more flavourful.

Rest. Leave cooked meat to sit, loosely covered, before cutting. The juices settle, and the meat keeps cooking a little. Cakes and loaves also need to rest in the tin.

Cutting and preparing

Chop. Cut into rough pieces. The size depends on the recipe.

Dice. Cut into small, even cubes, usually 5 to 10 mm.

Mince. Cut as finely as you can. Used for garlic, ginger and herbs.

Slice. Cut into thin, flat pieces.

Julienne. Cut into thin matchsticks, as for carrots in a stir-fry.

Crush or grate (garlic). "Crushed garlic" means pressed or finely minced. A "clove" is one segment, not the whole bulb.

Zest. The coloured outer skin of citrus fruit, grated off, without the bitter white pith underneath.

Trim. Remove excess fat, sinew or the tough ends of vegetables.

Divided. When an ingredient is "divided," it is used in more than one step. Do not add it all at once. The recipe will say how much goes where.

Baking and mixing

Fold. Mix gently by cutting down through the mixture and turning it over, rather than stirring. It keeps air in batters and whipped egg whites.

Cream. Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, which adds air to cakes and biscuits.

Whisk. Beat quickly with a whisk to blend ingredients or add air.

Knead. Push, fold and turn dough to develop the gluten, which gives bread its chew.

Prove (or proof). Let yeast dough rest in a warm place so it rises.

Stiff peaks. Whipped egg whites or cream that hold a sharp point when you lift the whisk out.

Room temperature. Around 20 to 22°C. For butter and eggs, take them out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before using them.

Softened butter. Soft enough to press a finger in easily, but not melted or oily.

Grease and line. Rub the tin with butter or oil, then line it with baking paper so the food releases cleanly.

Descriptions you will see a lot

Al dente. Pasta that is cooked but still firm to the bite. Literally "to the tooth."

To taste. Add the ingredient (usually salt, pepper or acid) bit by bit, tasting as you go.

Golden. Cooked to a light brown colour, rather than pale or dark.

Translucent. Onions are translucent when they turn soft and slightly see-through, which happens before they brown.

Pinch. The amount you can pick up between your thumb and first finger, about 1/8 of a teaspoon.

Read the whole recipe first

Terms like these are easier once you have read the full recipe before you start. For a step-by-step approach, see how to read a recipe before you cook. For quantity and temperature conversions, see our oven temperature chart and cups to grams table.