Za’atar
Za’atar Pronounce it: zar-uh-tar This Middle Eastern and Levantine flavouring changes lives once tasted. It’s easy to understand why it is an essential part of daily life in so many countries. The word can mean…
Globe artichoke
Globe artichoke Pronounce it: glo-eb art-ee-choke No relation of the tuber-like Jerusalem artichoke, the globe artichoke is considered to be the ‘true’ artichoke and is the bud of a large member of the thistle family….
Jackfruit
Jackfruit Pronounce it: jack-froot Jackfruit has become increasingly popular in the UK, featuring in vegan savoury dishes, including pulled jackfruit. What is jackfruit? Jackfruit are extremely large compound fruit made of numerous yellow ‘bulbs’ of flesh…
Pak choi
Pak choi Pronounce it: pak-choy This member of the cabbage family has a number of different names, including pak choi, bok choy, horse’s ear, Chinese celery cabbage and white mustard cabbage. Its structure looks like…
Arrowroot powder
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…
Fennel bulb
Fennel bulb Like Marmite, fennel is something that you either love or hate – its strong aniseed flavour leaves no room for the middle ground. From the same family as the herb and seed of…
Kidney beans
Kidney beans Pronounce it: kid-nee beenz Native to the Americas, kidney beans are so called because of their shape and come in very many sizes and colours, from ivory-white to blood-red and black. Although differing a…
Knead
Knead Pronounce it: ne-ed A hands-on technique to develop the gluten in dough and turn the sticky mix into a firm, workable mass. Kneading by hand should be a slow, gentle process and is done…
Merlot
Merlot Pronounce it: mer-low The crowd pleaser Merlot is the red that has come racing up the popularity stakes. It’s the variety – especially if it’s made in the New World – that you can…
Jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem artichoke Pronounce it: jer-oo-sa-lem ar-tee-choke This vegetable is not truly an artichoke but a variety of sunflower with a lumpy, brown-skinned tuber that often resembles a ginger root. Contrary to what the name implies,…