cooking & baking terms

Bake
to cook food by surrounding it with hot air, usually describes the cooking method for baking products.

B.B.Q.
to cook food above hot coals or wood ambers/ashes

Boil
to cook food in a rapidly bubbling liquid, above 100*c/212*f or simmering around 80*c/180*f


Braise
to cook food submerged in a liquid, usually flavoured and then slow cooked in the oven.


Casserole
Cooking food slowly to tenderise meat and vegetables and Stew and to intensify flavour.
Casseroles are cooked in the oven and Stews are cooked on top of the oven on the stove.

Deep-fry
to submerge food in hot oil between 175/190*c/ 345/375*f, depending on the thickness of the food.


Grill
to cook food below a heated element. Usually having to turn while cooking.


Pan fry
cooking food in a frying pan on both sides with or with out a small amount of oil. i.e. - a fatty piece of meat will pan fry in a non-stick pan without oil.


Poach
to submerge food in a hot liquid, usually around 70/80*c or 160/180*f.


Roast
to cook food in a hot oven, surrounding by dry heat.


Sauté
a French term, as for pan-fry but with hot oil and a good amount of movement.


Shallow Fry
to cook food in a layer of hot oil, usually in a frying pan, not submerged- therefore having to turn over the food to cook on both sides.

Steam
cooking food in a holed container above boiling water, but not with the water touching the food as the water produces a steam, which rises up to moistly, cook the food.

Stir-Fry
to cook usually -thin strips of food in a hot pan with hot oil, moving around quickly and cooking rapidly on a high flame.

Toast
to brown lightly on both sides, under a grill or in a toaster.

Wok Fry
same as for stir-fry only using a Chinese wok. Woks cause an intense heat in the centre, so stir frequently on a high flame. Sometimes 1/2 way through the process liquid is added to create a steam to soften and flavour the ingredients.

English to American !

All purpose Flour = Plain flour



Beet = Beetroot


Chips (potato) = Crisps
Cilanthro = Corriander
Cornmeal = Flour-Maize
Cornstarch = Cornflour

Crisco = Vegetable fat

Corn Syrup = Not quite but close to Golden syrup.


Egg Plant = Aubergine


French Fries = Thin chips

Golden raisins = Sultanas
Graham crackers = Digestives
Ground Meat = Mince

Heavy Cream = Double Cream

Jello = Jelly

Light Cream = Single Cream

Molassess = Black Treacle

Peanut oil = Groundnut oil
Pigs foot = Pigs Trotter
Pudding = Dessert

Seeded = Stoned
Superfine Granulated = Caster sugar

Zucchini= Courgette

Cake tins & Oven Temperatures

4in ---------------------= 10cm
7in ---------------------= 18cm
8in ---------------------= 20cm
9in ---------------------= 23cm
12in/1ft ----------------= 30cm




C --------------------°F ---------------Gas mark
95-120 -----------200-250 --------------1 -----------Extremely slow
135-150 ----------275-300 --------------2 -----------Slow
160 -----------------325 -----------------3 -----------Warm
180-190 ----------350-375 --------------4 -----------Medium
200-210 ---------400-425 ---------------5 ------------Medium-Hot
220-230 ---------450-475 --------------7-8 ----------Hot
240-250 ---------500-525 --------------8-9----------Extremely hot

Cooking & Baking Conversions

Metric Imperial Pounds
30g 1 oz
60g 2 oz
125g 4 oz 1/4 lb
250g 8 oz 1/2 lb (227g exact)
315g 10 oz
440g 14 oz
500g 16 oz 1lb (454g exact)
750g 24 oz 1&1/2 lb
1 kilo 32 oz 2lb (908g exact)


1 cup vegetables 1 medium chopped onion, 1 medium carrot etc
1 cup butter 250g / 8oz
1 cup sugar 220g / 7oz
1 cup flour 100g / 3&1/2oz
1 cup cheese 120g / 4oz
1 cup egg 240g/ 8oz / 4 x large
1 cup nuts 120g / 4oz
1 cup dried fruit 150g / 5oz
1 cup honey or syrup 250g / 8oz
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U.S. to Metric

1/5 teaspoon = 1 ml
1 teaspoon = 5 ml
1 tablespoon = 15 ml1 fluid oz. = 30 ml
1/5 cup = 50 ml
1 cup = 240 ml
2 cups (1 pint) = 470 ml
4 cups (1 quart) = .95 liter
4 quarts (1 gal.) = 3.8 liters

Weight
1 oz. = 28 grams
1 pound = 454 grams

ml. to teaspoon
1 militers = 1/5 teaspoon
5 ml = 1 teaspoon
15 ml = 1 tablespoon
30 ml = 1 fluid oz.
100 ml = 3.4 fluid oz.
240 ml = 1 cup
1 liter = 34 fluid oz.
1 liter = 4.2 cups
1 liter = 2.1 pints
1 liter = 1.06 quarts
1 liter = .26 gallon

Weight
1 gram = .035 ounce
100 grams = 3.5 ounces
500 grams = 1.10 pounds
1 kilogram = 2.205 pounds
1 kilogram = 35 oz.

Cooking Measurement Equivalents

16 tablespoons = 1 cup
12 tablespoons = 3/4 cup
10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 2/3 cup
8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
6 tablespoons = 3/8 cup
5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = 1/3 cup
4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
2 tablespoons = 1/8 cup
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 1/6 cup
1 tablespoon = 1/16 cup

2 cups = 1 pint
2 pints = 1 quart
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
48 teaspoons = 1 cup