The Love Chef - For Kids!

What's the Word?

Sometimes recipes use words that you may not understand. To help guide you through The Love Chef's recipes, here is a simple glossary of terms:

Cooking

BoilDuring boiling, bubbles rise rapidly to the surface. You need to leave enough room for the food to boil in a pan without bubbling over the sides.

BroilRadiant heat is applied above or below the food to cook it to the desired doneness. Steaks, chicken, seafood and other types of food are broiled so the insides remain tender.

BrownWhen you brown food, you're giving it color. You do not use this technique to thoroughly cook food, so it's usually combined with another method.

FryTo fry food, you would use a fry pan or skillet with a touch of non-stick cooking spray, oil, butter or margarine to prevent it from clinging to the pan. Fried foods are cooked thoroughly.

SautéThis means to cook lightly and rapidly in just a bit of oil or cooking spray. Sometimes this is done to soften foods like sliced vegetables.

SimmerSimilar to boiling, simmering food has bubbles, but these rise more slowly. The food is kept over low to medium heat while the flavors blend in this process.

Stir FryThis method involves putting food over heat and quickly moving it around the pan as it cooks. Foods that will be stir fried should be sliced thin to ensure that they are cooked appropriately. Stir frying is fast, so many foods, like carrots, remain crisp and colorful.

Cutting

ChopThis method results in small, but not mushy, pieces. Remember to ask an adult to help when using a knife or appliance to chop foods!

CutDivide into smaller pieces.

DiceCut into small square pieces.

GrateSlide the food along a metal grater to create thin shreds.

MinceChop into very fine pieces. Watch your fingers!

PureeBlend a solid food into a liquid-like consistency.

ShredCut, grate or process into thin, small strips.

SliceCut into strips.

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Page last updated: Thursday, December 05, 2002 02:23 PM ET