W
hether you're a
seasoned gourmet
or totally new to the
world of cooking,
understanding the terms used in
everyday recipes is really helpful
for a successful end result. Here
are some of the most common
terms you'll find in recipes.FRYING
Pan−fryingmeans to cook food
(s uch as a steak, chicken breast or
fish fillet) in a tiny amount of hot
oil or butter in a frying pan.Stir−fryingmeans to quickly cook
meat and vegetables in a very hot,
deep−sided wok. Because the wok
retains heat well, the foods must
be stirred regularly to stop them
burning. Everything should be sliced
thinly or chopped into bite−sized
pieces so they cook quickly and
evenly, and can be eaten from one
bowl with chopsticks or a fork.Shallow−fryingmeans to cook meat,
fish or vegetables in a heated frying
pan, in a shallow (about 5mm deep)
amount of hot oil.Deep−fryingmeans to plunge or
quickly cook foods (often small
pieces, battered or crumbed), in
very hot oil, immersing them
completely. Peanut, vegetable or
rice bran oils are best for deep−
frying, as they have a high
smoking/heating point and
tolerate the high heats required.WATER
Boilingis heating liquid over a high
heat until lots of bubbles pop and
break on the surface (water boils
at 100°C).Simmeringis gently heating the
liquid, over a low enough heat, so
that tiny bubbles just start to break
on the surface (95°C−99°C).Poachingmeans to gently cook
foods, completely covered in liquid.
The surface of the liquid should be
just shivering, not bubbling.COOKING
Brai singis the slow cooking of
meat and vegetables in a pan or
casserole dish with a tight−fitting
lid or a baking dish covered
tightly with foil. The food that is
being braised has usually been
fried and lightly browned in a little
oil first, then it should be half−
covered with liquid. The long,
slow, gentle cooking helps to make
tough (usually translating to cheap)
cuts of meat tender and develops
rich flavours.Stewingis similar to braising,
except that the food is almost
completely covered with liquid.
The pan is covered with a tight−
fitting lid and the food is simmered
gently for a long time. It is usually
served with the sauce it is cooked
in and is another good way to make
cheaper and tougher cuts of meat
tender and soft.Sautéing(pronounced saw−taying)
means to cook food quickly in a
little oil or butter in a frying pan or
sauté pan (this usually has deeper
sides than a frying pan). A sauté
pan is what chefs use when you see
them shaking the pan to toss and
turn the ingredients they are frying.
The deeper sides stop the food
from flying out.Steamingvegetables means to
cookthem until tender in a covered
steamer basket or bamboo steamer,
over a pan of boiling water.Sweatingvegetables means cooking
themin oil or butter, covered, over
a medium−low heat. The vegetables
should soften and become tender
without becoming brown.Blanchingvegetables means to
plunge or quickly cook them in
boiling water, then refresh them by
putting them in ice−cold water to
stop the cooking process. It keeps
their colour bright, keeps them
crisp and crunchy (not soggy), and
keeps all the nutrients in.DeglazingThis is when you add
liquid (itcould be water, wine or
stock) to a hot frying pan or baking
dish after the meat or poultry has
been removed. The liquid is then
stirred over moderate−hot heat
to blend all the left−over cooking
juices into it. This creates a
flavoursome sauce that can be
added to other ingredients.From braising to blanching – brush up on your kitchen
know-how with this essential guide to common cooking terms.
AWW FOOD • ISSUE FIFTY EIGHT 7
Test Kitchen Secrets