Exotic Cuisine

by The Oxford Chronicle

Glossary

The list of Indian and Pakistani terminology can be exhaustive, since there are 15 official languages and 1568 dialects in India alone. I have put together a short-list of items that are widely recognized and commonly used in Indian cooking.  A-L are listed below.

A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L & M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z

A

Achar Pickle
Adrak Ginger
Ajowain Lovage
Aloo Potato
Aloo Chole A vegetarian dish using chickpeas, potatoes and tamarind
Am Mango
Amchoor Mango powder
Aniseed Sanuf
Areca Betel nut
Asafetida Pungent gum obtained from giant fennel-like plant
Ata / Atta Chapati flour

B

Badam Almond
Bargar The process of frying whole seeds in oil
Basmati An expensive, fine-grained fragrant rice
Besan Chickpea flour
Betal Nut Areca
Bhaji Mild, dry-ish vegetable masala
Bhajia / Pakora Deep fried fritter, usually onion
Bhare Stuffed
Bharta / Bhuna Process of cooking the spice paste in hot oil
Bhunana Roast
Bindi Okra
Biryani A festive dish combining rice with spiced meat or chicken
Black Salt Kala namak
Bombay Duck Smallish fish known locally as bommaloe macchi
Bombay Potatoes Small whole potatoes in masala and tomato sauce
Boti Kebab Marinated cubes of meat, skewered and grilled

C

Cardamom Elaichi
Cashew Nuts Kaju
Cassia Bark A corky bark with sweet fragrance similar to cinnamon
Cayenne Pepper A type of chili powder
Chaamp Chop
Chakla Belan Special rolling pin and board
Chana Type of lentil
Chana Masaledar A spicy chickpea dish
Chawal Rice
Chhalni Sieve
"Chhi, chhi, chhi" "Dirty, dirty, dirty!"
Chilgoze / Nioze Small long creamy nuts
Chor Maga Melon seeds
Chapati dry, six-inch disk of unleavened bread
Choona Lime (white, alkaline) paste
Chutney Similar in consistency to jelly, salsa or relish and is used as a sweet and sour condiment
Cinnamon Dalchini
Cloves Lavang
Coriander Dhania
Curry No direct translation into any of the sub-continent's fifteen or so languages
Curry Leaves Also known as Kadipatha, small leaves a bit like bay leaves which are used for flavoring

D

Dahi Yogurt
Dahi Wala A meat cooked in savory yogurt sauce
Dal / Dhal Pulse
Dalchini / Darchim Cinnamon
Dewa Lentils
Dhania Coriander
Dhansak Traditional meat or chicken dish cooked in lentils and vegetable puree
Do Piaza Do means “two” and piaza means “onion”, It gets its name because onions appear twice in the cooking process
Doroo Celery
Dosa / Dosai A south Indian pancake made from rice and lentil flour
Dum Steamcooking

E

Ekuri Spiced scrambled eggs
Elaichi Cardamom

F

Falooda A transparent vermicelli
Falsa A tart, red berry
Fennel Soonf
Fenugreek Methi
Foogat Lightly cooked vegetable dish

G

Gajar Carrot
Gajar-Ka-Halva A desert made with grated carrots and milk
Garam Hot
Garam Masala Literally "hot mixture"
Garlic Lasan
Ghee Clarified butter
Ginger Adrak (fresh), Sont (dried)
Gobi / Phoolgobi Cauliflower
Goor / Gur Jaggery (palm sugar) or molasses
Gosht Lamb
Gram Flour Chickpea flour (besam)
Gulab Jaman Popular desert, small 1-inch balls of flour and milk powder are deep-fried to golden and served cold in syrup

H

Halva Sweets made from syrup and vegetable or fruit
Handi Earthenware cooking pot
Hasina Kebab Pieces of chicken breast, lamb or beef marinated in spices and then skewered and barbecued with onion, capsicum and tomato
Hing Asafetida
Huldi / Haldi Turmeric

I

Idli A south Indian rice and lentil flour cake served with light masala
Imli Tamarind
Isgubul Vegetable seed

J

Jaifal / Taifal Nutmeg
Jal Frezi Sautee or stir fry
Jalebi A flour, milk powder and yogurt batter pushed through a narrow funnel into deep frying oil to produce golden curly crispy rings
Jheera / Zeera Cumin
Jhanna Flat-slotted spoon
Jinga prawns

K

Kabli Chana Chickpeas
Kaddu Kas Grater
Kadhi Yogurt soup
Kaju Cashew nut
Kala Black
Kala Jeera Black cumin seeds
Kaleji Liver
Kalongi Nigella, similar to wild onion seeds
Karahi / Karai Cast iron, wok-like frying pan
Karela Small, dark-green, knobby vegetable of the gourd family
Kasmir Chicken Whole chicken stuffed with minced meat
Kashmir Curry A sweet-ish masala often using lychees or similar ingredient
Kathal Jack fruit
Katori Small serving bowls which go on a thaali (tray)
Kebab Skewered food cooked over charcoal
Keema / Kheema Minced meat masala served plain or with potatoes, peas or mushrooms
Kesar Saffron or zafron
Kewra Screwpine water, an inexpensive substitute for rosewater
Khir Technique of making a sort of cream, milk is cooked with cucumber and pureed
Khurzi Lamb or chicken, whole with spicy stuffing
Kish Nish Sultanas
Kokum / Cocum A variety of plum that is pitted, dried and very sour
Korma Meat, chicken or vegetables are cooked in cream, yogurt and nuts, and are fragrantly spiced with saffron and aromatic spices
Koya Reducing milk to a sticky solid, used for sweets making
Kulcha Small leavened bread
Kulfi Indian ice cream, usually comes in vanilla, pistachio or mango flavors

L

Lasan Garlic
Lhassi / Lassi A refreshing drink made from yogurt and crushed ice, the savory version is lhassi namkeen and the sweet version is lhassi meethi
Lavang Cloves
Lilva Small oval-shaped bean
Lovage Ajwain or Ajowain

 

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