Culinary glossary of terms
The culinary glossary is a clear encyclopedia of cooking terms, techniques and ingredients that you will come across in recipes from home and world cuisines. It suits beginners who want to understand what a recipe asks for, as well as experienced cooks who need to check a particular method or the name of an ingredient.
Each entry comes with a plain explanation of how the term is used and what to watch out for while cooking, often with a practical tip right at the stove. Browse the entries alphabetically, or use the search when you are looking for a specific term.
Wild garlic - a springtime forest delicacy
Wild garlic is a wild-growing herb related to garlic and onion, found in deciduous forests and damp shady locations. In spring it forms dense carpets of broad green leaves with a characteristic garlic aroma. The leaves are harvested from March to May before the plant blooms with white star-shaped flowers. Wild garlic is used in soups, sauces, pesto, and salads. It is rich in vitamin C, allicin, and other beneficial compounds. Care must be taken when foraging as its leaves can be confused with poisonous lily of the valley or autumn crocus.
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Wild rice - wild grain
Wild rice is not botanically true rice but the seeds of an aquatic grass of the genus Zizania, native to North America. It has dark brown to black elongated grains with a pronounced nutty flavor and chewy texture. It is rich in protein, fiber, and minerals.
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Wok - Asian pan for quick cooking
A wok is a deep, round pan with high sides originating from Chinese cuisine. Its shape allows for quick stir-frying at high temperatures, keeping food crispy while preserving color and vitamins. The wok is used not only for stir-frying but also for braising, steaming, deep-frying, and smoking. It is an indispensable tool in Asian cooking. Most commonly, it is used to prepare vegetable and meat stir-fries, noodles, and rice dishes. Proper wok technique requires rapid tossing of ingredients.
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Wonton Soup, Chinese Classic
Wonton soup is a delicate Chinese soup with a seasoned broth and wontons, thin dumplings filled with pork and shrimp.
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Worcestershire sauce - English fermented classic
Worcestershire sauce is a fermented liquid condiment originating from the English city of Worcester. Its recipe dates back to the 19th century and includes ingredients such as vinegar, molasses, anchovies, tamarind, onion, garlic, and spices. The sauce has a complex umami flavor that is simultaneously salty, sweet, sour, and piquant. It is used as a seasoning in meat dishes, soups, marinades, and cocktails, especially the Bloody Mary. It is an essential component of many British and American recipes.
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Yeast - the foundation of risen baking
Yeast is a single-celled fungus (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) used as a leavening agent in baking and in the production of alcoholic beverages. During fermentation, it converts sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol, causing dough to rise. It is sold as fresh (compressed), dried, or instant.
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Yeast dough - foundation of traditional baking
Těsto z kvasnic je základním typem těsta v české a středoevropské kuchyni, jehož hlavními ingrediencemi jsou mouka, kvasnice, mléko, cukr, vejce a tuk. Kvasnice jako kypricí činidlo způsobují, že těsto kyne produkcí oxidu uhličitého, což mu dodává nadýchanou a lehkou strukturu. Těsto z kvasnic se používá k přípravě housek, pečiva, vánočky a mnoha dalších tradičních pečených výrobků. Kvalita těsta z kvasnic závisí na správné teplotě ingrediencí, čase kynutí a manipulaci. Těsto by mělo být hladké, elastické a nemělo by se lepit na ruce.
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Yeasted puff pastry
Yeasted puff pastry combines puff pastry and yeast dough, featuring layers of butter folded into yeasted dough. It is used for making croissants, Danish pastries, and other fine baked goods. Preparation requires repeated folding and rolling of the dough with fat.
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Yellow melon - sweet and juicy summer fruit
Yellow melon is a variety of sugar melon with a smooth yellow rind and light green to white flesh. It is known for its sweet honey-like flavor and refreshing juiciness. In cooking, it is served fresh as a dessert, in fruit salads, or wrapped in prosciutto as an appetizer. Yellow melon is rich in vitamins A and C, potassium, and antioxidants. The harvest season runs from summer through autumn, and it tastes best when fully ripe.
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Yogurt - healthy fermented dairy product
Yogurt is a fermented dairy product made by the action of lactic acid bacteria on milk. It has a characteristic thick consistency and mildly tangy flavor. Produced from cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk, it comes in many varieties from plain to Greek-style. Yogurt is a rich source of protein, calcium, and probiotic cultures beneficial for digestion. Consumed on its own or used in cooking and baking.
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Yogurt milk - light fermented dairy drink
Yogurt milk is a liquid fermented dairy drink that resembles drinkable yogurt in consistency. It is made by fermenting milk with yogurt cultures but has a thinner consistency than regular yogurt. It has a mildly tangy flavor and is available in plain and flavored varieties. Yogurt milk is popular as a light, refreshing drink rich in protein, calcium, and probiotics. It works well as a snack or smoothie base.
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Yukhoe - Korean beef tartare
Yukhoe is a Korean beef tartare of finely sliced raw beef with sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce and egg yolk. It is often served with slices of Korean pear.
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