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Quick Guide For Parents to Common Cooking Terms

Maggie LaBarbera • RN, MBA • Jul 14, 2012
 

holiday eating healthy foods for children

Some recipes may call for different cooking methods. Here is a handy guide of some of the most common cooking terms and their definition.

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Cooking Terms

  • Bake -To cook in an oven Beat -To mix ingredients together using a fast, circular movement with a spoon, fork, whisk or mixer
  • Blend -To mix ingredients together gently with a spoon, fork, or until combined
  • Boil -To heat a food so that the liquid gets hot enough for bubbles to rise and break the surface
  • Broil -To cook under direct heat Brown -To cook over medium or high heat until surface of food browns or darkens
  • Chop -To cut into small pieces  cooking vocabulary
  • Dice -To cut into small cubes
  • Drain -To remove all the liquid using a colander, strainer, or by pressing a plate against the food while tilting the container
  • Grate or Shred -To scrape food against the holes of a grater making thin pieces Grease -To lightly coat with oil, butter, margarine, or non-stick spray so food does not stick when cooking or baking
  • Knead -To press, fold and stretch dough until it is smooth and uniform, usually done by pressing with the heels of the hands
  • Marinate -To soak food in a liquid to tenderize or add flavor to it (the liquid is called a “marinade”) Mash -To squash food with a fork, spoon, or masher Mince -To cut into very small pieces, smaller than chopped or diced pieces Mix -To stir ingredients together with a spoon, fork, or electric mixer until well combined
  • Preheat -To turn oven on ahead of time so that it is at the desired temperature when needed (usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes)
  • Sauté -To cook quickly in a little oil, butter, or margarine Simmer -To cook in liquid over low heat (low boil) so that bubbles just begin to break the surface Steam -To cook food over steam without putting the food directly in water (usually done with a steamer)
  • Stir Fry -To quickly cook small pieces of food over high heat while constantly stirring the food until it is crisply tender (usually done with a wok)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Written by Maggie LaBarberaWritten on Jul 14, 2012Last updated on Aug 05, 2014
 
 

 

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