Arborio rice Pronounce it: ahh-bore-e-o rice The high-starch kernels of this northern Italian-grown grain are shorter and plumper than any other short-grain rice. When cooked the grains become soft in texture with a chalky centre….
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Almond Pronounce it: arr-mund or al-mund Sweet almonds have a subtle fragrance that lends itself well to baking and also works well with fish and chicken. Classic almond dishes include trout and almonds, Bakewell tart,…
Amaranth Pronounce it: am-uh-ranth Amaranth is a protein-rich, gluten-free pseudo-grain (like quinoa) and a distant relation to Swiss chard and spinach. An amaranth plant produces multiple seed heads, each of which can yield up to 5,000 seeds. It is…
Angelica Pronounce it: an-gell-ik-ah This sweet ‘herb of the angels’ is a member of the parsley family and was once thought to be a remedy against witchcraft, poison and plague. Its pale green, celery-like stalks…
Arrowroot powder Pronounce it: a-row-root Arrowroot powder is a type of starch that can be used instead of cornflour in many ways, including baking, but is most appreciated as a thickener of liquids because it…
Aduki bean Pronounce it: a-dook-ee beens The aduki bean is a tiny, reddish-brown bean with a cream coloured seam and sweet, nutty flavour. It is particularly popular in Asian cooking, most often used for sweet…
Asafoetida Pronounce it: Ass-a-feh-te-dah/Ass-a-feh-tee-dah This is a gum from a variety of giant fennel, which naturally has a horrid and offensive smell, rather like rotting garlic, as in foetid. Yet it is considered the most…
Aubergine Pronounce it: oh-ber-geen Although it’s technically a fruit (a berry, to be exact), the aubergine is used as a vegetable. It’s native to South-East Asia, but is grown all over the world, and there…
Avocado Pronounce it: av-oh-car-doh Although it’s technically a fruit, the mild-flavoured avocado is used as a vegetable. Native to central America, there are four main varieties: Hass (considered to be the best), which has a…
Apricot Pronounce it: ay-pree-kot A relative of the peach, nectarine, plum and cherry, apricots are fragrant, with a soft, velvety skin that ranges from pale yellow to deep orange. Inside there’s a large kernel that…