Couscous
Couscous Pronounce it: koos-koos Consisting of many tiny granules made from steamed and dried durum wheat, couscous has become a popular alternative to rice and pasta. It has a light fluffy texture which is a…
Beansprouts
Beansprouts Pronounce it: been sp-rowts The two most common beansprouts are the green-capped mung bean and the bigger, yellow-capped soy bean. Widely seen as a major, somehow magic, ingredient, beansprouts have little more nutrition than other…
Risotto rice
Risotto rice To create an authentic creamy Italian risotto, the use of specialist rice is imperative. It comes in various forms and is usually very pale in colour, stubby and smooth in texture. Grains range…
Mint
Mint Pronounce it: mi-nt There are several types of mint, each with its own subtle difference in flavour and appearance. The most popular type is spearmint, with its pointed, serrated leaves and a familiar refreshing…
Spelt
Spelt Pronounce it: spell-t Spelt is an ancient member of the wheat family and an evolutionary hybrid of emmer wheat and goat grass. Its high energy content led the Romans to dub it the ‘marching grain’. Lower yielding than modern…
Turmeric
Turmeric Pronounce it: term-er-ik Turmeric is a fragrant, bright golden-yellow root that is most commonly seen and used dried and ground. Although sometimes suggested as an alternative to saffron, these flavours have nothing in common,…
Shallot
Shallot Pronounce it: shal-lot Related to the onion (as opposed to being a younger version of it), shallots grow in clusters at the leaf base. Most varieties are smaller than onions, have finer layers and…
Mustard
Mustard Pronounce it: muss-tard A condiment made by mixing the ground seeds of the mustard plant with a combination of ingredients usually including water, vinegar and flour. There are three varieties of mustard plant: black,…
Gooseberry
Gooseberry Pronounce it: gooz-bear-ree The size of large grapes, but with a more spherical shape, gooseberries are related to the blackcurrant, and have been a popular British fruit since as far back as Elizabethan times….
Mushroom
Mushroom Pronounce it: mush-room The mushroom is a fungus which comes in a wide range of varieties that belong to two distinct types: cultivated and wild. In myth and folklore mushrooms have always had something…