Ingredients

Ingredients you'll meet in recipes, with their UK and US names.

• AbaloneA large sea snail with an ear-shaped shell lined with mother-of-pearl, prized for its firm, sweet, meaty flesh.
• AbatsThe French term for offal, the edible internal organs and extremities of an animal, such as liver, kidneys, heart, tongue and sweetbreads.
• AchioteThe red seeds of the annatto tree, or a paste made from them, used for their earthy, peppery flavour and deep orange-red colour.
• Acidulated waterA bowl of cold water with a little lemon juice or vinegar added, used to stop cut fruit and vegetables turning brown.
• Acini di pepeA tiny bead-shaped pasta, similar in size to a peppercorn, used mainly in soups and pasta salads.
• Adzuki beansSmall, reddish-brown beans with a white ridge, a sweet nutty flavour and a soft texture, widely used in East Asian sweets.
• AleA type of beer made with top-fermenting yeast at warmer temperatures, giving fuller, fruitier flavours than lager.
• Almond mealA coarsely ground almond powder, often made from whole almonds with their skins on, giving a rustic texture and speckled look.
• Arrowroot powderThe fine, white powdered starch sold as arrowroot, mixed with cold liquid and added to hot dishes as a quick, clear thickener.
• AubergineA large, glossy, deep purple vegetable with soft, spongy flesh that becomes silky and rich when cooked, known in the US as eggplant.
• Baking powderA raising agent made from bicarbonate of soda mixed with a dry acid and a starch, which releases carbon dioxide gas to make cakes, scones and batters rise.
• BarleyA cereal grain with a chewy texture and mild, nutty flavour, used in soups, stews and salads and malted for brewing and distilling.
• Bay leafThe aromatic leaf of the bay laurel tree, used fresh or dried to flavour stocks, soups, stews, sauces and rice, and removed before serving.
• CassareepA thick, black, bittersweet syrup made from the boiled-down juice of cassava root and spices, used in Guyanese and Caribbean cooking, especially pepperpot.
• Caul fatA thin, lacy membrane of fat from around the internal organs of pigs, sheep or cows, used to wrap meat so it stays moist and holds its shape.
• ChardA leafy green vegetable with large, glossy leaves and thick, crunchy stems in white, red, yellow or pink, cooked like spinach.
• Dry yeastA dried, granular form of baker's yeast that keeps for a long time, sold as active dry yeast or fast-action instant yeast, used to raise bread and dough.
• Dulce de lecheA thick, sweet, caramel-flavoured spread made by slowly heating sweetened milk until it thickens and turns golden brown, popular in Latin America.
• Gravy browningA dark brown liquid, made mainly from caramel colouring, added in small amounts to darken the colour of gravies, sauces and stews.
• Green beanA long, slender, tender green pod of the common bean plant, eaten whole while young, also called a French bean in Britain.
• Ground almondsThe fine, moist powder made by grinding almonds, usually blanched, and used in cakes, biscuits, pastry, frangipane, marzipan and macarons, and to thicken sauces.
• Ground turmericA bright yellow-orange spice made from the dried, ground root of the turmeric plant, with a warm, earthy, slightly bitter flavour, used in curries, rice and pickles.
• Groundnut oilAn oil pressed from peanuts, with a mild flavour and high smoke point, widely used for stir-frying, deep-frying and general cooking.
• Ice wineA sweet dessert wine made from grapes left to freeze naturally on the vine, then pressed while frozen to give a concentrated, sugary juice.
• Italian seasoningA blend of dried Mediterranean herbs, usually including oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary and marjoram, used to flavour pasta sauces, pizza, marinades and dressings.
• Jowl meatThe fatty meat from the lower cheek and jaw of an animal, usually a pig, prized for its rich flavour when slow-cooked or cured.
• JujubeA small, olive-shaped fruit from a thorny tree, crisp and apple-like when fresh and chewy and date-like when dried, widely used in Chinese and Korean cooking.
• Jujube pasteA smooth, sweet, dark paste made from cooked, sieved dried jujubes and sugar, used as a filling for Chinese pastries, buns and mooncakes.
• MatchaA fine, bright green powder made from shade-grown Japanese green tea leaves, whisked into hot water to drink or used to flavour drinks and desserts.
• Pomegranate molassesA thick, dark, sticky syrup made by reducing pomegranate juice, with an intensely sour, fruity and slightly sweet flavour, used widely in Middle Eastern cooking.
• Queen scallopA small species of scallop with sweet, tender meat, smaller than the king scallop, cooked quickly in the shell or out of it.
• Queso añejoA firm, dry, salty aged Mexican cheese, crumbled or grated over dishes such as enchiladas, beans and street corn.
• Queso de bolaThe Filipino and Latin American name for Edam-style cheese sold in a round ball coated in red wax, especially popular at Christmas in the Philippines.
• Queso frescoA soft, moist, mild and slightly salty fresh Mexican cheese, usually made with cow's milk and rennet, crumbled over tacos, beans and salads.
• Red wine vinegarA vinegar made by fermenting red wine, with a sharp, fruity, robust flavour and a pinkish-red colour, used in dressings, marinades and sauces.
• RedcurrantA small, bright red, translucent berry that grows in clusters on bushes, with a sharp, tart flavour, used in jellies, sauces, desserts and garnishes.
• Savoy cabbageA cabbage with dark green, deeply crinkled, loosely packed leaves and a mild, sweet flavour, used in soups, stir-fries, braises and as a side dish.
• ScallopA shellfish with a fan-shaped, ridged shell, prized for its sweet, tender white meat and orange roe, and usually seared, grilled or baked.
• Seasoned flourA mixture of plain flour with salt, pepper and sometimes spices or dried herbs, used to coat meat, fish or vegetables before frying or browning.
• Sesame saltA Japanese and Korean seasoning of toasted sesame seeds ground lightly with salt, sprinkled over rice, vegetables and other dishes.
• Soybean curdThe food known as tofu, a soft or firm block made by curdling soy milk and pressing the curds, with a mild flavour that absorbs seasonings well.
• Soybean oilA neutral, pale cooking oil pressed or extracted from soya beans, widely used for frying, baking and dressings and often sold as vegetable oil.
• SpaghettiA long, thin, round pasta made from durum wheat semolina and water, one of the most popular pasta shapes, served with many sauces.
• Spelt flourA flour milled from spelt, an ancient wheat, available as wholegrain or white, with a nutty flavour and softer, more delicate gluten than modern wheat.
• Tamarind concentrateA dark, thick, very strong tamarind product made by cooking down tamarind pulp, used in small amounts to add sourness to curries and sauces.
• Tamarind pasteA ready-to-use, smooth brown paste of strained tamarind pulp, with a sweet and sour, fruity flavour, used in curries, pad Thai, chutneys and sauces.
• Tempura flourA low-protein flour mix, often with starch and raising agents, made for tempura batter so that fried food has a light, crisp coating.
• TenderloinThe long, narrow, very tender muscle that runs beneath the backbone, known in Britain as fillet, from beef, pork or lamb.
• Zucchini noodlesThe long, thin strands of raw courgette, cut with a spiralizer or julienne peeler, used in place of pasta or noodles, known as courgetti or zoodles.